Like I said above I did follow the directions on the package... Morton smoke sugar cure is for dry cure only, of ham and bacon
It was used as a dry cure and kept at 38ish degrees for 9 days or so. as per package instructions.
I just took it off of a 2 hour soak did a cut/fry test, smelled great, tasted like salt pork. though... original question was how tong to soak to get the salt out... apparently i over did the sugar cure and used to much.
You might find some of this interesting..... And FWIW, the USDA does not allow nitrate to be used in bacon..... We are here to help you make safe grub..... Dave
http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/lit_rev/cure_smoke_meats.html
http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making/curing
http://www.meatsandsausages.com/hams-other-meats/dry
http://www.meatsandsausages.com/hams-other-meats/country
http://www.meatsandsausages.com/hams-other-meats/hams
http://www.meatsandsausages.com/hams-other-meats/hams-safety-USDA
Dry curing[edit]
Traditional dry cure hams may use only salt as the curative agent, such as with San Daniele or Parma hams, although this is comparatively rare.[9] This process involves cleaning the raw meat, covering it in salt (for about two months for Parma ham) whilst it is gradually pressed – draining all the blood. It is then washed and hung in a dark, temperature-regulated place until dry. It is then hung to air for another period of time.
Sea salt being added to raw pork leg as part of a dry cure process
The duration of the curing process varies by the type of ham, with Serrano ham curing in 9–12 months, Parma hams taking more than 12 months, and Iberian ham taking up to 2 years to reach the desired flavour characteristics.[10] Dry cured hams, such as the Chinese Jinhua ham takes approximately 8 to 10 months to complete.[11]
Most modern dry cure hams also use nitrites (either sodium or potassium), which are added along with the salt, although following a similar methodology. The nitrites deliver a distinctive pink or red tinge to the meat, as well as imparting flavour. The amount and mixture of salt and nitrites used has an effect on the shrinkage of the meat.[12]
Sodium nitrite is used because it prevents bacterial growth and, in a reaction with the meat's myoglobin, gives the product a desirable dark red color. Because of the toxicity of nitrite (the lethal dose of nitrite for humans is about 22 mg per kg body weight), some areas specify a maximum allowable content of nitrite in the final product. Under certain conditions, especially during cooking, nitrites in meat can react with degradation products of amino acids, forming nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens.[13]
The dry curing of ham involves a number of biochemical reactions caused by enzymes. The enzymes involved are proteinases (cathepsins – B, D, H & L, and calpains) and exopeptidases (peptidase and aminopeptidase).[14]
The enzymes cause an intense proteolysis in the muscle tissue, which creates large numbers of small peptides and free amino acids, whilst the muscle and adipose tissue lipids undergo lipolysis and create free fatty acids.[14]
The salt in the curing process acts as a strong inhibitor of proteolytic activity, and phosphates also have an effect on reducing this activity.[15]
The properties of the raw meat influence the effect of the enzymes; with factors including age and weight of the pig as well as breeding affecting the process.[16] During the process itself, conditions such as temperature, time, water activity, redox potential and salt content all have an effect.[14]
The salt content in dry-cured ham varies through the piece of meat, with gradients determinable through dissection and testing, or non-invasively through CT scanning.[17
