OK, so I get the mods done on my vertical offset smoker, and I'm ready to rock n' roll. One of the first things I want to try is bacon, but I'm still trying to find a good place to get pork bellies (quotes from $3.49 to $4.99 / lb so far). So I decide I'll start with some Canadian bacon, I can get a pork loin at BJ's for $2.19 / lb. I'll use half for bacon and the other half for some nice thick chops.
I want to try both dry and wet cure, so I cut the half into halves, which gives me 2 pieces about 6" wide by about 3" at the thickest part. I've got one injected and sitting in Pop's brine, that will be ready in 3 weeks (I'll make a separate thread for that). The other half I want to try Bearcarver's bacon cure, thinking that should work for canadian bacon, too.
So here's where I start to outsmart myself. I start thinking that I should try a couple of different types of smoke, so I cut that piece in half. Now I have 2 pieces about 3" wide, one weighs 1lb 6oz, the other 1lb 9 oz. I weigh out the TQ in separate paper plates (1/2 oz per lb, so .7 and .8 oz on 2 different plates), rub it in real good first, then rub on some brown sugar and some maple sugar rub I've been dying to try. I follow his directions precisely, and they've been sitting in individual ziplock bags in a 38 deg fridge since Monday.
So I calculate the time using 3" thickness, which is 6 "half inches". I day per half inch, 6 days. Add 2 days like he says, and have maybe a couple extra days leeway on the timing. I did this last Monday (10/14), 8 days would be next Tuesday (10/22), ok with another 2 days, so on Thursday I'll rinse, test fry and set in the fridge until I can smoke on Saturday. Should be good.
Here's my question. I looked at little closer at these last night, and while they're 3" wide they were from the end of the loin that wasn't as thick, maybe 2 or 2 1/2 inches. I can't smoke these until Saturday, and now I'm worried that they'll be ready sooner (6 days, instead of 8). Should I follow my original plan even though they're not as thick, or should I rinse sooner and leave them sitting in the fridge for a couple of extra days? Can I 'over cure' them?
I want to try both dry and wet cure, so I cut the half into halves, which gives me 2 pieces about 6" wide by about 3" at the thickest part. I've got one injected and sitting in Pop's brine, that will be ready in 3 weeks (I'll make a separate thread for that). The other half I want to try Bearcarver's bacon cure, thinking that should work for canadian bacon, too.
So here's where I start to outsmart myself. I start thinking that I should try a couple of different types of smoke, so I cut that piece in half. Now I have 2 pieces about 3" wide, one weighs 1lb 6oz, the other 1lb 9 oz. I weigh out the TQ in separate paper plates (1/2 oz per lb, so .7 and .8 oz on 2 different plates), rub it in real good first, then rub on some brown sugar and some maple sugar rub I've been dying to try. I follow his directions precisely, and they've been sitting in individual ziplock bags in a 38 deg fridge since Monday.
So I calculate the time using 3" thickness, which is 6 "half inches". I day per half inch, 6 days. Add 2 days like he says, and have maybe a couple extra days leeway on the timing. I did this last Monday (10/14), 8 days would be next Tuesday (10/22), ok with another 2 days, so on Thursday I'll rinse, test fry and set in the fridge until I can smoke on Saturday. Should be good.
Here's my question. I looked at little closer at these last night, and while they're 3" wide they were from the end of the loin that wasn't as thick, maybe 2 or 2 1/2 inches. I can't smoke these until Saturday, and now I'm worried that they'll be ready sooner (6 days, instead of 8). Should I follow my original plan even though they're not as thick, or should I rinse sooner and leave them sitting in the fridge for a couple of extra days? Can I 'over cure' them?
