Cured pork belly question

[highlife4me]

  I have aquired a pork belly that has been cured but not smoked yet.  (I was expecting a whole pork belly uncured)  I do not have time to smoke it until next weekend.  Can I keep it refrigerated for a week then smoke it?  Or freeze it then thaw and smoke?  The hog was butchered at a meat market and the belly was cured in a brine for 12 days so it should be cured through.

 

[daveomak]

Did the market use a nitrite cure like cure #1 or their "bacon cure" with nitrite.....

If so, after curing my pork bellies, I place them on a wire rack, uncovered, in the refer for a week to age and dry, forming a pellicle, then cold smoke below 70 deg. F for however many hours I like....

Then I do the same again...  on a wire rack for a week, uncovered in the refer.... after smoking...

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I do the same as Dave.

Ask the market to make sure they used cure in their brine. If so you're good to go.

 

[highlife4me]

Yes they used cure. I have the bellies drying in the fridge now. A BIG THANK YOU for the feedback, much appreciated!