Cut, Toss, or Keep As-Is?

[SmokinEdge]

The white stuff didn't seem fuzzy, and glad to give everyone a challenge .

The fry test - quite yummy

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Glad you are happy. In the future I would throttle back the salt and sugar and play with the rest of us in a known perimeter. Your cure recipe is out there, and this can create a lot of unknowns.

 

[GrumpyGriller]

Glad you are happy. In the future I would throttle back the salt and sugar and play with the rest of us in a known perimeter. Your cure recipe is out there, and this can create a lot of unknowns.

It's a tad salty, but not too bad - sort of tempered with the black pepper and red pepper flakes. I agree that next time, I have to go back to weighing everything and perhaps cutting back the sugar content a bit. The saltiness in this case may have come from adding (not measuring) some salt after the vinegar/water rinse. Live and learn :) Thanks again all!!!!!

 

[BobP325]

I am going to get some hate but I would cut the moldy part off and smoke it.

The mold's on the surface not internal. I'd rinse it with water, then wipe it down with cider vinegar to get rid of and kill the mold. This is a standard practice for cheddars that would mold too much, cheddar needs this process to 'ripen'. Personally I'd keep it.

 

[noboundaries]

I came to this "pitch or keep party" late.

One of the reasons I use a semi-wet (slurry) cure is to avoid problems like this. A little water, 1 cup/5 lbs, calculated into the ingredient and meat weight for the Prague #1 requirement, ensures cure coverage of the meat surface in a vacuum bag. I've tested dry, wet, and slurry cures and hands down prefer the slurry. Same daily massage and flip process as dry. Works for any type of jerky, slab bacon, buckboard bacon, and corning beef.

 

[noboundaries]

Oh, and one more thing. If using Ziplocks with a slurry cure, DOUBLE BAG. More than once I've had small leaks and the double bag caught the mess.

 

[GrumpyGriller]

Oh, and one more thing. If using Ziplocks with a slurry cure, DOUBLE BAG. More than once I've had small leaks and the double bag caught the mess.

Funny you should mention that. I did double bag in opposite directions to make it even more leak-resistant :)

 

[SmokinEdge]

GrumpyGriller
How much liquid was in your bag? I’m sure there was plenty of liquid?

 

[GrumpyGriller]

GrumpyGriller
How much liquid was in your bag? I’m sure there was plenty of liquid?

I’d say a 1/2 cup or so was what was dumped out, plus a little on the belly of course.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I’d say a 1/2 cup or so was what was dumped out, plus a little on the belly of course.

Now that the dust has settled on the topic, what are your final thoughts on flavor and product quality? What’s the plans for the other piece of belly that was still in the freezer?