dry rub slab

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Fueling Around

Smoking Guru
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Dec 10, 2018
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So Lake Cty, FL
Picked up a pork belly at Costco a few weeks ago. Cut in half. One piece got a 0.5% salt including cure #1 The other piece got 1.5% salt (including cure #1) and 0.75% sugar.
Dry rub both halves and in the fridge for 2 weeks.
I learned a valuable lesson with this round of slab bacon. Use fresh cure. It is cheap and should be tossed after a year or so.
cold-1.png

Hanging in my Big Chief smoker cabinet. Heater element burned out, but the cabinet works great for cold smoking.
Add a tube of hickory dust.


cold-2.png

Fresh off the smoker
Bagged and into the fridge to rest.

Patience Padawans. Will slice in the near future
 
Thanks for the likes and comments.

What happened with the cure to let you know?
Charles et al,
I cured a pork loin last summer and the meat didn't cure through using the Blonder formula even with added days. Thought it was my low salt not driving the nitrite.
Did a batch of dry cure slab bacon last year with a very long cure. It did cure, but I wasn't completely happy with the quality.
Last winter, I read the Kutas book and noticed a comment that you can completely cure using #1 pink salt only. No further salt is needed.
Hmm. I didn't bring any #1 south so I bought a new batch and cured a couple of pork tenderloins. Cured completely thru using my low salt formula.
Brought new batch of cure back to MN and cured 2 pork loins a couple months ago. Both the low salt and 1.5% batches cured completely using the same time.
Yup .. looks awesome...

No sugar with the 0.5% salt ??? and only went 14 days with it ???
...
Keith,
I don't like sweet and with the 0.5% total salt it doesn't need it to cut the metallic twang of the sodium.
The initial cure was 15 days before the first cold smoke. Our overnight temps got too warm for cold smoking so I had to wait a week to finish, so now actually closer 23 days.
I'm hoping to save some of it for the trip south.
 
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Cure #1 has an almost indefinite shelf life if keep dark and cool. I have some different cures that are over 20 years old , I have no doubt they will cure perfectly today, I still play with them. These are like the sugar cure from Morten. And some old packets of cure 1, they always still work.
 
I've kept my original batch of cure #1 in a mason jar in a dark cupboard. I'm thinking my original source didn't keep it well and sold off seconds. It got funky as in clumpy the last couple of years.
 
Clumping is usually moisture intrusion. SN is hygroscopic. In the future, to be safe, drop a decant pack or two in the mason jar using a fresh lid and it should be gtg. Whomever you purchased from may have had it open a lot if it was a bulk container. That and/or lots of temp change cycles.

My supply is 4-5 yrs old now and still works the same with the same physical consistency and odor. Getting ready to do a bacon cure today or tomorrow. Costco had bellies on sale here.
 
Last edited:
In for the slice pics...but looking great so far!!!
Yeah... That is going to be well down the road. Slabs went in the freezer tonight.
We started combining soybeans yesterday so that will be 12-14 hour days until we start sugar beet harvest which is also 12-14 hour days. I may come up for air in another 2-1/2 weeks.

Clumping is usually moisture intrusion. SN is hygroscopic. In the future, to be safe, drop a decant pack or two in the mason jar using a fresh lid and it should be gtg. Whomever you purchased from may have had it open a lot if it was a bulk container. That and/or lots of temp change cycles.

My supply is 4-5 yrs old now and still works the same with the same physical consistency and odor. Getting ready to do a bacon cure today or tomorrow. Costco had bellies on sale here.
I think you nailed it hygroscopic
I purchased my original batch from a local well respected butcher and meat market that also caters to home production of meats and sausages by selling cure, casings, and high temp cheese. The cure arrived as kinda moist granules and got worse over the years. My new batch (different source) is very dry granules. Wife has a sack of desiccant packs. I'll check if they are food grade safe
 
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IDK, I keep my curing salts in the zip sealed bags they came in, in a non-climate-controlled area and have never had any issues with clumping. I do not keep desiccant packs in them either.
 
The cure arrived as kinda moist granules and got worse over the years. My new batch (different source) is very dry granules
That would be concerning for sure, the wet or moist granules. All of my cure #1 comes in 5# bags or jars and is very dry to start with. Even if the dye fades that makes it pink, the nitrite is still just fine, but clumpy moist is a no.
 
Return to the bacon. Got my first full day off in 3 weeks.
Made a couple batches of bagel dogs.
In for the slice pics...but looking great so far!!!
For your drooling pleasure Keith, et al.
Sliced my 1.5% salt slab today. The smell was absolutely perfect.
Vac packed in 8 oz portions
This is probably my best batch of dry cure.
cold-3.png
Low salt slab slicing will be the next time I get a day off.
My 50 year old Rival slicer is still doing the job. I have to remove the carriage to slice a slab bacon.
slicer-1.png
.
 
Return to the bacon. Got my first full day off in 3 weeks.
Made a couple batches of bagel dogs.

For your drooling pleasure Keith, et al.
Sliced my 1.5% salt slab today. The smell was absolutely perfect.
Vac packed in 8 oz portions
This is probably my best batch of dry cure.
View attachment 705348
Low salt slab slicing will be the next time I get a day off.
My 50 year old Rival slicer is still doing the job. I have to remove the carriage to slice a slab bacon.
View attachment 705349
.
Looks great. I just finished the 15 days dry cure of a 10lb slab. Its in tne frig now drying for smoke tomorrow. Looking forward to getting ut on the frying pan. Pictures of yours is making my mouth water.
 
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Thanks

Are you able to cold smoke? I so much prefer cold smoking over hot smoking.
Sure am and I have the same preference as well. Here in Va the temps are already in the mid 60s daytime and low 50s night. I plan on 2x 8 hr cycles back in the frig inbetween. I run a light wispy smoke so I tend to run a bit longer smoke cycles. I keep humidity high so it dries more evenly. I find running lighter smoke longer or more cycles has a better smoke flavor smoother not as harsh. The additional drying that happens maybe part of it as well. Then its back in the frig for 24hr. A short bit in the freezer before it goes to the deli slicer
 
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You have it nailed.
Our current temps have been unseasonably warm. I was fortunate to get a few days of cooler night to complete my cold smoke.
I'm trying to get time to slice out the low sodium half to vac pack and bring south.
 
Return to the bacon. Got my first full day off in 3 weeks.
Made a couple batches of bagel dogs.

For your drooling pleasure Keith, et al.
Sliced my 1.5% salt slab today. The smell was absolutely perfect.
Vac packed in 8 oz portions
This is probably my best batch of dry cure.
View attachment 705348
Low salt slab slicing will be the next time I get a day off.
My 50 year old Rival slicer is still doing the job. I have to remove the carriage to slice a slab bacon.
View attachment 705349
.
I actually have that same slicer in storage. It’s great for small stuff and still works great, I just don’t use it much anymore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fueling Around
Return to the bacon. Got my first full day off in 3 weeks.
Made a couple batches of bagel dogs.

For your drooling pleasure Keith, et al.
Sliced my 1.5% salt slab today. The smell was absolutely perfect.
Vac packed in 8 oz portions
This is probably my best batch of dry cure.
View attachment 705348
Low salt slab slicing will be the next time I get a day off.
My 50 year old Rival slicer is still doing the job. I have to remove the carriage to slice a slab bacon.
View attachment 705349
.
Sort of like the Rival outfit I have ......... wife found it at Good Will for $4.99.

It takes some getting used to but does a surprisingly decent job once you have it figured out.

1728614980216.png
 
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