Firs time making bacon

[mr_whipple]

I do the math myself because I'm ultra paranoid about stuff like that. Glad it was caught it before it was too late.

 

[JBPilot]

I do the math myself because I'm ultra paranoid about stuff like that. Glad it was caught it before it was too late.

I am too, thank you again @mr_whipple. I’m normally pretty good at math, just had a dunce moment I guess!

 

[mr_whipple]

It's all good

 

[buzzy]

Not to highjack this thread but the diggingdog calculator caught my interest. Is quick & easy to use when only using cure 1 or 2 times a year. Question is why is his cure percentage at 6.25 not .25? Is this to account for the salt in cure #1. Do all #1 cure have the same salt in them? Just want to be sure before using calculator . Never used cure #1 but want to start to try different cures. Have only used Tenderquick so far but want to make some bacon with #1.
Thanks

 

[mr_whipple]

The 6.25% is the percentage of nitrite in #1 cure. The other 93.75% is salt. It's just breaking out the percentage of salt so you're not forgetting to when figuring your total salt percentage, say you want 1.75% total salt, you calculate the cure at .25% and the salt at 1.5%.

 

[buzzy]

The 6.25% is the percentage of nitrite in #1 cure. The other 93.75% is salt. It's just breaking out the percentage of salt so you're not forgetting to when figuring your total salt percentage, say you want 1.75% total salt, you calculate the cure at .25% and the salt at 1.5%.

Didn't know content of #1. Just looked closer at pack of #1 just recently got to see it says 6.25. DUH! Live & learn.
Thanks again

 

[DougE]

Just remember using that calc, your total salt % will include the cure. I calculate myself and add 1.5% salt in addition to what's in the cure (1.75% total salt). If I were to plug my 1.5% into the calculator, 1.5% total salt is what I would get, not the 1.75% I want.

 

[jcam222]

I have two Berkshire bellies in the freezer. I need to get them out and curing. Will prolly cure 1 1/2 and do half as burnt ends.

 

[buzzy]

Just remember using that calc, your total salt % will include the cure. I calculate myself and add 1.5% salt in addition to what's in the cure (1.75% total salt). If I were to plug my 1.5% into the calculator, 1.5% total salt is what I would get, not the 1.75% I want.

So u could change the salt in calculator to 1.75 to get the 1.75 u want??

 

[buzzy]

I have two Berkshire bellies in the freezer. I need to get them out and curing. Will prolly cure 1 1/2 and do half as burnt ends.

MMMMMMMM burnt ends. They r really good.

 

[DougE]

So u could change the salt in calculator to 1.75 to get the 1.75 u want??

Yes. If I put 1.75 into the calc, total salt will be 1.75%. I didn't really think about it the one time I used it, and put 1.5 in thinking I'd get the 1.5% in addition to the .25% from the cure, but the calc adds both together, so the amount the calc said to add put me at 1.5% . The calc works, and is fine, but it really doesn't take me much longer to whip the calculator out on my phone and multiply everything out myself.

 

[JBPilot]

Well I figured 10 days was enough time. I threw the belly into get some smoke today. I plan on smoking about 8 hours then back into the fridge overnight. I’ll do about the same tomorrow and then again on Sunday. After that I’ll slice it and bag it up (what I don’t immediately cook lol). Can’t wait!!!

 

[thirdeye]

There is always a benefit of some mellowing in-the-fridge time after smoking.

When you do decide to slice, put some in the freezer as a reminder of how good it is, but keep a generous amount fresh, just experiment with it. One suggestion is PIG CANDY. So good.

 

[JBPilot]

Oh I’m definitely going to try the pig candy!!! Thanks for that!

 

[JBPilot]

Day two smoking.

 

[JBPilot]

Ok, i don’t have a picture yet (I’ll get one tomorrow when I slice it) but I’m done. I fried a small piece and I LOVE it!!! I did have a lot of trouble with my smoker tray today though. I didn’t realize that Amazen quit selling their sawdust. The only one that I could find was from LEM. I could NOT get that stuff to stay lit! What is everyone with those doing for sawdust now?

 

[DougE]

I haven't, but I reckon some are soaking pellets in water to make dust.

 

[JBPilot]

Ok, now I get why y’all do this!!! Holy crap this is wonderful bacon!!! I’m already trying to figure out where I can go get another belly!!

Thanks for the help y’all!

 

[bauchjw]

Wow! Just beautiful! that looks so good! Nice job jumping in!

 

[JBPilot]

Wow! Just beautiful! that looks so good! Nice job jumping in!

Thanks! I’m afraid I don’t have enough lol that was just some of what I cut in the picture (obviously) but still….