Here is the main piece, has cured for the full 14 days and is now drying in the refrigerator. Is there any specific reason I can't cure it for longer to allow it to dry more?
It's still curing during the drying phase. That's why I leave mine in the fridge for extra daysHere is the main piece, has cured for the full 14 days and is now drying in the refrigerator. Is there any specific reason I can't cure it for longer to allow it to dry more?
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Nice, it is raining every day until Tuesday. Maybe I'll wait till then. I really do need to buy a canopy to cover the smoker, well actually me, when it rains like this.It's still curing during the drying phase. That's why I leave mine in the fridge for extra days
I just started my beef bacon, inspired by TNJAKE and I have a question. If I have a 30 day window, why does everyone stop at 14 days?Nope, I have left my cured bacon on a rack in the fridge for several days. With cure#1, you have about a 30 day window from the time you applied the cure.
Because it's fully cured plus some after 14 days. No need to continue. Mines 14 days and then 2 days for drying and pellicle. Then a couple days of cold smoking. Then 3-5 days mellowing. So technically it's curing more than 14 daysI just started my beef bacon, inspired by TNJAKE and I have a question. If I have a 30 day window, why does everyone stop at 14 days?
Good question, and I don't have a sufficient answer other than maybe the rule of diminishing returns. Once 2 weeks have passed, you're likely not going to get any more flavor development beyond that point. It also allows plenty of time to get it smoked and finished if you have something come up.I just started my beef bacon, inspired by TNJAKE and I have a question. If I have a 30 day window, why does everyone stop at 14 days?
Mostly because it is done curing, and we like bacon! ;)I just started my beef bacon, inspired by TNJAKE and I have a question. If I have a 30 day window, why does everyone stop at 14 days?
Well, I guess this should be considered a failure. It cured for 14 days, dried for 2 days, and I hot smoked it to 155°f. Mush of the interior is not the pink one associate's with cured pork. I guess the piece was too thick. The smallest dimension was 2.5" and I should have cut it in half.Because it's fully cured plus some after 14 days. No need to continue. Mines 14 days and then 2 days for drying. So technically it's curing more than 14 days
Thanks for your thoughts. Unfortunately it isn't the case. I cut several, over an inch into the piece and it was still gray. I ate them all, mostly, and we're not fat, mostly.The end piece looked to be mostly fat, and cure doesn't really have any effect on it. It still looks like fat when cured.