help with pork bellies

[dbullmc]

i have read a few threads on the cure for the porkbellies made into bacon. but no specific ingredients for the cure that you use. or maybe some step by step for a newbie. any help would be appreciated for this texas boy

 

[meateater]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/wiki/bearcarvers-smoked-bacon-step-by-step-with-qview

 

[scarbelly]

Here is the process I have used for the last couple of years with good success

Bacon Cure Process

With the following dry cure, you are quite safe:

One half ounce (one tablespoon) of TQ per pound (NO ADJUSTMENTS ON THIS !)
The rest can be played with:
One Tsp of brown sugar per pound
Garlic powder
Black Pepper
Whatever else you'd like

Weigh each piece that goes into each individual bag, and use the right amount for that bag.


Put in fridge for the right amount of time, depending on the thickness of the pieces:
Find the thickest part of the meat. Divide that thickness in half. Count how many (1/4") there are in that "half-thickness". Add two days.

Example:
Belly thickest part-------3"
Half of that is 1 1/2"
There are 6 (1/4"s ) in 1 1/2"
That would be 6 days curing PLUS 2 days
Total-----Cure for 8 days
Could be longer, but no shorter to play it safe

Keep them between 36* and 38* for those 8 days.
Below 34* cure might not work.
Over 40* is in danger zone.

Turn them over & massage each package every day (if you can).

I leave the juice in the whole time, because I don't want to dump any cure out, weakening the mix. Usually after a couple days I have quite a bit of juice in the bags, but near the end I have very little, which tells me it went back into the meat.

 

[solaryellow]

I used AlBlancher's recipe and it worked out great. The ingredients were simply cure #1, brown sugar and kosher salt. I can forward the calculator he sent me if you are interested.

 

[dbullmc]

please any help would be appreciated

 

[dbullmc]

thanks for the info. not to sound dense or anything but what is tq?

 

[solaryellow]

PM me your email address and I will send it on.

 

[dbullmc]

 

[tjohnson]

Lots of recipes for curing  Belly Bacon, Buck Board Bacon and Canadian Bacon on SMF.  Use the "Search" feature, and you'll find plenty of threads regarding curing bacon.

You may want to think about using Morton's Tenderquick for your first attempt.  It's easy to use.

Check out Bearcarvers Bacon recipe

Todd