How much weight it lost from curing and smoking

[Kyleblun]

If I want to end up with 2 pounds of cured smoked bacon how much should the raw meat weigh before curing and smoking? I am dry curing and hot smoking till internal temp is 150f.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Depending on your process or method but really no more than 10% weight loss. 5% loss is more mainstream.

 

[Kyleblun]

Depending on your process or method but really no more than 10% weight loss. 5% loss is more mainstream.

Depending on your process or method but really no more than 10% weight loss. 5% loss is more mainstream.

Thanks. I edited the post now. I am dry curing and hot smoking.

 

[Fueling Around]

My last belly bacon (belly cut in half) was dry cure and cold smoked
1 piece lost 7% . The other piece lost 12%

 

[HalfSmoked]

It all so well depend on how the meat was processed, farm fresh or commercial with added water and whatever.

Warren

 

[thirdeye]

Good question. I always weigh the belly pieces, then calculate the cure ingredients, and weigh them out... but I've never weighed out the finished bacon.

 

[ConrodM]

Here’s today’s Loss after dry curing since 11/27/23. Got it on the smoker now & will weigh again after smoking.

 

[ConrodM]

After smoking:

 

[Fueling Around]

Interesting.
My pieces didn't lose any significant weight in the cure.
I cold smoked so had no fat loss and only moisture that mostly evaporated.

 

[ConrodM]

Mine pulled around 8% out after dry curing only. I use a vacuum sealer to make flipping easier and possibly pull the cure into the meat faster. There’s always plenty of juices that come from the meat while I’m curing. This one went 11 days but I usually just go 5-7 days

 

[ConrodM]

16-19% total loss this experiment . So for 2 #’s of net bacon (using my method and Costco Swift belly) I would just add 20% to be conservative. Need 10#’s of sliced bacon? I’ll buy a 12# belly. Thanks for the question/post as I have not considered this before

 

[SmokinEdge]

What was the smoking method and what were the smoking temps as well as the final IT of the slabs?

 

[ConrodM]

Stick burner- avg temp was 212 f. Pulled 1st 1/2 belly at 2-hrs 15 mins and 2nd 1/2 at 2 hrs 40 mins. Both were pulled at 151 IMT at Thickest point

 

[ConrodM]

Disregard- duplicate

Stick burner- avg temp was 212 f. Pulled 1st 1/2 belly at 2-hrs 15 mins and 2nd 1/2 at 2 hrs 40 minutes