Just skinned my first pork belly

[sawhorseray]

I finally found some pork belly at a local Mexican market for a decent price, $3.19lb. When I got home I found that the belly still had the skin on it. Tho I've whacked and skinned about a dozen bucks and over 60 wild hogs in my hunting career I'd never bought a PB for making bacon with skin on it. I broke out my brand new Wusthof boning blade and got to work, the PB went from 12.80 lbs to a dead even eleven pounds, looks like I did a decent job of it

The only real bummer was when I got home I went to this site to get the safe amounts of cure, salt, and sugar I want to use for my maple-honey bacon, and weighed everything out

http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/calculator/dry_cure_bacon/

Now I'll toss the batch and start over. I'll toss the skin too, I already eat enough stuff that would never be considered healthy. RAY

 

[kit s]

Well you did a good job by the looks of it.
You know you could have left the hide on and had some smoked rind for beans etc.
I use this site calculator...work well for wet or dry...wet you do have to add the water to meat weight.
http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html
kit

 

[DanMcG]

I don't understand what you found wrong with the info at Local Food Heroes site? Phil has been around for quite a while and knows what he's talking about

 

[sawhorseray]

I don't understand what you found wrong with the info at Local Food Heroes site? Phil has been around for quite a while and knows what he's talking about

If you are talking to me, I don't know who Phil is, and I've been using that site for years. The reason I had to reformulate the curing ingredients was due to the change in weight after taking off the belly skin. RAY

 

[DanMcG]

Sorry Ray, I read it like you scrapped it because you had an issue with the Local Food Heroes formula. And that blog is owned by Phil Young. He's a good guy!

 

[sawhorseray]

No problem Dan, that is a really good site. Fact is I didn't have to toss the batch of cure ingredients. Initially the site stated I could use 18.6 grams of Cure #1, I used a even 16 grams. I don't much like guess work on cure, measured it on a gun powder scale.

When I went back to the LFH site and entered the weight of the pork belly without the skin it recommended 15.97 grams of Cure #1. Heck, that was close enough for me, the bellies are in 2 gallon ziplocs curing in the fridge for about the next week. RAY

 

[chef jimmyj]

Don't toss the skin! There was a recent Boudin Thread, that needed Pork Skin for its collagen. https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/boudin-time-step-by-step-and-pics-recipe-added.273245/page-6#post-2001492
If you have a Dog, they go Bananas for smoked and dried Skin. Too many uses to waste it. I'll give you my address if need be...JJ

 

[sawhorseray]

I'm sorry Jimmy, I gave it the deep 6 yesterday. Bob's spoiled enough as it is. RAY

 

[chef jimmyj]

Aawwww Handsome Guy and his dedication to the family certainly deserves something Special. Maybe next time...JJ