Mapleine in Bacon

[scarbelly]

Somewhere I saw a post where someone had use Mapleine to flavor some bacon and I am picking up 15# of bellies tomorrow and want to try 5# of maple cure - looking for amounts per #

 

[tjohnson]

The guys I get my cure from also have a Maple Flavored Bacon Cure, called Golden Cure. It's not very strong, just a hint of Maple Flavor.

I asked what the difference was between their Brown Sugar Cure and their Golden Cure, and the Golden Cure has Maple Sugar added as-well-as brown sugar.

Since some bacon recipes call for 1 TBSP of Brown Sugar/LB of Meat, why couldn't you substitute Maple Sugar for Brown Sugar, or possibly mix 1tsp of Mapleine into your brown sugar, before you rub it on. I am assuming you're using a dry rub and bet 1tsp of Mapleine is PLENTY for a 5# batch of bacon. When you cure bacon, only a hint of the spices actually come through anyway. If you really want a "Maple Flavored Bacon", maybe you glaze the bacon with a sugar, water & Mapleine mix after it's smoked, kinda like adding cracked pepper right before it's sliced.

As a kid, I remember my Mom making pancake syrup with the Mapleine. I found a couple recipes, and most seem to call for 1tsp of Mapleine.

Here's one for Maple Flavored Syrup:
2C sugar
1C water
1 tsp of Mapleine flavoring
Mix together and bring to a boil

Not that you're going to make syrup, but just showing how little Mapleine you actually need to get a maple flavor.

Don't know if this helps, BUT?!?!?!



Todd

 

[scarbelly]

Well I just decided after reading everyone posts on how they did not taste the maple when using syrup that I would use the mapleine and I used 1 tsp per # to see if I would get any taste - if it is too much I will soak in cold water for a bit before I smoke it

 

[pitrow]

try doing a search for "maple extract" (make sure you include the quotes). I found a handful of threads that don't mention mapleiene specifically (it's just a name brand for imitation maple extract) but use the extract in 'em.

 

[cliffcarter]

TJohnson is correct about Mapleine be a strong flavoring, my mother made the same syrup for us. I use it regularly in baking, a little goes a long way. If you use it to make a maple flavored sugar you might consider using white sugar as the molasses in brown sugar may interfere with the flavor some. I think that Mapleine is a concentrate rather than an extract, comes out of the bottle looking black. Back in the day up here in Maine we used to get maple sugar cured bacon, but all I can find now is maple flavored. If you can afford to pay the price you might consider using maple sugar, but it can cost up to $24/lb depending on where you live. If you order on line it costs less but you pay for shipping. Good luck and keep us posted