Pops6927's Wet Curing Brine

[skorepeo]

So I followed the recipe but my question is how do I know when it's done? It's been in solutions for 7 days. Also it floats so I weighed it down with water in a ziplock bag.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

So I followed the recipe but my question is how do I know when it's done? It's been in solutions for 7 days. Also it floats so I weighed it down with water in a ziplock bag.

What are you curing? It depends on the thickness of the meat.

Yes meat will float and it needs to weighed down. Your bag of water is fine unless it leaked. That would dilute the brine. Next time fill with brine solution. That way if it leaks your brine will not dilute. Plates or other food safe dishes work for weighing down the meat.

 

[skorepeo]

Making bacon from porkbelly I guess about a little over an inch.

 

[wade]

An easy way to keep it immersed is to put a large plastic bag in the bucket first and then add the brine and the meat. Tie up the bag after expelling all of the air. You will still need to poke it occasionally to refresh the brine at the top of the meat but it will ensure that all of the meat remains remains in contact with brine,

 

[skorepeo]

An easy way to keep it immersed is to put a large plastic bag in the bucket first and then add the brine and the meat. Tie up the bag after expelling all of the air. You will still need to poke it occasionally to refresh the brine at the top of the meat but it will ensure that all of the meat remains remains in contact with brine,

The recipe calls for a gallon of water and I didn't know how to figure out how to make it less.

 

[crankybuzzard]

The recipe calls for a gallon of water and I didn't know how to figure out how to make it less.

Math. For half, divide the ingredients and water by 2, for a quarter, divide by 4, etc...

16 cups in a gallon of water, so 8 would be a half gallon, 4 would be a quarter

 

[skorepeo]

Math. For half, divide the ingredients and water by 2, for a quarter, divide by 4, etc...

16 cups in a gallon of water, so 8 would be a half gallon, 4 would be a quarter

What about the cure #1 it's my understanding that you need a brine calculator to figure out how much PPM or is that ok just to divide also for the amount of meat to salt ratio?

 

[hondabbq]

Is there a maximum amount (lbs) of meat that should be put into each gallon recipe of brine?

 

[daveomak]

 

Math. For half, divide the ingredients and water by 2, for a quarter, divide by 4, etc...

16 cups in a gallon of water, so 8 would be a half gallon, 4 would be a quarter

What about the cure #1 it's my understanding that you need a brine calculator to figure out how much PPM or is that ok just to divide also for the amount of meat to salt ratio?

You are correct....   You need 1 tsp. of cure #1 for every 5#'s of stuff...    3#'s meat + 2 #'s water needs 1 tsp. cure #1....   etc... 

 

[daveomak]

Is there a maximum amount (lbs) of meat that should be put into each gallon recipe of brine?

Following the 1 tsp. for 5#'s, to meet the necessary Ppm's nitrite...   1 gallon of water and salt and sugar  weighs about 10#'s...  1 Tbs. cure = 3 tsp. cure....  so, about 6#'s of meat falls within the minimum amount of nitrite to add to maintain 120 Ppm....

 

[skorepeo]

Ok I just sliced and test fried a piece and didn't taste salty at all. It did taste a little hammy not like store bacon and it didn't get crisp. Now it was sliced as thin as I could with a butcher knife but still a little thick. But the hammy taste is what is throwing me off. Maybe I don't know what homemade bacon is supposed to taste like. Or why it wouldn't crisp up. I am smoking it now so in about 6 hours I will slice it off n a slicer and try it again. Any input is appreciated.

 

[remsr]

I'm new to making bacon myself having only done it twice. The first time last year I wet cured it and over cooked it. So it wasn't much good for anything but beans and such. The taste was good, the smoke was good but it turned to jerky when so tried to crisp it up.
The second time which was just resently I dry cured it but didn't cure it long enough, only 9 days instead of 14 so it was a bit to salty but fryed up crisp and tasted great with 12 hours of apple smoke at 115 to 120 degrees of heat to open the pores for smoke.
Next time I will dry cure again with TG for 14 days and smoke between 80 and 90 degrees.
For 12 hours again after two days in the refrigerator to develop the pellicle for smoke.
I am getting my information now from Bear and Mr T they both use TQ and dry cure and have made lots of bacon, so I trust what they tell me.

Randy,

 

[biaviian]

In the past, I cured and smoked a loin using this brine.  What I don't recall is if I pumped it but I am pretty sure that I didn't.  Is that needed on a whole loin?

 

[pc farmer]

In the past, I cured and smoked a loin using this brine.  What I don't recall is if I pumped it but I am pretty sure that I didn't.  Is that needed on a whole loin?

Loins don't need injected, I dry cure them alot.

 

[daveomak]

 
In the past, I cured and smoked a loin using this brine.  What I don't recall is if I pumped it but I am pretty sure that I didn't.  Is that needed on a whole loin?

As a general rule, when using a curing brine, if the meat is over 2" thick, it should be injected with the curing solution.. 

 

[pc farmer]

 
As a general rule, when using a curing brine, if the meat is over 2" thick, it should be injected with the curing solution.. 

You are correct but if over 2 inches thick it just needs more curing time.

 

[biaviian]

 
As a general rule, when using a curing brine, if the meat is over 2" thick, it should be injected with the curing solution.. 

I read that in my instructions/notes which is what prompted the post.  I have never pumped anything nearly this size or shape, heavy on the shape.  How much per inch would you say?  I could be wrong, but I think it is best to count the length instead of simply the weight as you would a butt or ham?  This sucker is a full, so it is 3ish feet long.

 

[pc farmer]

 
I read that in my instructions/notes which is what prompted the post.  I have never pumped anything nearly this size or shape, heavy on the shape.  How much per inch would you say?  I could be wrong, but I think it is best to count the length instead of simply the weight as you would a butt or ham?  This sucker is a full, so it is 3ish feet long.

​When I use pops brine and inject, I inject every inch by inch square.  Pump as much as the meat will hold.

 

[biaviian]

 
When I use pops brine and inject, I inject every inch by inch square.  Pump as much as the meat will hold.

I'll give that a shot, thanks.  I always go by weight and spread it out.  I can't wait for more Canadian bacon.  I keep my brine very low in salt, 1/2 c per gallon, and high in sugars, with maple syrup as a sugar.  I can't stand salty bacon.  

 

[remsr]

When in doubt, can it hurt to inject meats?

Randy,