Quick bacon advice please

[newflame]

Gonna buy some belly today at the butcher, just looking for a quick step by step for this curing process. thanks.

 

[jak757]

You can get a very clear description in M. Rhulmans book -- Charcuterie.  I used it to make one batch of bacon last month.  It was so simple, and so good!  I have a second batch curing right now.

You use a dry rub cure (see below).  Dredge the belly in the cure, or as I did, put the belly in two gallon zip lock bags, sprinkle it with the cure, rub it in good, and put it in the fridge.  You have to "overhaul" it daily -- just flip it over, massage it some.  Some liquid will leech out of the belly -- that's good -- helps the curing -- don't drain it.  

After about 7 days it should be cured.  The meat will be "firm" (I tested firmness before the cure to have something to compare to.  You will want to rinse it well, and soak it in some water to help remove extra salt.  Cut a small slice, fry it to taste the saltiness.  If still to salty, soak in fresh water again (I soaked mine for about a hour total.  

Then smoke the bacon.  Cold or hot smoke it -- but you don't want to render off the fat.

I know there are more specifics in here on SMF.  Look through this forum, and I'm sure you'll find a better "how to".  Don't let it intimidate you -- it's pretty easy, and oh so good!

Basic Dry Cure from Charcuterie
1 pound/450 grams kosher salt (2 cups Morton's coarse kosher salt)
8 ounces/225 grams sugar (about 1 cup)
2 ounces/50 grams pink salt (10 teaspoons)

 

[newflame]

thanks man, unfortunately i dont think they've got any pink salt in this area, might have to net order :/

 

[jak757]

I ordered mine from Butcher Packer.  Very inexpensive.  I had it in just a few days after ordering online.

 

[newflame]

stupid question maybe, i have some morton's tender quick on hand, is there anyway to incorporate this into a typical bacon cure?

 

[pineywoods]

You can use Tender Quick I just pulled this off their website the recipe was for curing a loin for Canadian Bacon but the same ingredients and methods should work fine for Belly Bacon

1 tablespoon Morton[sup]®[/sup] Tender Quick[sup]®[/sup] mix or Morton[sup]®[/sup] Sugar Cure[sup]®[/sup] (Plain) mix per pound of loin
1 teaspoon sugar per pound of loin

Just be sure not to add any additional salt and be sure you rinse, soak and fry test before smoking

 

[scarbelly]

Piney beat me to it - that is what I use all the time - there used to be a sticky with the cure times too but I don't see it and I am at work so I can not access the file on my PC at home

It is real simple - so much time for every 1/4 " of thickness. Send me a PM if you need it and I will send to you later this evening -

 

[Bearcarver]

stupid question maybe, i have some morton's tender quick on hand, is there anyway to incorporate this into a typical bacon cure?

My recipe with TQ (I use an MES too):

Cut pieces that will fit in big ziplock bags (and will fit on your smoker shelf)

Weigh each piece individually

Rub the following into the pieces (all sides)

1/2 ounce of TQ per pound of belly

1/2 ounce of Brown Sugar per pound of belly

Rub them individually, and put any that fell off in that same bag.

Put these bags in Fridge for the right amount of time:

Measure the thickest part of the pieces.

Divide that number in half.

Then figure how many quarter inches there are in that number.

Then add 2 or more for safety (longer doesn't hurt---shorter does).

Example:

Thickest point of pieces--------3"

Half of that------------------------1 1/2"

6 quarters in 1 1/2"----Plus 2 = 8 days in the Fridge at no less than 36˚---no more than 39˚.

Massage & flip packages over every day.

After curing, rinse all pieces off & soak in ice water for 1 hour. Cut a couple thin slices off and fry them to see if they are too salty. If not (mine never were) fine. If too salty, soak for another hour & try again.

Dry the pieces off real good with paper towels, sprinkle black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder on them. Put them in the smoker without smoke at about 100˚ to 120˚ for an hour to dry. Then smoke the heck out of it!!!!!!

Take out when you have a nice brown color on the outside-----Maybe 6 or 8 hours.

In my book, it doesn't matter if you take the temp up to 160˚, but no higher, or keep it low. I have taken the internal temp up to 128˚  up to 145˚. Some guys keep the temp at 120˚, or even lower (but you'll need a way to generate smoke at the low temps---MES won't do it)-------It's all great!

Then Take the pieces out, let them cool down a lot at room temp. Then wrap them in Saran wrap, and put them in Fridge over night. Next day slice however you want them. Eat, Vacuum pack the rest & freeze, and enjoy.

Hope that helps,

Bearcarver

 

[newflame]

My recipe with TQ (I use an MES too):

Cut pieces that will fit in big ziplock bags (and will fit on your smoker shelf)

Weigh each piece individually

Rub the following into the pieces (all sides)

1/2 ounce of TQ per pound of belly

1/2 ounce of Brown Sugar per pound of belly

Rub them individually, and put any that fell off in that same bag.

Put these bags in Fridge for the right amount of time:

Measure the thickest part of the pieces.

Divide that number in half.

Then figure how many quarter inches there are in that number.

Then add 2 or more for safety (longer doesn't hurt---shorter does).

Example:

Thickest point of pieces--------3"

Half of that------------------------1 1/2"

6 quarters in 1 1/2"----Plus 2 = 8 days in the Fridge at no less than 36Ëš---no more than 39Ëš.

Massage & flip packages over every day.

After curing, rinse all pieces off & soak in ice water for 1 hour. Cut a couple thin slices off and fry them to see if they are too salty. If not (mine never were) fine. If too salty, soak for another hour & try again.

Dry the pieces off real good with paper towels, sprinkle black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder on them. Put them in the smoker without smoke at about 100Ëš to 120Ëš for an hour to dry. Then smoke the heck out of it!!!!!!

Take out when you have a nice brown color on the outside-----Maybe 6 or 8 hours.

In my book, it doesn't matter if you take the temp up to 160Ëš, but no higher, or keep it low. I have taken the internal temp up to 128Ëš  up to 145Ëš. Some guys keep the temp at 120Ëš, or even lower (but you'll need a way to generate smoke at the low temps---MES won't do it)-------It's all great!

Then Take the pieces out, let them cool down a lot at room temp. Then wrap them in Saran wrap, and put them in Fridge over night. Next day slice however you want them. Eat, Vacuum pack the rest & freeze, and enjoy.

Hope that helps,

Bearcarver

Perfect, thanks bear, I don't know how to give points anymore or I would, you should turn this into a wiki, as there are none on bacon currently...thanks again.

 

[Bearcarver]

Perfect, thanks bear, I don't know how to give points anymore or I would, you should turn this into a wiki, as there are none on bacon currently...thanks again.

Yeah,

I needed one on Chuckies, but couldn't find anything. I had to pick out the stuff I needed from a whole bunch of different posts.

Here is a link to my first Belly Bacon. I would have included it in the other post, but it took me forever to find it with this new platform.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/82399/first-smoked-bacon-finally

If I left anything out, let me know----I just typed the above one off the top of my head,

Bear

 

[scarbelly]

Thanks Bear - I was at work and could not get to that file to help him

 

[old poi dog]

Hello Bear and Scarbelly,

I am a relative noob and have be doing a version of buckboard bacon these last few smokes.  I was planning to smoke some meat that I was curing this weekend but something came up.  The meat has been curing for 9days going on 10 days.  I want to smoke em tomorrow after work.  What can I expect?  Too salty? Off flavor? 

 

[Bearcarver]

Old Poi Dog, you're not new to me---maybe to bacon.

If you're talking about the extra couple days, don't worry about it. Just do the soak, salt test thingy. I don't know what kind of cure you used, but if it was TQ, the length of time shouldn't make it too salty.

Bearcarver

 

[walle]

Just wanted to let everyone know that BearCarver's other initials stand for Bacon Cing

 I see you're still using this o'l recipe...

New Flame - ya can't go wrong with this - gave it a whirl last fall and it was awesome!  Good on ya being able to find bellies.  Only advice I would add would be to do at least two!
 

My recipe with TQ (I use an MES too):

Cut pieces that will fit in big ziplock bags (and will fit on your smoker shelf)

Weigh each piece individually

Rub the following into the pieces (all sides)

1/2 ounce of TQ per pound of belly

1/2 ounce of Brown Sugar per pound of belly

Rub them individually, and put any that fell off in that same bag.

Put these bags in Fridge for the right amount of time:

Measure the thickest part of the pieces.

Divide that number in half.

Then figure how many quarter inches there are in that number.

Then add 2 or more for safety (longer doesn't hurt---shorter does).

Example:

Thickest point of pieces--------3"

Half of that------------------------1 1/2"

6 quarters in 1 1/2"----Plus 2 = 8 days in the Fridge at no less than 36Ëš---no more than 39Ëš.

Massage & flip packages over every day.

After curing, rinse all pieces off & soak in ice water for 1 hour. Cut a couple thin slices off and fry them to see if they are too salty. If not (mine never were) fine. If too salty, soak for another hour & try again.

Dry the pieces off real good with paper towels, sprinkle black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder on them. Put them in the smoker without smoke at about 100Ëš to 120Ëš for an hour to dry. Then smoke the heck out of it!!!!!!

Take out when you have a nice brown color on the outside-----Maybe 6 or 8 hours.

In my book, it doesn't matter if you take the temp up to 160Ëš, but no higher, or keep it low. I have taken the internal temp up to 128Ëš  up to 145Ëš. Some guys keep the temp at 120Ëš, or even lower (but you'll need a way to generate smoke at the low temps---MES won't do it)-------It's all great!

Then Take the pieces out, let them cool down a lot at room temp. Then wrap them in Saran wrap, and put them in Fridge over night. Next day slice however you want them. Eat, Vacuum pack the rest & freeze, and enjoy.

Hope that helps,

Bearcarver

 

[old poi dog]

Old Poi Dog, you're not new to me---maybe to bacon.

If you're talking about the extra couple days, don't worry about it. Just do the soak, salt test thingy. I don't know what kind of cure you used, but if it was TQ, the length of time shouldn't make it too salty.

Bearcarver

Bearcarver,

Thanks for the reassurance friend.  I'm planning to do the Smoke this afternoon if nothing gets in the way.  I used TQ in this cure and the process has some similiarities to your cure posted above.

 

 

[Bearcarver]

Just wanted to let everyone know that BearCarver's other initials stand for Bacon Cing

 I see you're still using this o'l recipe...

New Flame - ya can't go wrong with this - gave it a whirl last fall and it was awesome!  Good on ya being able to find bellies.  Only advice I would add would be to do at least two!
 

 

C'mon Tracey, it's all stuff I learned from others on here---I just mixed & matched a bunch of them together.

Quit now, you're making me blush!

BC

 

Bearcarver,

Thanks for the reassurance friend.  I'm planning to do the Smoke this afternoon if nothing gets in the way.  I used TQ in this cure and the process has some similiarities to your cure posted above.

 

Don't forget the Qview-----

BC
 

 

[old poi dog]

Bearcarver

Thanks for the advice about the meat I was curing in a process very similar to yours.  Actually I was trying to duplicate the way the pig hunters here cure their pig meat prior to smoking.   I know that they use TQ and sugar and other ingredients that are hard to get out them.  I'm getting close and your TQ/sugar ratio per lb is just about right.   I smoked the meat on Tues. after work. after 10 days or curing in the refrigerator.  I wasn't  planning to go that long but things came up.... It came out pretty well.  Had some for breakfast this morning.  Here's some Views.  I only did 3lbs. on this test batch. 

 

[cowgirl]

Probably too late, but here are some more bacon ideas... http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/73131/smokehouse-bacon

 

[Bearcarver]

Bearcarver

Thanks for the advice about the meat I was curing in a process very similar to yours.  Actually I was trying to duplicate the way the pig hunters here cure their pig meat prior to smoking.   I know that they use TQ and sugar and other ingredients that are hard to get out them.  I'm getting close and your TQ/sugar ratio per lb is just about right.   I smoked the meat on Tues. after work. after 10 days or curing in the refrigerator.  I wasn't  planning to go that long but things came up.... It came out pretty well.  Had some for breakfast this morning.  Here's some Views.  I only did 3lbs. on this test batch. 

That looks awesome! I'd be grabbing that fatty piece in the pan. That's about the leanest BBB I've ever seem. Looks more like CB. Better start some more! That aint gonna last.

Makin' me hungry,

Bear