Six pieces of pork belly

[bill ace 350]

Picked up some pork bellies at the commissary today. Going into Pop's Brine tonight.

Sell by date is 17 September.

Will I be ok?

Will post pics this time around.

Thanks.

 

[noboundaries]

You're fine.  I buy meat (beef, chicken, pork) all the time that is on sale due to the "sell by" date.  Heck, I'll even look at the sell-by dates and schedule a trip to the grocer on that date to pick up any packages that haven't sold by then.  They're always on sale. 

Haven't done so with fish, but then again, we don't eat much fish. 

 

[pc farmer]

Yup. They will be fine. Once in the cure, the sale date is no longer valid because of the cure

 

[bill ace 350]

Thanks Noboundaries, thanks C Farmer.

Based on thickness, they'll need about 10 days, their pretty thin, 1 to 1 11/4 inch..

Will smoke with amazn smoke tray, no other heat, cold smoke. Temps should be 70 degrees below or lower, during the day, and lower in the evenings.

Is it safe to smoke with a full tray, put in fridge to rest for a day, then repeat process until desired level of smoke is achieved?

 

[pc farmer]

Yup. I do that till I get 24-36 hours of smoke on them.

 

[bill ace 350]

1. Pork Bellies 11.71lbs.jpg

• bill ace 350
• Sep 15, 2017

2. Pop's Brine Ready.jpg

• bill ace 350
• Sep 15, 2017

3. Ready for 10 - 14 Day Cure.jpg

• bill ace 350
• Sep 15, 2017

Pork bellies, 11.71 pounds.

Pop's Brine (2/3 cup Kosher Salt/1 cup dark brown sugar, 2/3 cup turbinado sugar, 1/3 cup white sugar, 1 tsp pickling spice, 1 tsp whole pepper corns, 1 tsp crushed red pepper, 1 gal water). Brought to a boil, let cool overnight, added 1 tbsp. cure #1.

3 Pieces skin side down for bottom layer, 3 more, skin up for second layer.

In the fridge for 10-14 days.

 

[myownidaho]

:popcorn

 

[bill ace 350]

Cold smoked them with apple. Full AMNPS tray, rest in refrigerator, repeat, slice, sample, vacuum seal.
Turned out very, very good, one of my top batches. Might add another smoke and rest cycle next time.

 

[bill ace 350]

Sorry, don't know why some of the pics were duplicated.

Have 4 more bellies and a few pounds of pork loin, soon to be Canadian bacon.
Think I'll go with Bearcarvers recipe on the bellies this time, probably still pops brine on the loin,but add some extra pickling spice, peppercorns and garlic.

 

[Braz]

Looks great. I love the lean/fat ratio.

Braz

 

[bill ace 350]

1. Pork Bellies 11.71lbs.jpg

• bill ace 350
• Sep 15, 2017

2. Pop's Brine Ready.jpg

• bill ace 350
• Sep 15, 2017

3. Ready for 10 - 14 Day Cure.jpg

• bill ace 350
• Sep 15, 2017

Pork bellies, 11.71 pounds.

Pop's Brine (2/3 cup Kosher Salt/1 cup dark brown sugar, 2/3 cup turbinado sugar, 1/3 cup white sugar, 1 tsp pickling spice, 1 tsp whole pepper corns, 1 tsp crushed red pepper, 1 gal water). Brought to a boil, let cool overnight, added 1 tbsp. cure #1.

3 Pieces skin side down for bottom layer, 3 more, skin up for second layer.

In the fridge for 10-14 days.

.
This was the first time I ever experienced "ropey brine".

Turbinado sugar maybe? First time I ever tried it in a brine