Uncured pork belly smoking question

[daveomak]

add cure#1 at 0.18% (0.0018 X weight of the meat)

Morning.... 1.13 kg = 1130 grams X 0.0018 = 2.03 grams of cure#1....

 

[thirdeye]

Okay, so I got my curing salt today. I used the low sodium recipe, but I am using 2.5 lbs of pork belly which is slightly over 1 kg of meat which it states in the recipe. The meat weighed in at 1.13 kg

I adjusted up to 4g of curing salt instead of 3, and adjusted the salt to 20g instead of 19.2
Here is the recipe for reference: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/low-sodium-bacon-recipe.284429/

Does this seem okay? You guys have me worried about safety now so I’m paranoid lol.
Thanks again for all the insight!

To get the nitrite, to protect folks from botulism, add cure#1 at 0.18% (0.0018 X weight of the meat)

Morning.... 1.13 kg = 1130 grams X 0.0018 = 2.03 grams of cure#1....

If you aren't quite wrapping your head around one way to calculate an answer, you are not alone. The good news is, there is usually another formula you can use.

A percentage of anything is easy to work with when you are using kilograms. For example, Dave suggested 0.18% of Cure #1. This equates to 1.8 grams per 1000 grams (kilogram). You measured your meat weight at 1.13 kilograms. To solve:

1.13 kg X 1.8 g/kg = 2.03 g of Cure #1 is needed.

 

[olaf]

Okay, so I got my curing salt today. I used the low sodium recipe, but I am using 2.5 lbs of pork belly which is slightly over 1 kg of meat which it states in the recipe. The meat weighed in at 1.13 kg

I adjusted up to 4g of curing salt instead of 3, and adjusted the salt to 20g instead of 19.2
Here is the recipe for reference: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/low-sodium-bacon-recipe.284429/

Does this seem okay? You guys have me worried about safety now so I’m paranoid lol.
Thanks again for all the insight!

You need to cut that salt in half your at 2%

 

[daveomak]

Okay, so I got my curing salt today. I used the low sodium recipe, but I am using 2.5 lbs of pork belly which is slightly over 1 kg of meat which it states in the recipe. The meat weighed in at 1.13 kg

I adjusted up to 4g of curing salt instead of 3, and adjusted the salt to 20g instead of 19.2
Here is the recipe for reference: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/low-sodium-bacon-recipe.284429/

Does this seem okay? You guys have me worried about safety now so I’m paranoid lol.
Thanks again for all the insight!

NO !!!! It's not OK... Do the math... read my other posts...

 

[Fueling Around]

Okay, so I got my curing salt today. I used the low sodium recipe, but I am using 2.5 lbs of pork belly which is slightly over 1 kg of meat which it states in the recipe. The meat weighed in at 1.13 kg

I adjusted up to 4g of curing salt instead of 3, and adjusted the salt to 20g instead of 19.2
Here is the recipe for reference: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/low-sodium-bacon-recipe.284429/

Does this seem okay? You guys have me worried about safety now so I’m paranoid lol.
Thanks again for all the insight!

NO!
Did you start last night? The pink salt (nitrite) and the regular salt is excessive.
That salt level is higher than my preference and way higher than you should attempt in your restricted diet.

Going from high to low is easier to recover than low to high.

A dry brine should be 11 grams of salt for 1% which I consider a minimal brine.

Start over with 2 grams of pink salt and 11 grams of salt

 

[Cookin_Grillin_Smokin]

Man am I glad you guys have the knowledge and expertise to help me out.
When I was rubbing the pork it seemed like it wasn’t enough of a brine. I guess I am used to rubbing my meats in a thick layer of rub before I smoke it.

I started the brine on Thursday night (I’m reading this Saturday night in California)
Is it too late to rise it off and start over with the updated, 2 grams of pink salt and 11 grams of kosher salt? Still seems like not enough foe 2.5 lbs of meat... this is new to me so what do I know lol

thank you again forall your help!

 

[olaf]

Man am I glad you guys have the knowledge and expertise to help me out.
When I was rubbing the pork it seemed like it wasn’t enough of a brine. I guess I am used to rubbing my meats in a thick layer of rub before I smoke it.

I started the brine on Thursday night (I’m reading this Saturday night in California)
Is it too late to rise it off and start over with the updated, 2 grams of pink salt and 11 grams of kosher salt? Still seems like not enough foe 2.5 lbs of meat... this is new to me so what do I know lol

thank you again forall your help!

Your not out much money that amount of cure is high but you'll be ok for a few slices of bacon. My only guess is to rinse everything off now sprinke on some brown sugar and it should cure just fine. Personally I would just toss it and start over following a recipe then adjust the recipe according to your own tastes.

 

[daveomak]

It will be OK.... Nitrite dissipates over time and with heat above ~130 ish....
I bake my pork belly... slice it and bake on a with rack on a sheet pan... I bake at 325-350 until it gets the crispness I'm looking for.....
Double pan to try and keep from burning up all that bacon fat... I save it for cooking..

I've been known to brush maple syrup on the rashers just before it gets done to make a delicious snack bacon strip...

 

[Cookin_Grillin_Smokin]

Your not out much money that amount of cure is high but you'll be ok for a few slices of bacon. My only guess is to rinse everything off now sprinke on some brown sugar and it should cure just fine. Personally I would just toss it and start over following a recipe then adjust the recipe according to your own tastes.

As long as it is safe to eat I don’t mind keeping it and seeing how it goes. Safety is my biggest concern. I can always give it to my neighbors if it isn’t too salty :)

 

[olaf]

As long as it is safe to eat I don’t mind keeping it and seeing how it goes. Safety is my biggest concern. I can always give it to my neighbors if it isn’t too salty :)

That's why I think you should rinse it off now, half the salt and most of the cure is in the belly now then just leave it in the fridge the rest of the week to allow the cure to do its thing. Whatever dave omak says is right, you can learn a lot by reading his posts

 

[Cookin_Grillin_Smokin]

for some reason I could t get this thread to open all week until this morning.
My bacon has been in the fridge for a full week and I wasn’t able to rise and lower the curing salt content.

following the low salt recipe posted earlier in this thread, it says to take it out, soak it, then put in the fridge overnight.
It has been curing for a week now, is it safe to say I can do this step and smoke it tomorrow morning? My main concern it is safe to eat without getting sick. Do I need to let it cure more for safety reasons?