Wet Curing Question that wasn't answered in a hijacked post!

[bigfish98]

OK, I tried to hijack a thread with a question and it wasn't answered.  Here it is:

As I am trying Pop's brine for the first time as we speak, I am curious. Why does it take 10-14 days for belly bacon, but only 8-10 for buckboard bacon? I have dry cured bacon before (buck board and belly) and I have let them cure for 8-10 days depending upon thickness. I was under the impression that dry curing took longer than wet curing. Am I way off base?

bigfish

 

[daveomak]

bigfish, morning....  the answer could lie in the fact, the belly may have the hide on it and the cure is penetrating from one side of the meat....  That will take twice as long as a skinned belly..... just a guess...   Dave

 

[fpnmf]

Here's my opinion...

His recipe is less than the max of cure and longer times for a better taste...search pops some it should turn up...

Also he sez to inject over 2 inches...

From the old dogs own words..

Curing times vary with meat, but generally overnight to 2-3 days for chickens and turkeys, 8-10 days buckboard bacon, 10-14 days belly bacon, pork shoulder, whole butts, 3-4 weeks whole hams, 10-20 days corned beef (fresh beef roasts, briskets, rolled rib roasts, etc.)   If whole muscle is more than 2" thick, then inject so it can cure i/o as well as o/i, and/or in and around bone structures, etc.

You can add any other flavorings you'd like, this is just the basic curing brine. 1 heaping tablespoon of cure is about 1 ounce.  The maximum concentration allowed safely is 3.84 ounces per 1 gallon of brine (24 lbs.per 100 gallons: 16 oz. x 24 = 384 ounces, 1/100th is 3.84 ounces).  You can experiment with different concentrations as long as you keep it between those parameters.

 

[bbqonice]

depends how thick your slabs are...we cure bacon for 5 to 7 days only....depends n the mix as well.  We use Tenderquick, salt, sugar and picking mix.