Question about brining 55 pounds

ballagh · Jul 8, 2013

I am going to try using pops brine method tonight for 55 pounds of bellies I picked up. I have dry cured in the past but want to try brining this go around. My question is do I need to aadjust the amount of cure since these bellies are 15 pounds each? I would like to try and do two per 5 gallon bucket if they will fit. So I figure I will mix a couple of gallons of brine per his mixture and see how far that will go. May need to mix more to fill. Dunno yet. Any suggestions for mass brining? :-)

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shoneyboy · Jul 8, 2013

I had a similar question at 1 time; I was told that if it fits loosely in the bucket and can be submerged under the brine/cure it will work.

foamheart · Jul 8, 2013

Pops would be the difinative answer here. 3 bellies at the same time, color me impressed. The brine and smoking...... a little, but cutting up that much bacon, you must have cannons for arms or a double extra heavy duty industrial grade slicer.

I would imagine though that if it fits in a bine it'll work. If it takes 5 gallons instead of 1 gallon you are increasing the cure x5 also.

dirtsailor2003 · Jul 8, 2013

The most that I have brined (Pop's Brine) in one container at a time is 20#. I brine in a 22 qt food grade bucket:

8671180380_3aa28f5170_h.jpg

dirtsailor2003
Apr 22, 2013

20# of bottom round for pastrami

8406733147_f08d39f78c_o.jpg

dirtsailor2003
Jan 23, 2013

20# of loin, belly and shoulder for bacon

woodcutter · Jul 8, 2013

Shoneyboy said:
I had a similar question at 1 time; I was told that if it fits loosely in the bucket and can be submerged under the brine/cure it will work.

X2......... Just did 2 butts and a whole pork loin in 1 1/2 gallons of brine (23 lbs). Had 3 hole loins cut into quarters in another bucket with 1 1/2 gallons of brine (21 lbs). These were in tall narrow frosting buckets.

DSCN7798.JPG

woodcutter
Jul 8, 2013

shoneyboy · Jul 8, 2013

dirtsailor2003 said:
The most that I have brined (Pop's Brine) in one container at a time is 20#. I brine in a 22 qt food grade bucket:

8671180380_3aa28f5170_h.jpg

dirtsailor2003

Apr 22, 2013

20# of bottom round for pastrami

8406733147_f08d39f78c_o.jpg

dirtsailor2003

Jan 23, 2013

20# of loin, belly and shoulder for bacon

Pastrami ??? Oh my .......Now you have me thinking about something new for me to try.......

dirtsailor2003 · Jul 8, 2013

Shoneyboy said:
Pastrami ??? Oh my .......Now you have me thinking about something new for me to try.......

I highly recommend it!!! I wish I had added more pickling spice to the brine, next time I will! Pop's brine works great for all kinds of things. He did say though to not mix meat types together while brining.

themule69 · Jul 8, 2013

ballagh said:
I am going to try using pops brine method tonight for 55 pounds of bellies I picked up. I have dry cured in the past but want to try brining this go around. My question is do I need to aadjust the amount of cure since these bellies are 15 pounds each? I would like to try and do two per 5 gallon bucket if they will fit. So I figure I will mix a couple of gallons of brine per his mixture and see how far that will go. May need to mix more to fill. Dunno yet. Any suggestions for mass brining? :-)

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It makes no differance what they weigh. If you do not pack them tight in the bucket Mix Pop's brine as directed. And use how ever much it takes to cover.

Happy smoken.

David

donr · Jul 10, 2013

The meat will absorb some brine during its swim. Make sure it is all submerged. If the level is real close to the top, check it every few days to make sure it stays submerged.

pops6927 · Jul 10, 2013

All good advice! You don't need to increase your level of sodium nitrite; just cover with brine and loose enough that it will float, even a ½". Use two containers if one is too full. Make sure you use clean buckets, you've rinsed off any surface bacteria from the meat, made the brine with cold water, stirred with a clean utensil, covered product and weighted down with a clean weight and refrigerated immediately at 38°.

themule69 · Jul 10, 2013

Pops6927 said:
All good advice! You don't need to increase your level of sodium nitrite; just cover with brine and loose enough that it will float, even a ½". Use two containers if one is too full. Make sure you use clean buckets, you've rinsed off any surface bacteria from the meat, made the brine with cold water, stirred with a clean utensil, covered product and weighted down with a clean weight and refrigerated immediately at 38°.

And now we know. If we use Pop's brine. Do as Pop's says and you will have great results

.

Happy smoken.

David

Oh thanks to all who have posted pics. Becuse so far the thread starter is getting this from me.

ballagh · Jul 10, 2013

I will get some pics on here tonight. Fit 2 15 pound bellied in each container, x2 containers. Took about a gallon of brine to fill each container. Used pops recipe and added some pure maple syrup to it also. I plan to rotate them every two days. I did have room for a gallon Ziploc bag of water on top to help keep them submerged. That is for all the info.

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ballagh · Jul 22, 2013

So last nite I was checking on the bellies in the fridge. I pulled the container out that had the two bellies in them I skinned and they were fine. Rotated them and repacked in the brine and put them back in the fridge.

Pulled out container number two that had two bellies in them that still had the skin on and noticed they had a little slime on the skin side of the bellies. I rinsed them off and cleaned out the container and mixed up a new batch of brine and rolled them back up skin side in this time.

Anyone know why this happens? I am a extremely sanitary person who is a former meat cutter, so i know my way around the proper handling of raw meats. I just find it odd that the two that had the skin on still had this issue. My 14 days is up on Wed, and Thursday I planned on rinsing and placing in the fridge until Sat morning when I plan on cold smoking for the day. If it is slimy again which I imagine it will be, do u think it will be good to go or should I cut my losses on those two?

Thanks

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themule69 · Jul 22, 2013

If you are rolling them up The cure can not get to the inside of the roll. It will take much longer to cure.

Happy smoke.

David

ballagh · Jul 22, 2013

They are rolled up in the container. Not tight rolled or tied by any means. All surfaces are being exposed to the brine. Friday nite will be day 17. Maybe let it soak in the brine til then and then rinse and allow to sit in the fridge uncovered til Sat afternoon?????
Thanks

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Question about brining 55 pounds

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