Curing bacon - Equilibrium Brining advice & coffee cure suggestions

[jceroli42]

Morning all. I've cured bacon about 2-3x in the past using the Ruhlman recipe. Came out great except always a little salty, I tried adjusting each time. I want to now try equilibrium brining to see if I can get it on point. I was going to use the suggestion of Ruhlman - 2% of Kosher Salt and .25% pint salt. Question:
1) This is the percent of Meat AND Water combined, but how much water am I using??
2) Any tips on this method?
3) Will a 7-10 day brine be good, Ruhlan says this method "will give you flexibiilty on how long you cure". What does he mean by that? Meaning if you do it precisely by weight then 7 day brine is same as say 10-15 day brine?
3) Finally - I'd like to try to add a Coffee flavor to the cure, any links to recipes that would work in an equilibrium brine?

Thanks in advance!

 

[daveomak]

May I suggest for "equilibrium brine/cure" the following....

Weigh the meat, weigh out water at 25-50% the weight of the meat....
Using the total weight of meat and water add 2% Kosher salt, 1% white sugar and 0.25% cure #1 or= (1.13 grams cure #1 per pound)
If the meat is over 2 ish inches thick, inject the brine/cure into the thick parts and along any bones... Refrigerate for ... 1 week for every inch of thickness at least...
If you heat the water to help stuff dissolve, add the cure #1 AFTER the brine has cooled... nitrite starts to break down around 130 deg. F....

 

[jceroli42]

May I suggest for "equilibrium brine/cure" the following....

Weigh the meat, weigh out water at 25-50% the weight of the meat....
Using the total weight of meat and water add 2% Kosher salt, 1% white sugar and 0.25% cure #1 or= (1.13 grams cure #1 per pound)
If the meat is over 2 ish inches thick, inject the brine/cure into the thick parts and along any bones... Refrigerate for ... 1 week for every inch of thickness at least...
If you heat the water to help stuff dissolve, add the cure #1 AFTER the brine has cooled... nitrite starts to break down around 130 deg. F....

Thanks! Question, I came across https://www.realtree.com/timber-2-table/equilibrium-curing-a-better-way-to-make-your-own-bacon-0
The percentages seem to be higher and I thought (as you mentioned) .25% cure is pretty much standard. Any thoughts?

 

[jceroli42]

Also, If I am planning on using the "seasoning" from a dry cure recipe, I'm assuming since I'm adding water, aside from the Salt / Sugar, those amounts need to be tweaked, if so, is it trial an error or a percentage? I'm using Ruhlmans ingredients from Bacon-time recipe.

 

[daveomak]

Thanks! Question, I came across https://www.realtree.com/timber-2-table/equilibrium-curing-a-better-way-to-make-your-own-bacon-0
The percentages seem to be higher and I thought (as you mentioned) .25% cure is pretty much standard. Any thoughts?

I have found 2% salt and 1% sugar is a good balance.. No salty flavor and the sugar is just enough to negate the salt.. The 0.25% (0.0025 X weight) is ~USDA recommended)

Also, If I am planning on using the "seasoning" from a dry cure recipe, I'm assuming since I'm adding water, aside from the Salt / Sugar, those amounts need to be tweaked, if so, is it trial an error or a percentage? I'm using Ruhlmans ingredients from Bacon-time recipe.

You can add any dry ingredients to the brine/cure and not adjust any other numbers... The salt can be adjusted but adding too much more sugar, you could get a burnt sugar taste after frying.. I'm not sure but I think I could taste burnt sugar at 2% so I cut it back...

The calculator in the link has 3% salt, 2% sugar and 0.3% cure 1..

Brining time should be 2+ weeks for the sugar to take effect... It is a large molecule and doesn't penetrate the meat as fast as salt... the meat will have a salty flavor with shorter curing times....

Did I answer all your questions.... Dave

 

[jceroli42]

You can add any dry ingredients to the brine/cure and not adjust any other numbers... The salt can be adjusted but adding too much more sugar, you could get a burnt sugar taste after frying.. I'm not sure but I think I could taste burnt sugar at 2% so I cut it back...

So if I understand correctly, the dry ingredients just leave as is per the weight of the belly vs. adding a little more to compensate for the water, correct?

Did I answer all your questions.... Dave

Yes sir. Thank you!! Time to brine!

 

[daveomak]

You can adjust for the weight of the water.. Check to see if there's any salt, sugar or cure in the ingredients....

 

[jceroli42]

You can adjust for the weight of the water.. Check to see if there's any salt, sugar or cure in the ingredients....

Yes there are, see below Ruhlman's ingredients for 5lb belly. Here's what I was planning, let me know if i'm on right track based on your advice:

5lb belly + 25% water. Total weight then use the percentages you listed AND add the ingredients below minus the Salt/Cure/Sugar.

• 2 ounces (1/4 cup Morton or Diamond Crystal coarse kosher) salt
• 2 teaspoons pink curing salt #1 (I use this DQ Cure from Butcher-Packer, $2)
• 4 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 4 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or honey or maple syrup
• 5 cloves of garlic, smashed with the flat side of a chef’s knife
• 2 tablespoons juniper berries, lightly crushed (optional)
• 5 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)

 

[daveomak]

That will work... The brine solution may get "ropy" after a couple weeks... It's usually from the impurities in brown sugar.. Doesn't hurt anything.. after the proper brine time, just rinse the meat in cold water and dry per normal...

RopyStringyBrine1.jpg

• daveomak
• Apr 9, 2017

RopyStringyBrine2.jpg

• daveomak
• Apr 9, 2017

 

[jceroli42]

Great Thanks! I'll post results!

 

[jceroli42]

OH, last question, is the timing of the cure very precise? I noticed the wet brines usually go for less. I was planning on 10days, but you mentioned two weeks..

 

[daveomak]

On my bacon, I have found 14+ days works better... Takes time for the sugar to penetrate "satisfactorily".. Normal cure penetration is 7 days per inch of thickness... without the skin, it's penetrating from both sides...
Equilibrium brining, I think, takes longer, much longer... Here is why...

Note, 25-30 days.... click to enlarge...


Freze'em pickle is approx. cure #1 or darn close...

 

[daveomak]

If you look at the numbers, it's a ~50% addition of water, sugar and cure etc.... to the weight of the meat...

 

[jceroli42]

daveomak I'm at the 15 day mark, Have a question - When I'm ready to pull it out of the cure, I have read that I should rinse, dry, and put it back in the fridge for a day or two. Is that the case?

 

[daveomak]

You've got it.... lightly rinse and blot dry with paper towels... place on a wire rack and refer for a day or so.. The refer will additionally dry the surface... place in the smoker for an hour or so at 100-120 to bring the meat temp above ambient.. that will reduce condensate on the meat surface... apply smoke ... if you are cold smoking, keep the temp below 80... if warm smoking, smoke at 120 ish... when done adding smoke, if you want to pre-cook, increase smoker temp to 160 ish and bring meat temp up to 145 ish for an hour or so..
Or what ever method you are following...