Double checking my numbers for first time bacon-maker

[mohole15]

My wife bought me a very simple bacon making kit for Valentine's Day (cuz, she loves me like that).  It turned out so good that I want to do it on my own now.  I am planning to cure a 5 lb pork bellyusing the following measurements.

With Rind:

4 Tablespoons salt

1 1/4 Teaspoons (light on the 1/4 teaspoon) Cure

1/4 cup maple sugar

Without Rind

4 Tablespoons Salt

1 1/4 teaspoon Cure

1/4 cup Maple Sugar

I will try to get the rind off, but my knives aren't very sharp.

I used the chart attached to the forum, but I am terrified that I screw something up and get someone sick.  I plan to coat it with the cure, salt, and maple sugar, and cure it for a week, flipping it over once a day.  After that, I will put it into my Camp Chef pellet smoker on high smoke (about 225%) until the internal temp is 145 degrees.  Then I'll cool it down overnight, before having bacon for breakfast for father's day.

Does anyone see where I can potentially cause or create a dangerous final product?

Also, I was planning on using table salt for the salt.  IS there a better salt to use?

Much thanks,

Jason in Las Vegas

 

[SmokinAl]

I would use Kosher salt.

If you have a scale, here is the calculator most of us use.

http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html

My process is 14 days in the cure, flipping & massaging daily.

Rinse & dry. You can do a fry test at this point to make sure it isn't too salty.

If if is just soak it in cold water for a couple of hours.

4 days in the fridge uncovered.

Cold smoke for 10-12 hours.

4 more days in the fridge uncovered.

Then into the freezer for a couple of hours, then slice.

Good luck!

Al

 

[mohole15]

Smokin Al,

Thank you so much for your sage wisdom.  You helped me though figuring out to remove the skin on my attempt with the kit, and I really appreciate it.  The calculator will be of immeasurable importance.

I will only get about 10 days to cure, is that enough?  Also, it's 107 degrees out here, so cold smoking may not be possible, will it?

Thanks,

Jason

Also, I will provide pics of the work as soon as I am in the process.

 

[slipaway]

Mohole,

I do not cold smoke. After I have let it sit in cure for 10 - 14 days (5 lb belly with cure as you describe) I then smoke it at 225-250 until the IT of the belly is 150 degrees. Then I take it off and let it sit for a day before trying to slice it.

This may give you an alternate approach if cold smoking is not in the cards. (Las Vegas joke)

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I'm pretty inline with Al. I have never felt that the bacon after curing using Digging Dog Farms is too salty. You do need a good scale that reads to the hundredth of a gram. If you do not have one you can use Pop's brine cure. When I used Pop's I found that we preferred to use less salt (1/3 cup). We prefer the dry cure method over the brine. With either method my process remains the same after curing. 5 days uncovered in fridge 18-24 hours of smoke (typically cob or cherry). I smoke 6-8 hours a t time and rest in the fridge in between smoke. This is not required I usually don't have enough time to smoke 18-24 hours straight. After smoking I let the meat rest uncovered 5 days in the fridge then I cut and pack. I don't slice I cut the belly into approx. 1 pound hunks. This gives me the option to use in more ways than just sliced.

As for cold versus hot, I prefer cold smoking (below 60 degrees). That probably isn't an option for you due to your location,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236348/rubbed-the-belly-its-bacon-time