Fresh PIG BACON!

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Tracey,

That's the nicest color I've seen yet !!!!!

I read a little bit about that sugar cure. What I read was it is exactly the same TQ, with Dextrose or something like that added.

I guess it didn't come already mixed did it?

Just curious about this stuff.

Thanks buddy,

Bear
 
Bear,

The Sugar Cure did come with a separate bag of spices which I did not use, I simply used the sugar cure - 1 T. per Lb of belly.

The color is dark, and it has the same consistancy as brown sugar... "packable"??.  It must have something else in it, because last year, I used TQ and brown sugar, and the bacon wasn't even close.

I was happy with the bacon I did last year... PROUD of the bacon this year. 

THANKS!
 
Tracey, or anyone else who's interested---Like Me,

Morton's says this about Tender Quick & Sugar Cure:

NOTE: Morton Tender Quick is not a meat tenderizer, or should either be used as a seasoning. These two premixes are essentially the same, and can be used interchangeably. Both are considered fast cures. The difference between the two is that the Sugar Cure has added dextrose and a packet of spice mix. They both contain a combination of high grade salt, sugar, plus both sodium nitrate (.5%) and sodium nitrite (.5%).  

So if you don't put the added spices in, the only difference would be you swapped out Brown Sugar for Dextrose.

You must have done something else different this year, like longer smoking time??

Let me know what it was, because it looks GREAT !

Bear
 
If you use the "Smoke flavored sugar cure, Morton's says this:

Also know as Morton Sugar Cure Smoke Flavored. This cure premix is not recommended for sausage, but it is listed so that the user does not mistake or confuse this with Morton Sugar Cure (plain). This is a slow cure, and the cure reaction takes longer with Morton Smoke Flavored Sugar Cure than with cure #2 or Morton Sugar Cure (plain) or Morton Tender Quick. This premix is formulated especially for dry curing large cuts of meat like hams, or bacon, that need to be cured over a long period of time.  

It contains salt, sugar, sodium nitrate (1%), propylene glycol, caramel color, natural hickory smoke flavor, a blend of natural spices and dextrose (corn sugar) - it does not contain sodium nitrite. The smoke flavor and spices comes in a separate package and can be added if the flavor is desired. This cure doesn't’t have to be mixed with additional salt; and it should not be used for a wet brine (pickle) solution.

According to this, we are supposed to cure with this stuff much longer than with regular TQ or regular sugar cure.

Now I'm getting a headache!!!

Bear
 
Last edited:
Tracey, or anyone else who's interested---Like Me,

Morton's says this about Tender Quick & Sugar Cure:

NOTE: Morton Tender Quick is not a meat tenderizer, or should either be used as a seasoning. These two premixes are essentially the same, and can be used interchangeably. Both are considered fast cures. The difference between the two is that the Sugar Cure has added dextrose and a packet of spice mix. They both contain a combination of high grade salt, sugar, plus both sodium nitrate (.5%) and sodium nitrite (.5%).  

So if you don't put the added spices in, the only difference would be you swapped out Brown Sugar for Dextrose.

You must have done something else different this year, like longer smoking time??

Let me know what it was, because it looks GREAT !

Bear
it all so said that morton suger cure smoke flavor is not  a quick cure it is extre long cure for mouths it does not work like TQ or suger cure plain

smoke flavor is a slow cure

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?736-Curing-Salts  
 
That's some awesome looking bacon, Tracey!  You'd better bring that slicer back over here and we'll see if we can get a fresh coat of paint on her.
PDT_Armataz_01_34.gif
 
Last edited:
WOW!!!  What great work.  I'm in awe. Those ribs look beyond amazing, and then you get to the bacon????!!!  I'm at a loss for superlatives! 
 
Folks!!!!  Given the fact that I used a curing product that is new/newer/different, please take a minute and review this information IF you plan on using Morton's Smoke Flavored Sugar Cure.

Both Bearcarver and Mudduck pointed out some difference in this cure and we want to make sure that folks do not mistakenly think it is across the board interchangable with regular Morton's Tender Quick, or other cures.

Bottom line - folks need to do their research and follow manufacturer instructions.. along with the information they get from any post on the forum.

In response to the questions and concerns brought up by two of our veteran curers here, I'm sharing this as there is a difference between TQ, Sugar Cure, and Smoke Flavored Sugar Cure.

 

Bear, Mudduck,

I wanted to thank you both for the PM's on my bacon post.  I read them as concerns or questions in the safety area, and I really appreciate that.... I'm by no means an expert on this shat! 

I pulled out the package today, and here is exactly what it says:

___________________________________________________________________

COMPLETE READY TO USE MEAT CURE FOR HOME USE

For Dry Curing Hams and Bacon

Note amount of cure to use from chart below.  Rub cure in well, especially around shank and aitch bone of the ham.  Place meat in clean refigerator between 35-40  F.  At seven day intervals, remove from refigerator and make second and third application of cure.  Return to refigerator.  When curing is complete, soak hams and bacon in lukewarm water for one hour to remove exces surface salt.  Pat dry and return to refigerator for equilibration.  Equliberate hams for 20 days, bacon for 2 days.  After equilibratioon, full cure long cut hams may be aged at 70-85 F.  Cook Pork to 160*

(Chart)

Hams           1st application     2nd application    3rd application

Mild Cure         2.5 - 100 lbs       2.5 to 100 lbs         none

Full Cure            "      "               "         "             2.5 to 100 lbs

Bacon             1/2 oz/lb                 none                  none

Curing time:  Seven days per inch of thickness

**This is the biggest notable difference.  In essence, if a normal belly is 2" thick, it would double the cureing time from Morton's Tender Quick.

*Full cure hames are not skinned and are generally aged for about six months.

THIS PACKAGE CONTAINS A PACKET OF SPCIES.  MIX SPICES THOROUGHLY WITH THE MEAT CURING INGREDIENTS, JUST PRIOR TO USE.  dISCARD ANY UNUSED PORTIONS OF SPICE/CURE MIX REMAINING AFTER CURING.  FOR SMALL BATCHES, COMBINE 1 -1/4 TEASPOONS OF SPICE MIX WITH ONE CUP OF MEAT CURING INGREDIENTS.

(I did not use the spice mix)

________________________________________________________________

So... in looking at these instructions, there are two things from what I did that deviate from the above that until now, I guess I didn't realize.

1st - I didn't use lukewarm tap water, I used cold/cool tap water, for two hours instead of one.  I'm good on the thickness part, I did pay attention to that both with the above instructions, and remembering Bear's, divide in half and then again by 1/4" rule. And the soaking step, per instructions, is to deal with surface salt.

2nd - So the equilibrium period would be the other thing that I could have done differently, but here was my process and given my cold smoking temps, and the temps outside, I'm wasn't concerned.

I did all of my soaking and testing frying on Saturday morning, then hung in my  bellies in my smoker the rest of Saturday and started my cold smoke on Sunday morning at 6:30, with my smoker set at 80*.  I let my smoker run until 4:30 pm, shut if off and let it cool down on its own which was probably another 2 hours of coal/smoke before the fire was completely dead, and let them hang until Monday evening, pulled them, wrapped them in plastic and let them sit in the fridge until yesterday. 

The ambient temps here have been perfect - cooling off at night (low 30's), warming up to about 40/45 in the day.  My smoker is insulated, so it kept them from freezing and in the day it held right around 38 to 40*.

I think they had plenty of time, at safe temps to equilibriate.

I know when I sliced them yesterday, they looked and taste great. 

Again - know, use, and follow cure instructions in addition to the information found in posts like these.  The inproper curing of meats can be a very serious health risk.

Again, my thanks to those members who are vigilant to accurate information and safety.

That be da' Bearcarver and da' Mudduck!!

Tracey

I very much appreciate you guys checking into this and up on me.  I'll go back and review my thread to ensure that I'm not giving anyone any missleading info... bottom line, EVERYONE needs to follow their cure directions... including me!

Thanks again you guys.  If there is still something bothering about this, PLEASE let me know!

Tracey
 
Last edited:
walle and bear

i know very little about cureing and what i do know i learn her from you guys.

i have cure 3 bellys  flowing post from some of you also BBB & CB and i appreicate all the knowledge.don't get me wrong i'm no expert buy a long shot.i was not trying to be a know it all.

the only way i knew the difference between mortons cures is someone posted that link

the frist part of the week . so yal have a good day it is cold in the south today .

29 wind chill 20  
 
Thanks Tracey (WALLE),

Like I said, I don't think some of that stuff is a big deal, but the length of time in cure could be a problem to somebody.

One Belly I did with TQ was 3 1/4" thick, without the skin.

I cured it with TQ for 11 days--The minimum would have been 9 days by my calculations.

According to Morton's, if I would have used their "Smoked Flavored Sugar Cure", it would have to be in cure for 23 Days.

Thanks for noting that cure time difference above Tracey, and thanks to Mudduck for his alert,

Bear
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky