I'm thinking like Al, I'd try adding the salt and sugar now and let it cure for another 5 days. Remember you can't cure to long. Rob's recipe is close to mine on the salt and sugar. I use 10g of salt and 4g of sugar per pound.
Salt question for bacon
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Well Custom, sorry you missed the instructions provided by ChefRob. You can save your bacon, a bit more care and effort on this part will make you much happier later.
ChefRob I mix the cure, salt and sugar and store in a mason jar. I dry the bellies, coat with about 1/3 of the cure mixture, wrap in saran wrap, stack in a large plastic container and set in the fridge. 4 days later I unwrap the green bacon and redust with 1/3 of the mix. I'll wait 3 or 4 days depending on my schedule and dust with the balance of the cure mix. I may add a bit more salt and sugar at this point depending on the mood I am in. I let it cure at least another 3 days and depending on what I am try to achieve I may do a very heavy dusting of sugar or maybe a good coating of Steens cane syrup or brown sugar. I'll leave this final dusting unwrapped, trying to dry the bacon as much as possible. Depending on when I can get to the farm and the smoke house the bacon stays in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. I'll smoke for 12 - 24 hours with pecan and then return the bacon to the fridge for a couple of days to meld.
I really like the way this works out for me, I follow the procedures I learned over the last couple of years and when I purchased the Marianski book the exact same technique was described.
Oh BTW I don's skin the bacon until after smoking. It's so much easier and I use the smoked bacon skin for seasoning. It also helps hold the bellies together when I hang them in the smokehouse with stainless wire.
Al
Come on down to the SELA gathering and try some!
ChefRob I mix the cure, salt and sugar and store in a mason jar. I dry the bellies, coat with about 1/3 of the cure mixture, wrap in saran wrap, stack in a large plastic container and set in the fridge. 4 days later I unwrap the green bacon and redust with 1/3 of the mix. I'll wait 3 or 4 days depending on my schedule and dust with the balance of the cure mix. I may add a bit more salt and sugar at this point depending on the mood I am in. I let it cure at least another 3 days and depending on what I am try to achieve I may do a very heavy dusting of sugar or maybe a good coating of Steens cane syrup or brown sugar. I'll leave this final dusting unwrapped, trying to dry the bacon as much as possible. Depending on when I can get to the farm and the smoke house the bacon stays in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. I'll smoke for 12 - 24 hours with pecan and then return the bacon to the fridge for a couple of days to meld.
I really like the way this works out for me, I follow the procedures I learned over the last couple of years and when I purchased the Marianski book the exact same technique was described.
Oh BTW I don's skin the bacon until after smoking. It's so much easier and I use the smoked bacon skin for seasoning. It also helps hold the bellies together when I hang them in the smokehouse with stainless wire.
Al
Come on down to the SELA gathering and try some!
This thread is exactly what scares me!
The word "Cure" is interchangeable between "Cure #1", "Morton's Tenderquick" and a "Cure Recipe Containing Cure #1, Salt, Sugar and Other Spices",
It's up to the member to do their own research, so as to perform a correct curing method.
All we can do is offer suggestions and our own experiences. All these guys have offered great ideas!!
Todd
The word "Cure" is interchangeable between "Cure #1", "Morton's Tenderquick" and a "Cure Recipe Containing Cure #1, Salt, Sugar and Other Spices",
It's up to the member to do their own research, so as to perform a correct curing method.
All we can do is offer suggestions and our own experiences. All these guys have offered great ideas!!
Todd
Todd,
That's why I get so disappointed with all the arguing. A newbie is bound to get confused. I don't mind having different recipes for the same product, as a matter of fact that's what makes this site so great. There is more then one way to skin the proverbial cat. It is our obligation as experienced members to keep the rhetoric down, present safe, reproducible recipes and techniques and respect others opinions as long as they are safe.
I think USDA guidelines should be closely followed in this forum. If we hold the USDA as the standard then we can explain how we do things a bit different and not get into trouble. When a newbie asks a question, particularly about cures, we should present a technique or recipe (either brine, injected or dry cured) that adheres to USDA and once the generally acceptable safe way is established and understood then we can go into the finer points of our different cure techniques.
What Custom did was use just Cure 1. Like I said I do not have access to my reference material but I assume his bacon will be safe to cold smoke. It may not be as tasty as he would like but I don't think he will get into any health trouble. He was very attentive to the amounts of Cure 1 he used, very attentive to keeping the cure 1 distributed and the meat refrigerated. He is the kind of person that once they learn how to do what they want to do he will produce delicious, safe product.
BTW I truly appreciate the tone of the current discussion.
That's why I get so disappointed with all the arguing. A newbie is bound to get confused. I don't mind having different recipes for the same product, as a matter of fact that's what makes this site so great. There is more then one way to skin the proverbial cat. It is our obligation as experienced members to keep the rhetoric down, present safe, reproducible recipes and techniques and respect others opinions as long as they are safe.
I think USDA guidelines should be closely followed in this forum. If we hold the USDA as the standard then we can explain how we do things a bit different and not get into trouble. When a newbie asks a question, particularly about cures, we should present a technique or recipe (either brine, injected or dry cured) that adheres to USDA and once the generally acceptable safe way is established and understood then we can go into the finer points of our different cure techniques.
What Custom did was use just Cure 1. Like I said I do not have access to my reference material but I assume his bacon will be safe to cold smoke. It may not be as tasty as he would like but I don't think he will get into any health trouble. He was very attentive to the amounts of Cure 1 he used, very attentive to keeping the cure 1 distributed and the meat refrigerated. He is the kind of person that once they learn how to do what they want to do he will produce delicious, safe product.
BTW I truly appreciate the tone of the current discussion.
We've all been there, and made a mistake or two along the way. This is how most of us learn.
I agree it's up to members to help, and I think the group, as a whole does a great job.
A WIKI needs to be written on the importance of Curing and the dangers of not doing it properly. Maybe we take 3 or 4 experienced and knowledgeable members,to write an informative and SAFE WIKI about curing. This WIKI would follow the philosophy of SMF and will keep personal opinions out. This WIKI could be used as a reference for everyone.
I am no expert on the subject, but would be willing to help out
What do you think?
Todd
I agree it's up to members to help, and I think the group, as a whole does a great job.
A WIKI needs to be written on the importance of Curing and the dangers of not doing it properly. Maybe we take 3 or 4 experienced and knowledgeable members,to write an informative and SAFE WIKI about curing. This WIKI would follow the philosophy of SMF and will keep personal opinions out. This WIKI could be used as a reference for everyone.
I am no expert on the subject, but would be willing to help out
What do you think?
Todd
I'll be happy to help, lets get Dan McG involved. I dry cure, Dan dry cures, Todd are you a wet cure guy? We need to have a wet cure and pump person involved. I definetly think a wiki on bacon cure is required.
Good suggestion. BTW we can also do a wiki on how to post pics
Good suggestion. BTW we can also do a wiki on how to post pics
I like the wiki idea. There is so much to read through when doing searches that it gets confusing.
The nail has been hit squarely on the head. Excellent points.....and very well put.....Thanks
exhaustedspark
Smoking Fanatic
I never and i mean never tell someone to cure if it do not agree with the guidelines from USDA.
I have never Cured Bacon only sausage. I have only been on the forum for a very short time and i almost left because of the bickering. There was a way that stuffed was cured that was in my opinion dangerous. I mentioned the possible danger for any that was looking for a way to cure sausage and i was jumped on. If it was not for some friendlier members that pm me i was gone.
I think it would be a great idea to have a wiki on cures. I don't know maybe Morton would like to pitch in also.
Karl
I have never Cured Bacon only sausage. I have only been on the forum for a very short time and i almost left because of the bickering. There was a way that stuffed was cured that was in my opinion dangerous. I mentioned the possible danger for any that was looking for a way to cure sausage and i was jumped on. If it was not for some friendlier members that pm me i was gone.
I think it would be a great idea to have a wiki on cures. I don't know maybe Morton would like to pitch in also.
Karl
I agree, why don't you guys put something together that all the members can access. I just go by the directions on the insta cure package. However I must admit that I use Pops brine cure recipe more than any other and it doesn't go by the same ratios as the insta cure directions. It bothered me at first, but it has always worked well. I think Craig swears by it too.
I would like to concentrate on the basic bacon cures for the first wiki since that seems to be where the majority of the confusion occurs. Once I get home after the 4th I can post the dry cure technique presented by Marianski (with citation obviously). If I remember correctly their recipe should be pretty agreeable to those of us that dry cure bacon.
We will need someone to present a safe bacon brine technique. I can probably find one in one of my reference books if no one is able to present one they use.
We can post these basic technique, open them for intelligent, respectful comment and then when a consensus is reached post as a wiki.
May as well get this out of the way now. If we are going to do this following USDA guidelines we will not be recommending TenderQuick or Cure 2 in the Bacon Wiki. TenderQuick will be well represented in the sausage/ham/loin cure wiki if we are successful and decide to continue the process.
Al
We will need someone to present a safe bacon brine technique. I can probably find one in one of my reference books if no one is able to present one they use.
We can post these basic technique, open them for intelligent, respectful comment and then when a consensus is reached post as a wiki.
May as well get this out of the way now. If we are going to do this following USDA guidelines we will not be recommending TenderQuick or Cure 2 in the Bacon Wiki. TenderQuick will be well represented in the sausage/ham/loin cure wiki if we are successful and decide to continue the process.
Al
I'm all for setting up a page with the basic info a beginner needs to know to cure bacon. let me know what I can do to help Al.
Dan,
I and many others on this forum have the highest respect for your experience, knowledge and demeanor. If you can take control of this I think it will go smoother and be more readily acceptable to the other members of the forum.
Maybe I should say, Let Me Know How I Can Help You
Al
I and many others on this forum have the highest respect for your experience, knowledge and demeanor. If you can take control of this I think it will go smoother and be more readily acceptable to the other members of the forum.
Maybe I should say, Let Me Know How I Can Help You
Al
LOL Al , that was real smooth the way you delegated that job off on me.
All kidding aside I'd not sure I could compose something that people would want to read....But we can talk.
All kidding aside I'd not sure I could compose something that people would want to read....But we can talk.
I'm not a go to guy for cure, but I follow directions VERY WELL!!
I make a lot of bacon and sausage, and even post my recipes, but not confident in my abilities to be 100% correct.
We need a very basic cure recipe and procedure that can be easily followed.
I think you guys are on the right track.
Pops would be the go to guy for the brine cure. He's an excellent resource and very well respected.
Todd
I make a lot of bacon and sausage, and even post my recipes, but not confident in my abilities to be 100% correct.
We need a very basic cure recipe and procedure that can be easily followed.
I think you guys are on the right track.
Pops would be the go to guy for the brine cure. He's an excellent resource and very well respected.
Todd
I'll make a deal with you. If this can wait until Tuesday I will post the Marianski recipe for dry cured bacon. As previously mentioned this method is basically what I do now.
I have never done a brine for anything other then poultry so I am not able to help out there. Marianski should also have a brine cure, not sure will have to check. I know Kutas can help, maybe we can check there.
No reason to reinvent the wheel, as long as we give proper credit to the authors there shouldn't be a problem. We can have additional discussion in the Wiki for common additions to the recipes like when to add additional sugar, salt and spices. Dan, your experience is invaluable when we address questions such as "If I leave the rind on do I reduce the amount of cure"? I know from experience that if you leave the rind on you should plan to leave it in the cold smoke longer but adjusting the amount for cure to account for the rind is new to me.
Look forward to working with everyone to do this
I have never done a brine for anything other then poultry so I am not able to help out there. Marianski should also have a brine cure, not sure will have to check. I know Kutas can help, maybe we can check there.
No reason to reinvent the wheel, as long as we give proper credit to the authors there shouldn't be a problem. We can have additional discussion in the Wiki for common additions to the recipes like when to add additional sugar, salt and spices. Dan, your experience is invaluable when we address questions such as "If I leave the rind on do I reduce the amount of cure"? I know from experience that if you leave the rind on you should plan to leave it in the cold smoke longer but adjusting the amount for cure to account for the rind is new to me.
Look forward to working with everyone to do this
lathrop
Smoke Blower
Marianski? which book. I just went to ABE books and found 4 titles. Home production of cured meats looks good as does smoking and smoke house design.
George
George
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