My First Canadian Bacon Cure

[Worble7]

So I started the smoking at 1pm @180° on my smoker but opened the door and let some heat out and it was between 145°-160° after 4 hours the IT 138° took the clip that keep the door open and I was still set at 180° and took the meat to 150°IT over the next hour. The meat tastes great a little dry I should have bumped it up after 2 hours. Non the less its not salty best meat I have made so far with everyone's help here. Thanks everyone next sausage in the morning. Jeff

 

[SmokinEdge]

Looks good from my screen. Nice work.
An injection with phosphate will help the dryness. We will discuss that later.

 

[Worble7]

Looks good from my screen. Nice work.
An injection with phosphate will help the dryness. We will discuss that later.

Thanks SmokinEdge could not have done it without your help and the rest of the gang Here. You gave me confidence in doing the cure :). Can you Check out my post on the sausage please. Jeff

 

[Worble7]

Cut it up yum yum

 

[Worble7]

I agree with Mr-W above.

Here is how I do it and what I like:
5.87 pounds x 454 (grams in a pound) = 2664.9g meat weight.
Salt) 1.5% so 2665 x .015 = 39.9g (round up to 40g)
Sugar) .75% so 2665 x .0075 = 19.9g (round up to 20)
Cure #1) .25% so 2665 x .0025 = 6.6g

You can adjust the percentage on everything but the cure #1 that always stays at .25%. Converting to grams is by far the most accurate method.

You can add any aromatic or spice you like, but do that after you have applied all of the mix as evenly as possible to the meat.

So I will do bacon next do I use the same math as above?

1. How do I figure out the days I leave in the cure?

2. Do I smoke it after the curing to get the smoke flavor?

Thanks Jeff

 

[SmokinEdge]

So I will do bacon next do I use the same math as above?

1. How do I figure out the days I leave in the cure?

2. Do I smoke it after the curing to get the smoke flavor?

Thanks Jeff

Same math just obviously adjust your meat weight number accordingly.

1) For cure time, figure 1/4” per day based on thickness. So a meat piece that is 2” thick, it’s 8 days plus 2 days for proofing, but I still go 14 days because the flavors are better at 14 than 10 days, it’s worth the wait.

2) Yes, smoke after the curing is complete. Then rest in fridge at least one day before slicing to let the smoke even out.

 

[Worble7]

Same math just obviously adjust your meat weight number accordingly.

1) For cure time, figure 1/4” per day based on thickness. So a meat piece that is 2” thick, it’s 8 days plus 2 days for proofing, but I still go 14 days because the flavors are better at 14 than 10 days, it’s worth the wait.

2) Yes, smoke after the curing is complete. Then rest in fridge at least one day before slicing to let the smoke even out.

Thanks......If I cut the pork belly into 2 pieces can I stack them on top of each other and put them in the same bag? Or should I put them in there own bag? last question for now is the a way to shop pork belly like what makes one better then anther any hint or secrets? Jeff

 

[DougE]

I do each piece in its own bag. Nothing wrong with stacking the bags to save space if needed, but I'd rotate bottom to top when overhauling .

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks......If I cut the pork belly into 2 pieces can I stack them on top of each other and put them in the same bag? Or should I put them in there own bag? last question for now is the a way to shop pork belly like what makes one better then anther any hint or secrets? Jeff

I would apply the cure to the whole belly, then split it up how ever and bag individually. This helps with even distribution of the cure and keeps it “clean”

As far as shopping belly, it’s all about even thickness and fat content. Neither will be perfect but pick them as even as possible. I just bought a full fresh side that is thick on one side and maybe 3/4 on the other. It is what it is. Make it work. So I will cure it then trim it to make sense for smoking. Just do the best you can and roll with the rest.

Also getting in to sausage is a good thing because you can nix the belly (locally priced at 3.75 a pound) and roll with a nice pork butt with a good fat cap, these are 2.25 a pound local.) now carve off about 2” thick of that fat cap as a slab and make buckboard bacon. Much cheaper and just as delicious. Then grind the rest for sausage.

 

[Worble7]

I do each piece in its own bag. Nothing wrong with stacking the bags to save space if needed, but I'd rotate bottom to top when overhauling .

Thanks DougE

I would apply the cure to the whole belly, then split it up how ever and bag individually. This helps with even distribution of the cure and keeps it “clean”

As far as shopping belly, it’s all about even thickness and fat content. Neither will be perfect but pick them as even as possible. I just bought a full fresh side that is thick on one side and maybe 3/4 on the other. It is what it is. Make it work. So I will cure it then trim it to make sense for smoking. Just do the best you can and roll with the rest.

Also getting in to sausage is a good thing because you can nix the belly (locally priced at 3.75 a pound) and roll with a nice pork butt with a good fat cap, these are 2.25 a pound local.) now carve off about 2” thick of that fat cap as a slab and make buckboard bacon. Much cheaper and just as delicious. Then grind the rest for sausage.

With the pork belly do you cut the skin off before curing or after smoking as I see it's easier to cut off after smoking. I just did a search of buckboard bacon so just use a pork butt and cut the big fat cap off and save for later? like adding to the pork but sausage? Thnks Jeff

 

[DougE]

With the pork belly do you cut the skin off before curing or after smoking

Before curing.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks DougE

With the pork belly do you cut the skin off before curing or after smoking as I see it's easier to cut off after smoking. I just did a search of buckboard bacon so just use a pork butt and cut the big fat cap off and save for later? like adding to the pork but sausage? Thnks Jeff

I buy mine skin off, but if you roll with skin on, you can either cure as is or cut the skin off then cure. As to the fat cap, yes, cut the fat cap off about 2” thick for bacon and grind the rest.

 

[Fueling Around]

Absolutely remove the skin (rind) before curing.
Cured rind is mostly inedible.
Baked uncured skin make what the southerns call cracklins. A wonderful treat.

 

[Worble7]

well I bought a 10lb slab of pork belly today will post what I did in the morning. Been busy working on food for dinner also ate now time to relax. Jeff

 

[mike243]

Cut the skin into thin strips, salt smoke or bake at 300+ folks with teeff will love em

 

[Worble7]

Bought a 10.07 lb pork belly to make me some bacon. After removing the skin for my scaned time I did a look better this time almost removed only the skin I had 8.54 lbs 3880 grams of pork so what I did was made 2400 grams of regular bacon and 1480 grams or peppered bacon.
My math I hope its good. Also I got about 98%-99% thanks to @mr_whipple Idea :)

Regular bacon 2400g meat weight
I cut in half to do each side of meat in plastic bag
Salt) 1.5% so 2400 x .015 = 36g 18g
Sugar) .75% so 2400 x .0075 = 18g 9g
Cure #1) .25% so 2400 x .0025 = 6g 3g

Peppered bacon 1480g meat weight
I cut in half to do each side of meat in plastic bag
Salt) 1.5% so 1480 x .015 = 22.2g 11.1g
Sugar) .75% so 1480 x .0075 = 11.1g 5.5g
Cure #1) .25% so 1480 x .0025 = 3.7g 1.8g

Hope my number are right as its in the refrigerator. Thanks Jeff

 

[SmokinEdge]

Peppered bacon 1480g meat weight
I cut in half to do each side of meat in plastic bag
Salt) 1.5% so 2400 x .015 = 22.2g 11.1g
Sugar) .75% so 2400 x .0075 = 11.1g 5.5g
Cure #1) .25% so 2400 x .0025 = 3.7g 1.8g

Hope my number are right as its in the refrigerator. Thanks

Math is good on both. However for this one the math is correct answers for 1480g as you stated, not the 2400g you wrote in the equation. Bottom line your final answers are all correct.

I just put a 6# and a 7# piece of belly down the other day. The 6# piece I used celery powder, never used it before so curious how it comes out.

 

[Worble7]

Math is good on both. However for this one the math is correct answers for 1480g as you stated, not the 2400g you wrote in the equation. Bottom line your final answers are all correct.

I just put a 6# and a 7# piece of belly down the other day. The 6# piece I used celery powder, never used it before so curious how it comes out.

Thanks SmokinEdge my bad I fixed it you scared me for a second lol

I just put a 6# and a 7# piece of belly down the other day. The 6# piece I used celery powder, never used it before so curious how it comes out. <--- Sound interesting

What other spices have you tried on bacon?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks SmokinEdge my bad I fixed it you scared me for a second lol

I just put a 6# and a 7# piece of belly down the other day. The 6# piece I used celery powder, never used it before so curious how it comes out. <--- Sound interesting

What other spices have you tried on bacon?

The celery powder is the cure, that’s what makes that interesting, no cure #1 used just the cultured celery powder. Most any product you see in the deli isle that says “uncured” bacon or ham and such is all made with celery powder as the curing agent. It contains natural nitrates and nitrites.

as far as spices, many actually. Fennel like Italian style, pickling spice like for corned beef or pastrami. I also have a holiday spice mix that has white pepper, nutmeg, mace and coriander with copious amounts of sugar. For my day to day though it’s just pepper white or black and garlic sometimes we red Chile them up too.

 

[DougE]

The 6# piece I used celery powder, never used it before so curious how it comes out.

Definitely interested in your thoughts on that one.