# Brine Cured Bacon not firm?



## tomtom (Feb 26, 2010)

I bought some fancy Kurabota belly & dry cured some and brine cured some...the dry came out nice and firm but the brine cured is still kinda limp..... is that the norm for wet cured?
Thanks...
Waikoloa Tom


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## tjohnson (Feb 26, 2010)

I did my last bacon both ways and my brine cured did the same thing.....

We liked the flavor of the dry cured a little better.  I wonder if the seasonings are diluted in the brine.

I only smoked for 6 1/2 hours to achieve good flavor.  I suggest you check at 6 hours.


Todd


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## bob the noob (Feb 26, 2010)

I've always done a dry TQ cure on my pork belly, then wrapped in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for a week.

I'd wager the brine method would tend to be "soggy" as it's in salty water which would tend to bloat up the meat.  I mean, it's how you keep poultry juicy so you'd have to expect extra moisture in the belly...  

I'm just guessing though, I've never done a brine cure.


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## tomtom (Feb 27, 2010)

Yeah, I just tried the Brine cure for kicks - it actually came out ok - but the dry cure is just easier - for me - the thing that still puzzles me is the TIME to cure - I let belly cure for 6-7 days and yet many sources say TenderQuick will cure it in about 8 hours - for instance ...." Morton Tender Quick[emoji]174[/emoji] is one brand of meat cure. It doesn't take a lot to cure meat...for small meat cuts, just one tablespoon per pound, rubbed into the meat, will cure the meat in four to eight hours. It can also be used in brine curing".
WTF?

Waikoloa Tom


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## pops6927 (Feb 28, 2010)

You're diluting the nitrite in water so the brine cure is much milder; it takes longer for it to permeate the meat.  It needs to be out of the brine for about 8 hours prior to smoking, tho.  Then make sure you get it to about 140° internal, high enough to kill any trichinosis.  Undercooking can make it 'more floppy'.


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