# Why does bacon need to be cured?



## motolife313 (Feb 17, 2018)

whats a good cure if it's needed and why is it needed thanks ?


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## bacon_crazy510 (Feb 17, 2018)

"Curing" has long been used as a form of preservation .... the nice side effect is the great flavor/texture transformations that happen.


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## chef jimmyj (Feb 18, 2018)

Historically, curing and smoking any meat was for preservation. In the cold Fall months, dad and some family and friends, slaughtered the 300 pound Pig they have been raising since early spring. The family, mom, dad, and 2 young children now have 250 pound of meat to eat and no cold storage. Rubbing down the pieces of meat with Salt, Sodium Nitrite and spices like Black Pepper, kept the flies off, and started  pulling water out of the meat to stop bacteria from growing. The Nitrite Cure stopped the fat on the meat from going rancid and killed the deadly bacteria that causes Botulism. The Smoking added flavor, inhibited bacterial growth and stopped the meat from  rotting while it was stored all year at room temperature, until the family could eat it. With the invention of refrigeration, especially freezing, curing and smoking has gone from a necessity to a choice because we love the flavor. Bacon can be rubbed with salt, sugar and cure#1, refrigerated for 2-3 weeks, then cold or warm smoked and you are good to go. This is Dry Cured Bacon.  A second method is to place the same ingredients in Water and soak it for 2 weeks before smoking it. This is called Brine Cured Baon. Search Dry Cured Bacon or bacon with Pop's Cure for Brine cured bacon recipes and instructions on smoking...JJ


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## motolife313 (Feb 18, 2018)

So since we have freezers now is there a need to do the cure?


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## SmokinAl (Feb 18, 2018)

You can make bacon without the cure, but you won't get the same flavor.
It won't taste like bacon.
Al


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## bernieross (Feb 18, 2018)

Bacon isn't bacon unless it's cured.   It's pork belly.    We don't NEED to make jam either, if all we want to do is preserve berries or fruit - you can just put the berries in the freezer.    If you want to eat defrosted raspberries, that's all you need to do.   If you want to eat jam, you make it.   If you want pork, you don't cure it.   If you want bacon, you do.


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## motolife313 (Feb 18, 2018)

What's a cheap cure I could use that's in a small quantity?


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## daveomak (Feb 18, 2018)

Of the curing salts, add 1 gram per pound of pork for a bacon product..  May I suggest you get a 0-100 gram scale like below for adding cure and spices for recipe consistency..  
The 4 oz. packs will cure 100#'s of meat...  when used as a dry rub...


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## motolife313 (Feb 18, 2018)

Thanks Dave. I've got one of those scales I can  use. That stuff is potent


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## daveomak (Feb 18, 2018)

It's not really that potent, testing by the USDA has determined the amount needed to kill botulism..  You don't need any more than recommended...
What is the range of the scale you plan on using...  I recommend 0-100 grams range...


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## motolife313 (Feb 18, 2018)

It reads in grams. Don't remember how high it goes but I can always weight 2 separate batches if needed.  Thinking about going to look for some belly today. What's a good temp to smoke at? I seen a guy use 175, I'm running a stick burner and that would actually be about as low as I'd wanna go unless it's really cold outside


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## daveomak (Feb 18, 2018)

I cold smoke my bacon at 60-70... I reserve the cooking step for the oven...  I would not go above 155-160...


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## motolife313 (Feb 18, 2018)

What if I brought it up to 150 it and then  cooked it in the oven or griddle after that in slice form? That work too?

Just weight a golf ball at 46 - 46.1 grams


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## daveomak (Feb 18, 2018)

150 would be good...  then finish cooking in slice form... 
So, check to see how close your scale is when weighing coins and if it is repeatable...   weigh a nickle, dime and a penny..  That is the range you need to be accurate at....

⦁   Coins are minted to precise specifications, including weight, so they can serve as calibration weights. For example, a U.S. nickel weighs 5 grams. A penny weighs 2.5 grams. These numbers easily multiply, so 10 nickles can serve as a 50-gram calibration weight. Other U.S. coins are less useful because their weights don't fall at such even numbers; for example, a dime weighs 2.268 grams. A 1-euro coin weighs 7.5 grams, and a 0.02-euro coin weighs 3 grams.


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## motolife313 (Feb 18, 2018)

nickel was right at 5.0 and I knew a bill was 1.0 which was correct. I'm reading the cure will pull water out of the belly. Am I supposed to drain that out of the bag every couple days?


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## bacon_crazy510 (Feb 18, 2018)

I live in the Bay area, so the ambient air temp is pretty mild. I've been "cold smoking", using my pellet grill with only a tube filled with smoldering pellets. The warmest my chamber has risen to is about 90F .... since it's cured, and I'm going to slice it and fry it, I don't have the need to "cook" it while smoking.


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## bacon_crazy510 (Feb 18, 2018)

Although after a long smoke on my Canadian bacon (loin bacon) I do bring it up to an IT of 145F..... (that way I can eat it anytime without having to pan fry it)


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## Bearcarver (Feb 18, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> nickel was right at 5.0 and I knew a bill was 1.0 which was correct. I'm reading the cure will pull water out of the belly. Am I supposed to drain that out of the bag every couple days?



No you want that liquid in there to transport the cure, salt, and sugar into the meat.
Much of that liquid will be reabsorbed by the time the curing is over.
*Bacon (Extra Smoky)
*

Bear


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## daveomak (Feb 18, 2018)

No..  leave all liquid in the bag and turn daily for the 2 weeks curing process...







	

		
			
		

		
	
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## motolife313 (Feb 18, 2018)

Ok thanks guys! I do plan on just pan frying so I may just bring it up to 120 the. I have no slicer so I may have to bribe a butcher to do it lol


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## bacon_crazy510 (Feb 18, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> Ok thanks guys! I do plan on just pan frying so I may just bring it up to 120 the. I have no slicer so I may have to bribe a butcher to do it lol



You can definitely bribe your butcher. A little barter with him/her can't hurt! I put mine in the freezer for a spell to firm it up, then can cut it with a sharp knife.


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## bill ace 350 (Feb 19, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> What's a cheap cure I could use that's in a small quantity?


Morton Tender Quick. 
Found in grocery stores, Walmart etc.
Works great, directions on package for whole meats and ground meats, plus tons of recipes available for using it.
Don't listen to those who tell you its is too salty, not a "real cure", etc.
Give it a try, make up your own mind.
I use it about 50% of the time, the other half using cure #1 for bacon, Canadian bacon and summer sausage.
You don't require a fancy scale to use Tender Quick. You must know the weight of the meat to be cured, know how to measure using teaspoons and tablespoons. Easy stuff.
Good luck!


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## Rings Я Us (Feb 19, 2018)

http://www.ferrariandsons.com/index.php/ferrari-d-q-curing-salt-lb.html


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## motolife313 (Feb 19, 2018)

I found some at one of the butchers I go too. Called yesterday. 5 bucks for 25# worth of meat. I went into Costco yesterday picked out a nice belly 11# and got to the register and she asked my the card didn't have a Costco card


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## motolife313 (Feb 19, 2018)

Ok I got a 10# belly today from Costco And it's about 1.5" thick. How long should I cure it, sell by is 2/26. Thanks.


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## Bearcarver (Feb 20, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> Ok I got a 10# belly today from Costco And it's about 1.5" thick. How long should I cure it, sell by is 2/26. Thanks.



Going by thickness, if I was Dry curing it with TQ, I'd go for 8 or 9 days in cure, whichever day fit my schedule best.
*Bacon (Extra Smoky)
*

Bear


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## motolife313 (Feb 20, 2018)

Bear weekends are best for me to do long smokes. Is this weekend to early or is next weekend to late? I just put the cure on doesn't seem like much got put on put I'm going to roll with it. Did the cure I got from a butcher and it already had sugar and salt in it, I added some garlic powder and Pepper and real maple syrup. I think I may have put too much syrup in lol. And put it in a oven tray and Saran Wrap over it. I'm trying to get pics to load


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## daveomak (Feb 20, 2018)

If you got it from a butcher, it is totally different from cure#1..  Did he tell you how much to add per pound ???  Did he say what the %nitrite, %sugar and %salt was in it ???  Did he say what else was in it ???  like sodium erythorbate ???  Commercial cures, like the one you got from the butcher, USUALLY have from 0.85% - 0.65% nitrite mixed in with salt, sugar, maple flavor etc. so it's a one stop to cure their bacon etc....


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## motolife313 (Feb 20, 2018)

Sodium Nitrate .75%. And sodium bicarbonate. Says 16 oz is good for 50 pounds. I used 3.4 on my 10 pound belly.


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## daveomak (Feb 20, 2018)

1 oz. = 28.38 grams X 0.0075 =  0.213 grams *nitrite *per ounce
0.213 gms of *nitrite* per ounce of the cure mix...  X 3.4 oz = 0.724 grams in the 10 lbs of meat.. = 4540 grams....

0.724 / 4540 = 159 Ppm *nitrite*...  _*EXCELLENT*_ ..

Thanks... I just had to check...   Sometimes, often actually, meat guys don't give all the information you may need...
Now,  because you know what's happening, you requested the info...


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## motolife313 (Feb 20, 2018)

Am I supposed to have more nitride then ?


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## indaswamp (Feb 20, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> Am I supposed to have more nitride then ?


200ppm is the upper limit recommended by the USDA. 150ppm is a good number to shoot for IMO so 159ppm is right in there.....


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## motolife313 (Feb 20, 2018)

Oh ok cool. It's the most popular butcher shop in portland. There was like 100 people or more couple days before Christmas this year.


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## Bearcarver (Feb 21, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> Bear weekends are best for me to do long smokes. Is this weekend to early or is next weekend to late? I just put the cure on doesn't seem like much got put on put I'm going to roll with it. Did the cure I got from a butcher and it already had sugar and salt in it, I added some garlic powder and Pepper and real maple syrup. I think I may have put too much syrup in lol. And put it in a oven tray and Saran Wrap over it. I'm trying to get pics to load




Once you're sure you used the right amount of whatever Cure you used, I would wait until the following weekend, because 4 or 5 days (This weekend) isn't long enough. 11 or 12 days (next weekend) should be fine.

BTW: I tried real Maple Syrup with my cure a couple times, and found it to be a waste of good Maple Syrup.

Bear


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## motolife313 (Feb 21, 2018)

Ok cool. I was thinking I'd let it dry in the fridge for a couple days then maybe outside in the wind for 1 day so should be perfect


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## motolife313 (Feb 21, 2018)




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## bill ace 350 (Feb 22, 2018)

bearcarver said:


> Once you're sure you used the right amount of whatever Cure you used, I would wait until the following weekend, because 4 or 5 days (This weekend) isn't long enough. 11 or 12 days (next weekend) should be fine.
> 
> BTW: I tried real Maple Syrup with my cure a couple times, and found it to be a waste of good Maple Syrup.
> 
> Bear


I tried maple syrup once. I cut it with "Military Special" to thin it out and brushed it on the bellies. Helped the crushed black pepper stick too. Not bad, added flavor but the stickiness of the finished product was a pain.


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## Bearcarver (Feb 22, 2018)

bill ace 350 said:


> I tried maple syrup once. I cut it with "Military Special" to thin it out and brushed it on the bellies. Helped the crushed black pepper stick too. Not bad, added flavor but the stickiness of the finished product was a pain.




Yup, That's why I don't put it on after curing---Don't want it all Sticky.
Putting it in with the cure was a waste, Injecting might be better.

I even got a bunch of coarse Real Maple Sugar & tried that, but couldn't tell the difference from plain old Brown Sugar, so I said "The H with it".

Bear


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## HalfSmoked (Feb 22, 2018)

Ha that Bear is afraid of competition from the furry bears for that maple syrup.

You have got some good info in my book from some of the best on this SMF Forum.

Warren


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## motolife313 (Feb 28, 2018)

I'm thinking about pulling the belly out tomorrow night and leaving it in the fridge after washing it off. How dry do I want to get it? Really dry? I can leave it out in the wind outside or use my blow gun lol. Planing on cooking Saturday. And why do I not wanna render the fat? I'm going to try and have super small fire down at 140 degress or so. Thanks


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## motolife313 (Feb 28, 2018)

double post sorry. Also any seasonings on the belly or just run it all natural?


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## indaswamp (Feb 28, 2018)

If you do not want to render any fat, you need to try and keep the temp down around 90~100*....


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## motolife313 (Feb 28, 2018)

Ok. What happends if some fat renders? Lose flavor?


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## indaswamp (Feb 28, 2018)

Here ya go...

The entire thread is a good read, but to your question, see post #48
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/smoking-bacon-cold-or-hot-smoke.91292/page-3


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## indaswamp (Feb 28, 2018)

Post #48...I need new glasses! LOL!


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## motolife313 (Feb 28, 2018)

Cool just read it and thanks for speedy response


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## Bearcarver (Mar 1, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> double post sorry. Also any seasonings on the belly or just run it all natural?




The Link to my Step by Step (Below) should answer most of your questions.
I'll add that I use 100° to 130° Smoker Temp & have never had any Bacon Fat render, as long as I keep smoker Temp below 140°.
*Bacon (Extra Smoky)*


Bear


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## motolife313 (Mar 2, 2018)

I foregot to wash off the cure last night before putting it back in the fridge in covered. Is that a big deal or do I need to wash it off?


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## Bearcarver (Mar 2, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> I foregot to wash off the cure last night before putting it back in the fridge in covered. Is that a big deal or do I need to wash it off?




I'd say at this stage washing it off won't do much good. It was already absorbed.
I would do a Salt-Fry Test, and if it's too salty, soak it a couple hours.
If it isn't too salty you're good to go.

Bear


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## tallbm (Mar 2, 2018)

bearcarver said:


> I'd say at this stage washing it off won't do much good. It was already absorbed.
> I would do a Salt-Fry Test, and if it's too salty, soak it a couple hours.
> If it isn't too salty you're good to go.
> 
> Bear


^^^^ What he said.

Before you go throwing it on a smoker cut a few little pieces off and fry it up and eat them.
If it is too salty then soak in ice water for up to 6 hours to draw salt out and fry test again. Change the water every 6 hours and repeat soak and fry test until you get a good saltiness.

I have done my fair share of soaking and fry testing due to using store bought cure and seasoning packs as well as trying off the internet recipes and having them turn out way too salty.  I can tell you from experience if it seems just a little too salty then it is definitely too salty lol... soak some more :)

The fastest soak I've done is about 2.5 hours for acceptable saltiness and the longest is 8 hours where I needed to probably soak for 12 hours on some wild boar Hams I cured for Christmas.  I was on a time table and rushed the hams, they needed another good bit of soaking but peopled raved about it... I thought it was still too salty in various parts of the meat.

After you get this first bacon smoke out of the way feel free to ask/poke around for other approaches to try.  Many do pure cold smokes, some do "warm" smokes (as bear puts it) and other do "hot" smokes (fully cooked IT of belly).   I personally am a fan of cooking my bacon to 145F IT so I can eat it right out of the smoker... plus I like soft or very lightly fried bacon, I'm not a crispy bacon guy :eek: 
I found that I eat most of this bacon without it ever hitting the skillet since it is already cooked.  I like to think of it as Bacon cold cuts and you would never be able to tell the difference between store bought bacon texture and 145F :)

Best of luck and here is some bacon inspiration for you! :)













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## motolife313 (Mar 2, 2018)

Thanks for the advise. I'll go ahead a wash it then because I don't like stuff to salty. Thanks and nice looking bacon


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## pugsbrew (Mar 7, 2018)

OK, I talked to my dad about how they did it it in the old days.  They butchered the hog, a week after Thanksgiving, put it in the smoke house, then buried it in salt.  No cure, no special anything.  He said bacon tasted like bacon, ham tasted like ham.  Now, its been a long time since he was a kid, but is the cure REALLY necessary to make bacon taste like bacon and ham taste like ham?  Or, is our taste buds accustomed to the flavor of cure now?

This is back to the original question.


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## indaswamp (Mar 7, 2018)

pugsbrew said:


> OK, I talked to my dad about how they did it it in the old days.  They butchered the hog, a week after Thanksgiving, put it in the smoke house, then buried it in salt.  No cure, no special anything.  He said bacon tasted like bacon, ham tasted like ham.  Now, its been a long time since he was a kid, but is the cure REALLY necessary to make bacon taste like bacon and ham taste like ham?  Or, is our taste buds accustomed to the flavor of cure now?
> 
> This is back to the original question.


The hogs were different back then...they were allowed to feed outside in the woods around the house. They ate green shoots, acorns, chestnuts, pecans, and anything else they could get in their mouths. The meat was more "porky"...similar to the wild hogs we get around here. Today, the hogs are bred for less fat and live in a controlled setting with stock feed...much milder tasting meat.

That said, many practices back in the day were risky, but they did not have a choice-they did what they had to do to preserve meat to the best of their ability. To properly salt without cure, the concentration has to be much higher than with a cure. I have not done it-and don't recommend it. Botulism is some bad stuff!


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## pugsbrew (Mar 7, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> That said, many practices back in the day were risky, but they did not have a choice-they did what they had to do to preserve meat to the best of their ability. To properly salt without cure, the concentration has to be much higher than with a cure. I have not done it-and don't recommend it. Botulism is some bad stuff!



OK, understand botulism.  BUT, does cure make bacon taste like bacon and ham taste like ham?  That was my real question.


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## indaswamp (Mar 7, 2018)

pugsbrew said:


> OK, understand botulism.  BUT, does cure make bacon taste like bacon and ham taste like ham?  That was my real question.


They both have cure so the difference has more to do with meat prep and how they are made...also cut of meat.


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## indaswamp (Mar 7, 2018)

If you take pork butt and make buckboard bacon, it still will not taste like belly bacon-though it will be good. It will have a "hammy" taste to it...


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## pugsbrew (Mar 7, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> They both have cure so the difference has more to do with meat prep and how they are made...also cut of meat.



OK, so cure is not the reason a cut of pork tastes like bacon or ham?  I just smoked a fresh, uncured ham, the other day. It tasted liked smoked pork.  So again, why does bacon and ham taste like bacon and ham?


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## pc farmer (Mar 7, 2018)

The CURE is what makes bacon taste like bacon n ham like ham.   If you use just salt its salt pork.


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## Gwanger (Mar 8, 2018)

the cure is used also to prevent botulism because when you expose meat to 40 to 140 deg. in a low oxygen environment (the smoker) you are creating the perfect environment for botulism to grow


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## Bearcarver (Mar 8, 2018)

c farmer said:


> The CURE is what makes bacon taste like bacon n ham like ham.   If you use just salt its salt pork.



Exactly!
Plus the cure gives you the opportunity to keep the Smoking Temp low enough for long enough to put a lot of Tasty Smoke Flavor on it, without any problems.

Bear


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