# First time wet curing pork belly



## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

Hey everyone, 

I’m not sure if there is already a post out there, but I was wondering if anyone can help me out here.

I currently have a slap of pork belly about an inch and a half thick weighing 8.48 pounds.

I have pink curing salt (Hoosier Hill Farm Prague powder #1).

My concern is that on the bottle of the curing salt it says 1 oz per 25 pounds of meat. But most other places are saying 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds.

I wasn’t sure if anyone would
Be able to help me out with a recipe for how to wet cure this pork belly with just salt, curing salt and water.

If someone can help, I would really appreciate it! I’m new to this and would love to learn!

thanks!
Bill


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## indaswamp (Jan 11, 2022)

Both amounts are correct. 1 ounce of curing salt is about 5 tsps. so 1 tsp. per 5 pounds is 5 tsps. per 25#...

with a wet cure, you need to weight the water for the brine and add it to the weight of the meat-that is the weight you use to calculate how much cure you need. This will be an equilibium cure so some of the cure will stay in the water, the rest will migrate into the meat and both will equalize concentrations.


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

okay okay that makes way more sense now!

So is there a rough number for how much water people usually use? Or is it just up to me? 

Like if I used 1.5 gallons (12 pounds - 8 pounds per gallon) then I would add the 12 pounds to my 8.48 pounds of meat, equalling 20.48 pounds so like 4 tsps of pink cure #1?

Thanks for your reply! It’s very helpful!


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## indaswamp (Jan 11, 2022)

1 gallon of water =8.345#......


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> Both amounts are correct. 1 ounce of curing salt is about 5 tsps. so 1 tsp. per 5 pounds is 5 tsps. per 25#...
> 
> with a wet cure, you need to weight the water for the brine and add it to the weight of the meat-that is the weight you use to calculate how much cure you need. This will be an equilibium cure so some of the cure will stay in the water, the rest will migrate into the meat and both will equalize concentrations.




okay okay that makes way more sense now!

So is there a rough number for how much water people usually use? Or is it just up to me? 

Like if I used 1.5 gallons (12 pounds - 8 pounds per gallon) then I would add the 12 pounds to my 8.48 pounds of meat, equalling 20.48 pounds so like 4 tsps of pink cure #1?

Thanks for your reply! It’s very helpful!


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## indaswamp (Jan 11, 2022)

You will get a lot of different advice on the amount of water to use. I try not to go less than 50% of the meat weight...But when using 50% water, I usually add a little more cure...


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## DougE (Jan 11, 2022)

For combined weight of meat and water:
.25% cure#1
1.5% salt
I suggest .75% sugar of choice
Also suggest you weigh everything in grams. It makes the calculations a hundred times easier.

That or go with Pop's brine:





						Pops6927's Wet Curing Brine
					

real simple curing brine:   for every 1 gallon of water, add:  1/3 - 1 cup sea salt (depending if you're on a lo-salt diet)  1 cup granulated sugar or Splenda174  1 cup brown sugar or Splenda174 brown sugar mix  1 tbsp cure no. 1 pink salt  stir thoroughly until clear amber color, pour over...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> 1 gallon of water =8.345#......


Ok, so I would change my weight up still, but again, is there a specific amount of water needed based on w


indaswamp said:


> You will get a lot of different advice on the amount of water to use. I try not to go less than 50% of the meat weight.


hmmm okay! Thanks for the advice! I appreciate it!! I’m going to try this out soon!


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## radioguy (Jan 11, 2022)

You can take a look at Pops brine for curing bacon..I like to use this one.  Its pretty simple method.   I've modified it a bit to suit my tastes...reduced salt.

RG

Pops6927's Wet Curing Brine





						Pops6927's Wet Curing Brine
					

real simple curing brine:   for every 1 gallon of water, add:  1/3 - 1 cup sea salt (depending if you're on a lo-salt diet)  1 cup granulated sugar or Splenda174  1 cup brown sugar or Splenda174 brown sugar mix  1 tbsp cure no. 1 pink salt  stir thoroughly until clear amber color, pour over...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

DougE said:


> For combined weight of meat and water:
> .25% cure#1
> 1.5% salt
> I suggest .75% sugar of choice
> ...


Okay I’m just trying to calculate this now. If my total weight is 20.997 pounds, my cure #1 would be equal to 5.24…but I’m not sure if that means it’s 5.25 tsps or table spoons or what.. and then for regular salt my number is 31.4955…again not sure what the measurement would be

I appreciate your help!


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

radioguy said:


> You can take a look at Pops brine for curing bacon..I like to use this one.  Its pretty simple method.   I've modified it a bit to suit my tastes...reduced salt.
> 
> RG
> 
> ...


Thanks! I’ll check it out for sure! Might make it easier!


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## indaswamp (Jan 11, 2022)

use a cure calculator...
https://genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/nitritecuringcalculator.html

use 150, 175, or 200ppm nitrite....


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## DougE (Jan 11, 2022)

bigolebillsbbq said:


> Okay I’m just trying to calculate this now. If my total weight is 20.997 pounds, my cure #1 would be equal to 5.24…but I’m not sure if that means it’s 5.25 tsps or table spoons or what.. and then for regular salt my number is 31.4955…again not sure what the measurement would be
> 
> I appreciate your help!


It's going to be way easier to calculate if you use grams.
Example, for every 1000 grams you use 2.5 grams of cure


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> use a cure calculator...
> https://genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/nitritecuringcalculator.html
> 
> use 150, 175, or 200ppm nitrite....


Thanks! Now I will just need to figure out the salt amount


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

DougE said:


> It's going to be way easier to calculate if you use grams.
> Example, for every 1000 grams you use 2.5 grams of cure


OHHHH okay duh sorry thanks!!


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 11, 2022)

DougE said:


> It's going to be way easier to calculate if you use grams.
> Example, for every 1000 grams you use 2.5 grams of cure


So my cure percentage is 0.0025 % per 1000grams?


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## DougE (Jan 11, 2022)

bigolebillsbbq said:


> So my cure percentage is 0.0025 % per 1000grams?


It's 0,25%, which is 0.0025x1000g


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## Fueling Around (Jan 11, 2022)

bigolebillsbbq said:


> Thanks! Now I will just need to figure out the salt amount


There is also calculators for that process
https://genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/saltbrinecalculator.html

Actually spend an hour (or more) and read all the articles Dr. Blonder has written
https://genuineideas.com/food.html


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## Fueling Around (Jan 11, 2022)

And invest $20 for a decent milligram scale off Amazon


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## Sven Svensson (Jan 11, 2022)

Pop’s brine. Simple. Easy to make. Works every time. No weighing. It just works.


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## Cody_Mack (Jan 11, 2022)

The amount of water depends on the container you will use to cure the meat. The meat needs to be submerged at all times during the cure.
Choose your container
Add the meat
Add enough water to completely cover all pieces for the long haul
Remove the meat, then measure or weigh the water inside the container
Use that weight plus weight of the meat to plug into the calculator
Use that same water or same amount of water when mixing the cure


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## SmokinEdge (Jan 11, 2022)

The cure percentage is 0.25%
The number to use to calculate is 0.0025 multiplied by 1000 = 2.5.(in grams)
As stated you can use pop’s brine, it works fine, but if you want to do things right, weigh the meat, salt and cure #1 and apply in appropriate % to meat weight. Once you get used to it this is the best way.
454 grams per pound. So weigh in pounds and multiply that number by 454 for the meat.


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## Buckeye1 (Jan 12, 2022)

Wet Curing Bacon for Beginners
					

I, of course, recommend starting out with wet curing if you're doing it for the first time. It's a safe way to get your feet wet and then you can move on into dry curing and more advanced techniques as you go forward.  It's wet cured with instacure #1 for 10 days, salt tested, air dried, smoked...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com
				




I used Jeff's method. The bacon came out great. I wish I would have taken more photos. Shared a bunch with family and friends. They all keep asking when I am making more.


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## DougE (Jan 12, 2022)

Buckeye1 said:


> Wet Curing Bacon for Beginners
> 
> 
> I, of course, recommend starting out with wet curing if you're doing it for the first time. It's a safe way to get your feet wet and then you can move on into dry curing and more advanced techniques as you go forward.  It's wet cured with instacure #1 for 10 days, salt tested, air dried, smoked...
> ...


Try doing a dry brine next go for comparison. Wouldn't surprise me if you find it to be even better.


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## JckDanls 07 (Jan 12, 2022)

SmokinEdge said:


> but if you want to do things right,



Your saying Pop's brine isn't right... I disagree with this ...  Pop's brine is right as well..  and as said.. WAYYYYYY  easier


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## SmokinEdge (Jan 12, 2022)

JckDanls 07 said:


> Your saying Pop's brine isn't right... I disagree with this ...  Pop's brine is right as well..  and as said.. WAYYYYYY  easier


I do disagree with you on this Keith. Pops brine,,,,,,,,, it’s absolutely marginal, but if it works for you, that’s great. I myself will never use it again. I do respect the fact that you and many others here like it and use it though.


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 12, 2022)

Buckeye1 said:


> Wet Curing Bacon for Beginners
> 
> 
> I, of course, recommend starting out with wet curing if you're doing it for the first time. It's a safe way to get your feet wet and then you can move on into dry curing and more advanced techniques as you go forward.  It's wet cured with instacure #1 for 10 days, salt tested, air dried, smoked...
> ...


Yeah I guess if I used 1 gallon of water with an 8.5 pound belly 1 heaping tablespoon of cure would work perfectly! Thank you!


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## Buckeye1 (Jan 13, 2022)

DougE said:


> Try doing a dry brine next go for comparison. Wouldn't surprise me if you find it to be even better.


I'll have to look into that.


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## DougE (Jan 13, 2022)

Buckeye1 said:


> I'll have to look into that.


Help is just a post away if you have any questions about dry brining bacon.


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## bigolebillsbbq (Jan 13, 2022)

DougE said:


> Try doing a dry brine next go for comparison. Wouldn't surprise me if you find it to be even better.


Yeah I will definitely try that on my next go!


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## DougE (Jan 13, 2022)

bigolebillsbbq said:


> Yeah I will definitely try that on my next go!


Nothing overly complicated. Weigh meat, calculate amounts of cure#1, salt, and sugar needed for that weight. Mix the ingredients up, and apply about half of it to each side, including the edges. Bag it up and let it ride about 14 days, massaging and flipping, daily. The last one I did, I also dusted with coarse black pepper and granulated garlic after applying the cure.


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## Buckeye1 (Jan 13, 2022)

DougE said:


> Help is just a post away if you have any questions about dry brining bacon.


That is what's great about this site.


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