# Bacon question's Dry rub or wet Brine



## chef brando (Nov 22, 2014)

My question is pro's and con's of dry curing vs a wet brine. What is the final result? I have a 40" Masterbuilt smoker and I cook my bacon to 135 to 140 degrees F. I use apple wood for smoking. I am considering other fruit woods, Cherry, Pecan, Oak, any thoughts?

Also I am wanting to try a maple and or a honey cured bacon. Any tips and or references anyone would like to share? I would love to learn from other peoples learning experiences vs me making the same rookie mistakes.


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## pc farmer (Nov 22, 2014)

I use a dry cure for bacon.  Tender Quick.

I use pecan or hickory,maple and cherry mix.

Cook to a IT of 120 in 12 hours.

Rest in fridge for 2-3 days the freezer for 2-3 hours and slice then vac seal.


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## tjohnson (Nov 22, 2014)

I prefer a dry cure method, but others prefer a wet brine

Try it both ways and see for yourself which method you prefer

Toddd


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## bill ace 350 (Nov 23, 2014)

Up until recently,  I had used a dry cure. Decided to give pops brine a try. Just fried some up this morning,  and although very good, I felt something was lacking compared to dry cure.  I will do another try using pops brine though, won't decide for sure based on only 1 attempt.


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## tjohnson (Nov 23, 2014)

I just finished dry curing some BBB for 14 days and cold smoking it today

I add about 2 oz. of water to each bag when I dry cure, so it's more of a slurry

IMHO: Dry curing transfers more of the flavors of the spices into the meat

It's all about personal preference........


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## pops6927 (Nov 24, 2014)

Dry or wet, it is still a whole lot better than commercial bacon!  Enjoy!  And, my wet brine is just a basic recipe, add anything else to it to enhance it that you like!  Zillions of possibilities!


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## tjohnson (Nov 24, 2014)

Pops6927 said:


> Dry or wet, it is still a whole lot better than commercial bacon!  Enjoy!  And, my wet brine is just a basic recipe, add anything else to it to enhance it that you like!  Zillions of possibilities!


You can't go wrong with Pops wet brine recipe!


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## mark bacon (Dec 1, 2014)

I'm with Todd on the dry cure and adding a little water,  I also use a liberal amount of steak seasoning on my cure, also a dusting of granulated garlic, fresh course ground Malibar/tellicherry pepper as well as some McCormicks Smokehouse Maple seasoning and then used my trusty Jacard, and stabbed the crap out of both sides after seasoning.  Flipped them Saturday morning and re-Jacarded them.  Bought 135 lbs of bellies tuesday 11/25 and cured that night.  This will be in cure until 12/7.

 Will be soaked for 1 hour, with a change of water during that time.  Dried in the fridge overnight and then I get to try out my NEW A-Maze-N pellet smoker for the rest of the week as it will take me 5 solid days to cold smoke all of that bacon.   Looking forward to the long smoke times I should get from the A-Maze-N pellet smoker.  In the past, I'd have to add more chips or chunks to my offsett barrel every 2-3 hourse, so being able to load it up  and smoke for 8-11 hours between fillings will be great !!!!

 I will use a pecan hickory mix to start with.  about 60% pecan, 40% hickory, then I will use more pecan, plus cherry and apple ( about 1/3 each ). Cherry gives nice color and mellower flavor. I will do a couple bellies where I do a hickory cherry mix which will have a really nice exterior color, but no one notices that once it gets sliced up. 

I use Pops wet for Canadian bacon, and add either a bunch ( 3 tbs) of juniper berries or if my brother in law didn't drink all my Gin, then a few shots of Bombay sapphire.  Pops is right, it is simply a base to start with.  Try some smoked paprika, or the montreal steak, and or garlic to add more flavor.


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## chef brando (Dec 1, 2014)

What rubs do you use other than the ones mentioned. Does anyone use Ribs within, Dizzy Q, Traeger, John Henry, Cookshack, Slap yo moma, ..... I could go on. Anyones you recommend to stay away from. I am looking to learn from other's mistakes. Thanks again for all of the tips and comments.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Dec 1, 2014)

The most important rub when making bacon is the cure. The type if cure depends on the process you are going to use. As far as the flavoring rubs, I like to keep it simple. Garlic and pepper. 

If you decide to do a dry rub cure you will need a good way to weigh your ingredients. 

If you don't have a good digital scale, then your best bet is going with a brine like Pop's. 

With both methods I've always found that it's best to cure then add the seasoning rub later right before smoking.


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## brican (Dec 1, 2014)

I do a simple dry cure .. 2% salt .025% cure #1 .. rub all sides (bellies have skin on ) dust lightly on the meat side with spices followed by maple sugar .. leave for seven days then rinse and hang to dry for about an hour

Re-dust (meat side) with the maple sugar and leave for a further seven days .. hand to dry prior to smoking ... I only cold smoke .. 2 days for eight hours then rest for 1 day after which do one more day of cold smoke for eight hours

Hang to dry/mature for up to seven days at 38 degrees F ... skin and slice













Maple Bacon.jpg



__ brican
__ Nov 1, 2013


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## DanMcG (Dec 2, 2014)

Chef Brando said:


> and I cook my bacon to 135 to 140 degrees F.



Why cook it? 
I do a dry cure, then cold smoke and let dry in a cool place. multiple smokes like Brican mentioned really does add depth to the smoke flavor


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## elkmaster101 (Dec 2, 2014)

I just did 80 lbs of pork bellies 12 day wet cure,

then cold smoke it for 6 hours pulled it let it stand for 12 hours,

1/8" thick slices and packaged it in 1 lb packages. you can  see my pictures on general discussion  I think its on top.


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## atomicsmoke (Dec 2, 2014)

What are the beneifts of cold smoking the bacon? Will it be a different texture, flavor?


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## mds51 (Dec 2, 2014)

I second or third or fourth the motion about Todd Johnson`s comments on dry curing. I use his Country Brown Cure recipe and have excellent results with Bacon, Canadian Bacon, and BBB. I  cold smoke the Bacon and BBB only with his hickory and apple pellets for 10 to 12 hours until I get a rich mahogany color.  The Canadian bacon is also cold smoked but then hot smoked or finished in the oven to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. I have used both dry and wet cures and prefer the dry due to flavor and smoke penetration. When I due Ham Hocks I use Pop`s wet brine due the thickness of the giant Ham Hocks I get down here. The dry cure has always penetrated even the thickest Pork Loins that I have cured that are approximately three inches thick. I let them cure for 12 to 14 days and turn the bags each day. The Canadian Bacon has the best flavor from Todd`s recipe and there is nothing in the store that comes close. We do thirty to forty pounds each time and it is never enough for family and friends.

mds51


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## chef brando (Dec 6, 2014)

Is insta cure the same as tender quick?


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## ssorllih (Dec 6, 2014)

Chef Brando said:


> Is insta cure the same as tender quick?


NO. Insta cure is the Sausage Makers trade name for pink salt. Tender Quick is the Morton Salt company name for a curing mixture that contains salt, sodium nitrite, and sugar.


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## tjohnson (Dec 6, 2014)

Chef Brando said:


> Is insta cure the same as tender quick?


No, and they are not directly interchangeable


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## brican (Dec 6, 2014)

DanMcG said:


> Why cook it?
> I do a dry cure, then cold smoke and let dry in a cool place. multiple smokes like Brican mentioned really does add depth to the smoke flavor


I totally agree Dan ... why cook it twice??

Hot smoking cannot match the depth of flavour produced by cold smoking  ... plus one 'must' remember to dry/mature for at least seven days  .. some say "I cannot wait"  ... sorry all my customers will gladly wait for cold smoked aged bacon


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## bill ace 350 (Dec 13, 2014)

When you dry/mature the cold smoked bacon, is it covered or uncovered in a cool place?


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## chef brando (Dec 14, 2014)

I cure it for 7 to 10 days. I cut it into about 2 # chunks and season it and put it in a ziploc bag. Flipping it every day. Then I  smoke it to 135 to 140 degrees fahrenheit. Cool it for a couple of days then I slice it and freeze it till it's purchased.


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## wade (Dec 14, 2014)

Dry cure always for me too as I find it a better flavour and texture. Cure for 10 days vac packed then dry in fridge for 5 days. Cold smoke for 24 hours and mature for 7 days before slicing.


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## briankinlaw (Dec 14, 2014)

I like to dry cure my bacon... but my wife likes brine cure, so guess who wins?  To me, brine cure is a whole lot more work... everyday you must turn the bacon and stir the brine as opposed to dry cure.  I  don't cook my bacon.  I only cold smoke it with Beechwood, Black Cherry or Apple and plum.  I have used Honey, brown sugar and maple... I brine cure the bacon for  8 days let dry a day the cold smoke for few days... It all taste great.


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## pops6927 (Dec 14, 2014)

BrianKinlaw said:


> I like to dry cure my bacon... but my wife likes brine cure, so guess who wins?  To me, brine cure is a whole lot more work... everyday you must turn the bacon and stir the brine as opposed to dry cure.  I  don't cook my bacon.  I only cold smoke it with Beechwood, Black Cherry or Apple and plum.  I have used Honey, brown sugar and maple... I brine cure the bacon for  8 days let dry a day the cold smoke for few days... It all taste great.


Brine cure you only have to put the bellies in the bucket and cover with the brine, weigh it down with something (I use half full ziploc bags with water) and just leave it alone.  No flipping, no stirring, no nothing.  keep it refrigerated and fergeddabout it!  Now dry cure you have to flip and rotate and squish and squabble with, but not brine curing!


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## briankinlaw (Dec 14, 2014)

I was using buckets, but I'm a few short.  If I don't move the bellies around I find spots which did not get fully cured.  Most people use a plastic container for their bellies... I can't do that. Here's why.













DSC_0180.JPG



__ briankinlaw
__ Dec 10, 2014






This is 60lbs not enough buckets... but this time I using a couple of coolers in addition to my buckets

My dry cure I just lay out in my salt box, I never fool to much with it.  Only to push stainless skewer into the Hams and shoulders to make sure the cure is taking.


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## pops6927 (Dec 14, 2014)

My dad would process 300 lbs of bellies into one 55 gallon barrel on a dolly, stacking them one on top of another, rotating randomly, then fill the bucket with brine, then weigh them down with a 5 gallon collapsible plastic jug filled with water, shove them into the brine cooler, and recording the barrel no. on a huge chart with the date put down and let them sit and cure for 21 - 30 days.  There is no special handling to the bellies, no need to keep them separated, etc.  Where they touch they stay pink vs. a pale gray, it's part of the myoglobin process and does not affect the curing whatsoever.  You may not need as many containers as you think.  He would do hams the same way after pumping them, 18 to a barrel.  I put down thousands and thousands of lbs. of hams, bellies, chickens, turkeys, tongues, roast beefs and briskets for corned beef and pastrami, and so on.


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## pops6927 (Dec 14, 2014)

You may not be curing them long enough if you're finding non-cured spots.  I would recommend 14 days minimum.  I don't advocate using maximum curing concentration, less than 1/3rd of that amount for a longer amount of time.  Less chemical concentration.  Makes more tender product.


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## briankinlaw (Dec 14, 2014)

Thanks for the information Pops... I'm open to try different ways, anything to make my product the best.  As with any of us, we like to see those smiling faces after they eat our best bacon.


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## brican (Dec 14, 2014)

Bill Ace 350 said:


> When you dry/mature the cold smoked bacon, is it covered or uncovered in a cool place?


Just hanging (not covered) -- room temperature --- 48F - 55F -- good air circulation


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## brican (Dec 14, 2014)

Pops6927 said:


> Now dry cure you have to flip and rotate and squish and squabble with.


???

Never --- rub with salt and cure #1 -- dust with spices --- stack'um -- leave'um fur seven days --- rinse and hang to dry overnight -- then proceed to cold smoke


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## wade (Dec 15, 2014)

The latest batches that I am using to find the ideal salt levels. All dry cured in vac packs and then cold smoked.

From left to right 3%, 4% salt (with 180 Ppm Nitrite) and 5% salt with 220 Ppm Nitrite. The 3% and 4% are my own cures but the 5% is a commercial bought cure used as directed!













Bacon.jpg



__ wade
__ Dec 15, 2014






There are 3 more trial batches under way at 2.5% and 2% salt with different seasonings.

I have usually used either the 3% or the 5%, both with success. The 3% is a good eating sliced bacon whereas the 5% makes great lardons. Following a recent revelation though about the levels of Nitrite and Nitrate in the commercial cure, I will not be using it again.


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## vikingboy6956 (Mar 20, 2015)

Brican said:


> Just hanging (not covered) -- room temperature --- 48F - 55F -- good air circulation


Is it safe to assume my garage is an acceptable environment for this?  I live in Fargo and the avg temp right now is low 40's to mid 50's.


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## mark bacon (Mar 20, 2015)

that is way too warm if it is in the fifties. last night in South Bend we were upper 30s and I let my bacon stay outside for the night but put it in the fridge since it was supposed to get to 48 today outside


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## vikingboy6956 (Mar 20, 2015)

This would be after the curing and smoking process though.


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## brican (Mar 20, 2015)

vikingboy6956 said:


> Is it safe to assume my garage is an acceptable environment for this?  I live in Fargo and the avg temp right now is low 40's to mid 50's.


In one word ... Yes


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