# Why brown sugar?



## inkjunkie (Oct 18, 2015)

Why is brown sugar used with Tender Quick when curing bacon?


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## carter86 (Oct 18, 2015)

I'm no guru but from what I have read is that the sugar offsets the salt.

I'm sure you could use maple syrup or maple sugar in its replacement.


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## doctord1955 (Oct 18, 2015)

You don't have to use brn sugar!! You can use any type of sweetener in any combination!  You just have to or I should say u want to use the recommended amount of sweetener!  Use what other people have worked out to ur advantage!  U can tweek it to ur taste!  Just dont chanhe the amt of TQ


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## inkjunkie (Oct 19, 2015)

Carter86 said:


> I'm no guru but from what I have read is that the sugar offsets the salt.
> 
> I'm sure you could use maple syrup or maple sugar in its replacement.


Thanks, this is what I was after but I poorly worded my question. 




doctord1955 said:


> You don't have to use brn sugar!! You can use any type of sweetener in any combination!  You just have to or I should say u want to use the recommended amount of sweetener!  Use what other people have worked out to ur advantage!  U can tweek it to ur taste!  Just dont chanhe the amt of TQ


TQ by weight, that much I understand.  I poorly worded my question, should have asked why is a sweetener used in the curing process. 
Am wondering how one would go about using, say Maple syrup as the sweetener.  How much, how is it applied etc...


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## doctord1955 (Oct 19, 2015)

I'd cut sugar in half and use the same amount of maple syrup!  Or u could use a maple flavoring !  Maplelene I think is one sold I grocery store!


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## 4pogo7 (Oct 19, 2015)

inkjunkie said:


> Am wondering how one would go about using, say Maple syrup as the sweetener. How much, how is it applied etc...


I don't know from experience but this is what I found with a search for "maple bacon"

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/151628/maple-bacon

Hopefully this will help some. These guys know more than I do.


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## foamheart (Oct 19, 2015)

Heres my thought and its just what I think.

I had thought on it long ago when starting my first bacon. why salt and two different sugars? Well you realize brown sugar is flavored? Store bought brown sugar is white sugar which has either vanilla (light brown) or molasses (dark brown).

I figure its that small flavor enhancement. white sugar and dark sugar both liquefy and crystalize.

I have heard folks say it has a different flash point? The point at which it burns? I think its more a sugar % which is random when going thru the process of making the sugar. There is a lot more to making "refined" sugar than you might think. Its not just juice poured in a kettle and cooked down.

After a bit of head scratching I figured it had to be the addition of an additional aroma.

Also a pretty knowledgeable bacon maker here once suggested I use maple extract vice maple sugar or syrup to get that taste (aroma) in the bacon. Which worked a lot better than using the expensive syrup or sugars.

Just my two cents.

OH and btw, the one time I did a briner full of bacon in which had a load of maple syrup, had it worked I woulda loved it, was the one time I got roping. Never tried it again, never again had a roping incident.


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## floridasteve (Oct 19, 2015)

What is roping?


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## daveomak (Oct 19, 2015)

Very interesting read... lots of good info....   some of the info needs to be adjusted to update but not much....  Dave

https://archive.org/stream/secretsofmeatcur00bhelrich#page/n3/mode/2up













RopyStringyBrine1.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Oct 19, 2015


















RopyStringyBrine2.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Oct 19, 2015








EDIT:

For those whom have read the above book on "HOW TO" lots of stuff, I found out what FREEZE EM PICKLE is....

http://www.friscospices.com/p-212-freeze-em-pickle.aspx 


..


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## inkjunkie (Oct 19, 2015)

One of the reasons I don't know if I will ever brine pork belly again is the risk of roping. Up to now I had no clue what it is...if I get a chance tonight I will read the link posted.. .


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## Bearcarver (Oct 19, 2015)

Carter86 said:


> I'm no guru but from what I have read is that the sugar offsets the salt.
> 
> I'm sure you could use maple syrup or maple sugar in its replacement.










Some say TQ is too salty. I use Brown sugar with mine, when Dry curing, & have never had any Bacon cured with TQ that was too salty.

I know others say the same thing. I'm sure other sweeteners would do the same if proportioned correctly.

I usually use between a tsp and 2 tsp per pound, so it doesn't seem to have to be exact.

Bear


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## foamheart (Oct 19, 2015)

I only had the one incident, and I have made a few batches of bacon. Secondly when it happened, I simply rinsed the gel off and went ahead and started the dehydration cycle in the reefer. I ate every piece of it and had I not known it happened, I would have never guessed it had. 

Its like every other smoking problem once the initial first time shock wears off, its all fine.


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## Bearcarver (Oct 19, 2015)

inkjunkie said:


> One of the reasons I don't know if I will ever brine pork belly again is the risk of roping. Up to now I had no clue what it is...if I get a chance tonight I will read the link posted.. .


No Ropy from Dry curing---That I know of.

Bear


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## disco (Oct 19, 2015)

I just did a test curing 3 different pieces of pork belly with tenderquick. I did one with Tenderquick and brown sugar, the second with TQ and maple syrup and the third with TQ and molasses all turned out fine but slightly different. See:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236311/bacon-3-ways-qview-bomb

On the other hand, if you are asking why to add a sweetener at all, I believe it is just to give the bacon a touch of sweet that our palates like with the saltiness.

Disco


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