# Draining liquid from bacon while curing it



## baconandbeer2 (Jul 3, 2013)

I'm not sure why I did it, probably mental exhaustion from work, but here's what I did:1) seasoned belly with sea salt and maple syrup2) placed it into glad-zip bag3) placed it into the fridge4) turned it after 24 hours5) turned it after 48 hoursand here's where I may have screwed up:6) after 72 hours, drained the liquid, re-sealed it, turned it, placed it back in the firdge.I plan to continue with theIs that a problem?  Should I add more salt and maple?  Just let it keep curing?


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## aeroforce100 (Jul 3, 2013)

No cure?


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## donr (Jul 3, 2013)

The salt & sugar draw moisture out of the meat.  This mixes with the salt & sugar to form a brine.  This brine then gets reabsorbed by the meat.  You essentially drained off the brining liquid.  This will probably reduce the amount of flavor your meat will have.

As for aeroforce's question about not adding any cure.  This is an issue of food safety.  Others with more knowledge than me will be along later, but here is the gist.  

The cure (sodium nitrite in the case of bacon) is added so you can cold smoke & not get botulism.  This comes from bacteria growth between 40°F & 140°F for more than 4 hours.  Referred to as The Danger Zone around here.  If you are hot smoking your bacon to above 140°F you are ok.  If you are not smoking your bacon & keeping it refrigerated you are ok.  If you are cold smoking your bacon for hours (or days) on end, you are setting yourself up for a nasty case of food poisoning.

If you had added curing agents, draining the liquid is a bad thing.

Also, hop over to the Roll Call section & introduce yourself.

Don


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## daveomak (Jul 7, 2013)

Without cure #1 you will have salted maple flavor pork...  It's the nitrite that makes the meat pink and adds the bacon flavor...   Dave


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 7, 2013)

I too have seen Recipes that have said to Drain and Liquid that forms as well but as stated this liquid is a Brine that has formed fro contact with the Dry Rub and is what gets some of the work done. What you have MUST be Hot smoked at the USDA recommended 225*F to an Internal Temp of at least 140*F. This as Dave pointed out will not be the same a quality Store/Butcher Cured Bacon. It will also be Gray after cooking not Red or Pink...JJ


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## mr t 59874 (Jul 9, 2013)

When properly cured, cold smoking bacon for long periods can be done safely.  In short, the longer it is smoked the drier it becomes, preventing bacterial growth. The following link will help.  It also covers curing without nitrates and nitrites.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...at-preparation/bacon-and-food-safety/ct_index

Tom


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## baconandbeer2 (Jul 11, 2013)

I added salt and syrup back into the bag with the bacon and continued turning until it had been in the bag for a total of 8 days.  I hot smoked it for three and a half hours to 155 degrees.   The smell is great and of course I cheated and pulled a little off to taste it, the saltiness was perfect, actually better than when I've not thrown the brine out in the middle..  I won't have a chance to get it sliced and to fry it until Saturday (7/11).I will look into buying nitrite for my next batch, I live in Chicago, so I think that should be easy to find (one of the few perks of living somewhere where you have to add 45 minutes to your travel time whenever you leave your neighborhood!).  I won't be able to invest in a cold smoker for a while, so I will continue to hot smoke it, I've been happy with my results so far.  Thanks for all the tips.


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## mr t 59874 (Jul 12, 2013)

Another option you may want to research is Morton Tender Quick.

Tom


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