# First time doing an equilibrium cure



## Kyleblun (Aug 25, 2021)

This is my first attempt at curing bacon. I followed this recipe below:

Ingredients
Pork Belly

For the cure (dry rub):
3 oz Prague Powder #1
28 oz Kosher Salt
17 oz Brown Sugar

Instructions:
Using a scale weigh the ingredients accordingly and mix together kosher salt brown sugar, and Prague Powder #1 thoroughly to make the cure mixture. The quantities specified in this recipe is enough to cure roughly 56 lbs of pork belly. Simply dividing each quantity in half will yield enough mixture to cure approximately 28 lbs of raw pork belly.

Using a scale, get the total weight of the pork belly. Then calculate 24 grams of the cure for each pound of belly you have. For instance: a 5 lb. belly will need 120 grams of cure.

The recipe says it will be cured in 7-10 days. Today is day 6 and the pork belly has firmed up a little, but still feels spongy in parts. Should I add more salt or just wait a few more days? Also, how will I know when it is properly cured?


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## daveomak (Aug 25, 2021)

HOLD IT !!!!!
Cure#1 should be used at a rate of 1 tsp. per 5#'s or 1.1 grams per pound..
Salt, I use 1.75% or ~8 grams per pound
Sugar I use 1% or ~4.5 grams per pound
That calculates to ~ 13.5 grams per pound...


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## bregent (Aug 25, 2021)

Wow, that's way too complicated and the numbers don't add up. Way too much salt and more #1 cure than needed. Just use a cure calculator like http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html.


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## BGKYSmoker (Aug 25, 2021)

You better not use 3oz of cure1 on a 5lb belly or this could be your last of ANYTHING.....Like Life.
Do some reading or ask questions here BEFORE YOU START THIS.

YIKES


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## daveomak (Aug 25, 2021)

bregent
 ...  Check out the numbers....

I just want new folks to understand the WHY stuff works and how...

_HOLD IT !!!!!
Cure#1 should be used at a rate of 1 tsp. per 5#'s or 1.1 grams per pound..
Salt, I use 1.75% or ~8 grams per pound
Sugar I use 1% or ~4.5 grams per pound
That calculates to ~ 13.5 grams per pound... _


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## bregent (Aug 25, 2021)

daveomak said:


> I just want new folks to understand the WHY stuff works and how...



Dave, I was replying to the OP, not to you -we both replied at the same time. Your numbers look fine, the OP's are out of whack.


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## bregent (Aug 25, 2021)

SWFLsmkr1 said:


> You better not use 3oz of cure1 on a 5lb belly or this could be your last of ANYTHING.....Like Life.



He's not using that much. He's making a big batch of dry rub and dividing that based on the weight of the slap. But the base recipe (for 56 lbs) calls for too much cure, salt and sugar.


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## BGKYSmoker (Aug 25, 2021)

daveomak said:


> bregent
> ...  Check out the numbers....
> 
> I just want new folks to understand the WHY stuff works and how...
> ...


Geee Dave

You got 26,661 posts and you still dont know nuthin......LOL ....JK amigo


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## olaf (Aug 25, 2021)

The cure and salt are high. If this is perfectly mixed you are at 3.3% salt 1.9% sugar and 200ppm cure. If it's not perfectly mixed its at  ???


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## bill1 (Aug 25, 2021)

Kyleblun said:


> ...For the cure (dry rub):
> 3 oz Prague Powder #1
> 28 oz Kosher Salt
> 17 oz Brown Sugar
> ...Then calculate *24 grams of the cure for each pound* of belly...


The original numbers aren't too far off, 30-40% higher than referenced calculators, assuming these ingredients are evenly distributed among 56 # of meat.  Most of those calculators are based on an individual eating ~2# of meat per day, which isn't overly conservative for steak, but seems to be for bacon, so if you use your recipe, just eat a little less.  

3oz (by weight) of cure is 85grams.  For a 56# meat cure, that's 1.5g per pound.  That's 36% more than Dave's suggestion, so eat 36% less than Dave does.   

I'm also assuming you're using ounces as a unit of weight (16 oz per pound) and not as a _volumetric _unit (where a pint, or 16 fluid ounces, is the volume of a pound of water.) Since salts are ~2x the density of water, if the "ounces" you used to measure were volumetric or "liquid" ounces (e.g. from a measuring cup) your 1.36 factor (over Dave's) becomes 2.7 or almost 3x too much.

But it's your 2nd statement that truly worries me.  24 grams per pound is *22 times* Dave's number and is even 16 times than your earlier 3oz per 56# number.  Now you're into real troubling concentrations.  I hope you used 1.1 or 1.5 grams of cure per pound of meat, NOT 24 g/#.  
And I hope they were measured with a scale, not a cup or similar volume device.


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## SmokinEdge (Aug 25, 2021)

Kyleblun said:


> This is my first attempt at curing bacon. I followed this recipe below:
> 
> Ingredients
> Pork Belly
> ...


Don’t mix up cure like this. It’s not like rub, where you make up a bunch then apply it to different pieces of meat at different times.

To do this correctly, weigh the piece of meat, add 0.25% cure #1 as a percentage to weight, then add the salt as a percentage of meat weight. 1.5 to 2.0% then add sugar again as a percentage for flavor. Do this for each piece of meat you want to cure. If it’s a big piece like a 20# ham, then you will want to mix up an injection.
If you mix up a big batch of cure and not use it all at once on one piece of meat, the cure salt will classify itself to the bottom of the mixture and not stay mixed at all. This is a dangerous approach to curing and I do not suggest you continue on.


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## bregent (Aug 25, 2021)

bill1 said:


> But it's your 2nd statement that truly worries me. 24 grams per pound



I think what he means is 24 grams of the mixed dry rub - not cure #1. At least I hope so.
You're right that the amount of #1 cure is only 30% higher than recommended and is not a real problem. But the salt and sugar are 70-90% more than what most folks use so it's going to be very salty, and might tend to burn while cooking with that much brown sugar.


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## thirdeye (Aug 25, 2021)

Can you post a copy of the 'recipe'?  No disrespect, but people new to curing are notorious for misrepresenting the amounts (grams, kilograms, ounces, teaspoons) and so forth.  And initially their description of the technique might send up a red flag, yet sometimes it all works out just fine. 

The worst case example I can attest to is a published recipe that called for sodium nitrite as an ingredient, (not a curing salt containing sodium nitrate)  but sodium nitrite purchased in raw form from a chemical supplier. The book publisher never bothered to respond to an email or the letter addressing this grave error.


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## PolishDeli (Aug 25, 2021)

This seems to be the source of the recipie:

https://www.atbbq.com/thesauce/recipes/bacon/

It's fine, but written a bit lousily.
Better sources exist.


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## Fueling Around (Aug 25, 2021)

Welcome to Smoking Meat Forum (SMF).

It is not possible to estimate cure penetration by feel.  if your instructions say 7-10, I would go 10-14 in case your curing temps were in the lower 30's.
Don't add more of anything and just wait.
Your belly is already going to be very salty and very sugary.  I guess it will be close to a lot of commercial bacon.

The nitrite (cure) level is  higher than what most here at SMF use to cure, but still in acceptable SAFE levels.

Awaiting your results in another week or so.


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## Kyleblun (Aug 25, 2021)

I wish that I had found this forum before I started curing because It would have saved me a lot of uncertainty.  I appreciate the comments and advice.   

The pork belly is quite a bit firmer this morning and I will smoke it with hickory wood this weekend and hopefully it will turn out OK.  Will let you guys know.

Any suggestions on a maple cure recipe for my next batch?


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## Kyleblun (Aug 26, 2021)

PolishDeli said:


> This seems to be the source of the recipie:
> 
> https://www.atbbq.com/thesauce/recipes/bacon/
> 
> ...


Yes it is.  Please let me know about sources you recommend. Thanks


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## daveomak (Aug 26, 2021)

Marianski is the man to follow...


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## smokerjim (Aug 26, 2021)

Kyleblun said:


> I wish that I had found this forum before I started curing because It would have saved me a lot of uncertainty.  I appreciate the comments and advice.
> 
> The pork belly is quite a bit firmer this morning and I will smoke it with hickory wood this weekend and hopefully it will turn out OK.  Will let you guys know.
> 
> ...


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## thirdeye (Aug 26, 2021)

Most authors tend to put everything into a logical recipe format (ingredients and procedure) which is fine and dandy.... but using a dry equilibrium cure on a pork belly as an example, some authors tend to lead you in the direction of *their* personal combination of ingredients.  It's better to show the ranges of salt and sugar that can  be used, then you can decide what's best for YOU.   Of course the percentage of Cure #1 is a fixed amount and will not change. 

Something like this is what I'm talking about:
_*Mixing The Cure *- The percentages listed below are based on the weight of a trimmed pork belly._

_Salt - The recommended range of salt is between 1% and 3%. I use canning salt, but sea salt or kosher salt works fine. Do not use iodized table salt._
_Sugar - The recommended range of sugar is between 0% and 3%. You don't actually need sugar in your cure, but it mellows the salt and adds flavor as well as color. A higher percentage of sugar will increase chances of your bacon burning when frying._
_Cure #1 - The amount of Cure #1 is set by the USDA at 0.25%. Do not increase or decrease this amount, and always measure Cure #1 carefully and accurately._
Another omission from some authors are aromatics.  You can add other things during the curing process or before smoking.  Black pepper is a very common addition to bacon.   Anyways, once you decide on your preferences everything falls into place.   

I favor a lower salt bacon, and use a lower percentage of white sugar. My current favorite formulation is 1.5% salt, 1% sugar and I sprinkle the pork belly with cracked pepper, garlic powder and put a tablespoon of crushed bay leaves into the curing bag.  The Cure #1 amount is always 0.25% and since the sodium nitrite component is suspended in a salt carrier my actual salt % is about 2%.... so keep that in mind.  After rinsing I re-apply cracked pepper.


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## Fueling Around (Aug 26, 2021)

smokerjim said:


> I would slice a piece off and fry it before you smoke it , if it's to salty soak it in fresh water to remove some salt then test again.


My idea is to just soak overnight in a large bucket of water.  It was already determined your salt and sugar levels were very high.
But Jim's suggestion is great.  Maybe you like the higher salt and sugar.

Last night, I rendered off a batch of bacon ends and pieces I got cheap from a regional company.
This is my last package I will get from them.  I scraped so much sugar residue from my ci skillet that cheap isn't worth it for finished product.


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## Kyleblun (Aug 29, 2021)

I smoked it and fried up some today. I soaked it in water after washing off the cure but it is a bit too salty. Thanks to everyone for the advice and tips.


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## bill1 (Aug 29, 2021)

More beer, less meat.


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## olaf (Aug 29, 2021)

Kyleblun said:


> I smoked it and fried up some today. I soaked it in water after washing off the cure but it is a bit too salty. Thanks to everyone for the advice and tips.


I think it helps with salty bacon to slice it thin


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## Kyleblun (Aug 30, 2021)

bill1 said:


> More beer, less meat.


I don't understand?


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## Kyleblun (Aug 30, 2021)

olaf said:


> I think it helps with salty bacon to slice it thin


Thanks for the tip. Will try really thin slices


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## Kyleblun (Aug 31, 2021)

daveomak said:


> Marianski is the man to follow...
> 
> View attachment 508921


Thanks for the recommendation. I got this book and started reading it last night.  I like the in depth scientific approach  so that the reader understands  the science behind curing.


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## Kyleblun (Aug 31, 2021)

olaf said:


> I think it helps with salty bacon to slice it thin


Just an update. I sliced it thin and it was way better. Thanks again for the advice


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## tallbm (Aug 31, 2021)

Kyleblun said:


> Just an update. I sliced it thin and it was way better. Thanks again for the advice



Hi there and welcome!

Pro-tip for bacon as well as sausage. 
If you don't get the measurements right to begin with or are using a store bought or untested recipe you can do the following:

Before you smoke it do a test fry of some of it.  If it is questionable that it is too salty then it is absolutely too salty in my experience lol.

With bacon you soak in cold water, changing the water every 3-4 hours or so and that will pull the excess salt out. Do this until the test fry and keep soaking until it fries properly lol.
For sausage... mix in more meat if too salty, mix in more seasoning if too bland.

Those tests will save your but big time until you perfect the measurement's up front.

If you make your own seasoning up front you can measure things upfront knowing how much salt% you like and just making sure it penetrates in enough time and you avoid the issue all together.
For online recipes calculate the salt/sugar and cure #1 amounts they are suggesting and see if the % and numbers fit, if not adjust them to be correct as many recipes online are just copy and pastes of other peoples bad measurements :D

Finally, store bought seasonings... trial and error so soaking will save you.  Take notes on how much to dial up/down the seasoning to get things right.  

Measure all seasoning amounts by weight if you can so you can be super precise and scale up without issue.  Going by volume (tablespoons/cups) can have problem scaling up or down as you do more/less meat due to the margin of error in volume measurements.

I hope this info helps ya :)


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## olaf (Aug 31, 2021)

Any suggestions on a maple cure recipe for my next batch?

Either use diggingdog calculator or make your own with MS EXCEL cure at 156ppm
salt at 1.75-1.95% sugar about 2% this will give you straight up bacon at a salt and sugar content that most people would like.
Substitute maple sugar, whether you want all maple or half some white or brown it's all up to you. I currently go 1.85% salt 1.95% sugar 40% maple 40% brown 20% white.  I'm still trying to get the perfect recipe though.


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## Fueling Around (Aug 31, 2021)

Kyleblun said:


> Just an update. I sliced it thin and it was way better. Thanks again for the advice


If you ever get the chance to try a Tennessee country ham, sliced very thin is the only way to eat that as well.  It is not my preferred piece of pork.  Never got the chance to wash (soak) the slices to see if it reduced the salt.
Now dried (chipped) beef is another story.  I can get that up here in Minnesota.  Almost as salty as country ham and needs to be paper thin.  I wash it to reduce the salt.




 tallbm
 has a lot off great advice.
Remember after soak rinsing intact pieces of meat, it take time to re-equalize the salt from the interior to the exterior.


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## daveomak (Sep 1, 2021)

This is a very good commercial cure...  I've been using commercial cures for about 8 years on bacon as a dry rub.....

It's NOT just for turkeys....

*Ingredients*
Salt, Cane and Maple Sugar (100% Maple Syrup), Sodium Nitrite (1%).

Walton's Complete Turkey Cure - Excalibur Seasoning (waltonsinc.com)

Use this as a dry rub...  I do... 
Use at a rate of 6.25/1 x 1.1 g per pound = 7 grams per pound to get the correct nitrite amount...
The salt content will be approx. 1.2 to 1.4% salt....
Try some and if you need more salt, add about 0.1 grams per pound to get to 1.7%...


.....


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