# Two bacon problems in one batch



## paulsmokes (Jan 13, 2013)

I'm sorry to make this my first post, but it is really bugging me.  I cold smoked 50 lbs of pork belly from the meat packing district in Chicago and the results are unimpressive. I used Rhulman's recipe.  Per 5 lbs I used 

2 ounces Diamond Crystal 

2 teaspoons pink curing salt #1 

tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

4 bay leaves

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

I cured it for 7 days, rinsed it, and cold smoked it over hickory for 8 hours.   I cut the bacon using Chef's Choice 609 meat slicer.  Looked great (except i couldn't get the rind off)  But I hate the bacon.

When cooked, the smell is vial and chemically.  My thoughts: Taint or too much pink salt.

Also, the fat is fall apart delicious, but the meat is stringy, tough and dry.  I have no idea on this one, except maybe that bargen basement pork was a bad idea.

If anyone can help me, please do.

Thanks

Paul


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## DanMcG (Jan 13, 2013)

yeah too much nitrite is one issue. It should be 1 teaspoon to 5 lbs. or 5.5 grams.


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 13, 2013)

That Ruhlman/Polcyn recipe calls for more than twice the recommended amount of cure #1.
Give it some time to cure further in the fridge for 7-10 days, that should help.
Slicing across the grain of the meat, rather than with the grain, will eliminate the stringiness.
The dryness is puzzling.

HTH


~Martin


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## paulsmokes (Jan 13, 2013)

I greatly appreciate all your replys.  I still think boar taint was an issue.  Has anyone come up against that?


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## shannon127 (Jan 13, 2013)

Martin hit the nail on the head.  If you must use volume measurements, make sure it is level, not heaping


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 13, 2013)

paulsmokes said:


> I greatly appreciate all your replys.  I still think boar taint was an issue.  Has anyone come up against that?



Was it commercial bacon or small farm raised?

Boar taint isn't common, even in small farm raised pork.


~Martin


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## shannon127 (Jan 13, 2013)

I can't imagine any commercial operation or even small farm mixing uncut boars into the feeding operations.  I have only ever had one piece, and that was from a Berkshire boar that was almost 3 years old.


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