# Not enough pink salt...?



## sharris (Mar 22, 2013)

Ok, so after a long hiatus, I am makin' bacon again. I bought a pound of pork belly (well, 2, but I used some already), and I'm using Pop's brine cure. Problem is, instead of 1tbsp of cure, I used 1tsp. The bacon has been curing for a week, and I just realized this mistake now.

Can I add some more pink salt, and let it go overnight? Am I totally screwed at this point? Is it fine as is?

Any help/advice would be appreciated. I was planning on taking it out tonight, and drying it off....


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## diggingdogfarm (Mar 22, 2013)

It's going to take longer than overnight.
Drain the brine off the bacon, dissolve 2 tsp. of cure #1 in the brine, add back the brine and cure for 7-10 more days.

Mise en place....gather everything needed....check, double-check and triple-check before proceeding next time, :biggrin:



~Martin


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## sharris (Mar 25, 2013)

OK, sorry, getting back to this a little late. I took my bacon out of the brine, and noticed the brine was kind of slimy. Is this normal? I didn't notice any off-putting smells or anything. I rinsed the belly off pretty thoroughly, and then debated adding it back to the brine. I tried to look up anything I could about slimy brine, and saw a couple posts about ropy brine, but nothing very definitive.

Now, what I probably SHOULD have done, at the very least, is make a new brine. But I didn't. I don't even know why. I shoulda gone with my gut, but I did not. I dropped the belly back into the brine. After sleeping on it, I'm kind of grossed out by the idea of this slime, and I'm wondering if I should just toss the belly, and start over fresh.

Seems like such a waste, but the slime thing is already making me think I'm not going to eat it anyway, and a new pork belly is a lot cheaper than a visit to the doctor.

Should I toss and try again, or is a little slime "normal"? This is my first time using the wet brine, so I'm just not sure.

Thanks!


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## daveomak (Mar 26, 2013)

Below is an explanation from a previous thread on "bacon"....  This should help you out.....   Dave

post #4  of 6

2/12/12 at 8:29am










DaveOmak
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Ikrus, morning.... Here is a partial explanation of slime/foam on pickled meats..... Hope this helps you....   Dave

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-making/curing/making-brine
[h3]Bad brine symptoms[/h3]
White slime and foam on top
Milky color and foul odor
Brine turns blue in color
Brine becomes very tacky (gluey) to touch
It is normal for a thin scum or white mold to accumulate on top of the brine. This white foam should be periodically removed. In case the foam starts to give a foul odor, turn blue in color, or becomes much thicker slime we will have to remove the ham, wash it in cool water and place it again in freshly made brine. At the first suspicion of brine spoilage it should be replaced with a fresh one, in most cases there is nothing wrong with the meat itself which should be just rinsed. Bad brine was nicknamed “Ropy” pickle and was stringy, sticky or slimy dripping from the fingers like syrup. Cured meats should be completely immersed in brine and weighted down when necessary. Most important _no meat should protrude from the brine_  as it may get spoiled and then ruin the whole brine.

If brining a large amount of meat, pack them together in a barrel without using excessive force. Heavy pieces like hams and shoulders on the bottom, lighter ones like bacon on the top. Then you can pour in the prepared solution covering all pieces. As the meats will start to shift and will come to the surface, place a suitable clean weight on top to prevent meat from contact with the air as this can spoil the brine. Pack meats the skin side down. The container should be placed preferably in a refrigerator or in a cool, well ventilated place.


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