# Bacon with Pop's Brine



## swampsmoker (Jan 7, 2018)

Hey Y'all

here we go, the wait beings! I got a nice 10 lbs belly from Costco. Will cure for about 10 days or so maybe more depending what my schedule looks like.


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## pc farmer (Jan 7, 2018)

Gonna be good.


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## motocrash (Jan 7, 2018)

Nice belly,especially for costco.You doing pops regular or low salt?


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## Rings Я Us (Jan 7, 2018)

it's a wonderful thing!


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## swampsmoker (Jan 8, 2018)

I did a lil less than 1/2 cup of salt.


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## SmokinAl (Jan 8, 2018)

Good looking bellies!
Al


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## swampsmoker (Jan 8, 2018)

My scale should be here tomorrow so I can try a dry brine soon. I know I’ve seen this somewhere before about pops brine. But as long as the meat is covered I’m good, right? So curing 10 lbs of belly in 1 gallon will cure my bacon just fine?


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## motocrash (Jan 8, 2018)

You are correct on both questions.Wet brine goes by thickness.What scale did you get?


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## swampsmoker (Jan 8, 2018)

Thanks! Scale will help me with processing venison as well!


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## chopsaw (Jan 8, 2018)

swampsmoker said:


> My scale should be here tomorrow so I can try a dry brine soon. I know I’ve seen this somewhere before about pops brine. But as long as the meat is covered I’m good, right? So curing 10 lbs of belly in 1 gallon will cure my bacon just fine?


Make sure it's all covered .


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## motocrash (Jan 8, 2018)

That scale only reads to gram,for weighing cure you should have one that reads to .1 gram(Tenth) or better yet .01 gram(hundredth).It should work well for measuring larger weights though.


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## Rings Я Us (Jan 8, 2018)

Says accurate to 1 gram. Not sure if it reads less.I did see .1 oz.

Yea.. it should be better than a gram for a bit of dry herbs or 1/2 gram cure or whatever.

Graduation Increments:Accurate to 1 g or 0.1 oz


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## swampsmoker (Jan 8, 2018)

well that stinks!!!:( It does state that it only reads whole numbers for grams. Guess I'll have to spend another $10 bucks to get another one that reads to the .01, gave it the ol' college try! or I could bust out my scale for hand loading.


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## motocrash (Jan 8, 2018)

Absolutely could.... 1.54 Grain =.1 Gram.Grain being much more finite of a weight.


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## zerowin (Jan 9, 2018)

I just finished my first batch ever in pop's brine and it was incredibly good.  I understand now what everyone means here when they say once you make your own, you'll never want store bought again.  And those bellies are very nice looking indeed.  I have a question though, which will help when I get into larger batches.  Would it be a good idea to separate those two slabs with a raised wire rack or two so both sides have more surface area for the brine to work into, or is there something in the pic I'm missing?  Or won't it really matter?


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## swampsmoker (Jan 9, 2018)

zerowin said:


> I just finished my first batch ever in pop's brine and it was incredibly good.  I understand now what everyone means here when they say once you make your own, you'll never want store bought again.  And those bellies are very nice looking indeed.  I have a question though, which will help when I get into larger batches.  Would it be a good idea to separate those two slabs with a raised wire rack or two so both sides have more surface area for the brine to work into, or is there something in the pic I'm missing?  Or won't it really matter?


Good question. Hopefully one of the SR guys answer. I will through in 1 or 2 of my fermenting glass weights to separate em


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## browneyesvictim (Jan 9, 2018)

Good looking bellies! 

Don't worry about keeping them separated. Pops says the brine will penetrate just fine even if you stacked 'em up. This has been my experience as well. No problem.


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## hondabbq (Jan 10, 2018)

I was instructed by one of the many gurus on here that you should only have 5 lbs of meat per recipe of pops brine. In post #7 op states he has 10 lbs of meat for 1 gallon of brine.


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## swampsmoker (Jan 10, 2018)

Just Found a post from Pop’s from Nov 27 2017. Said the key is time not how much meat. Makes me feel a little better.


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## hondabbq (Jan 10, 2018)

Isnt the ratio of cure to meat going to be reduced seeing as there is half the cure based on the weight of the meat?
meaning even if there is a lot of time used for curing if the measured amount of cure isn't there how can it be enough cure?
Im not saying your wrong in either case just looking for clarification.

Link the thread.

@daveomak


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## swampsmoker (Jan 10, 2018)

Now that was my thought when using the brine. But my understanding is all the ingredients have been dissolved in the water equally. So no matter the weight of meat as long as it’s covered it will be cured. This is the thread I was referring to. 

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/curing-with-pops-brine.270282/


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## motocrash (Jan 10, 2018)

swampsmoker said:


> Now that was my thought when using the brine. But my understanding is all the ingredients have been dissolved in the water equally. So no matter the weight of meat as long as it’s covered it will be cured. This is the thread I was referring to.
> 
> https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/curing-with-pops-brine.270282/


Correct sir.


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## mneeley490 (Jan 11, 2018)

You can always juggle the slabs around for better coverage.


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