# Brined bacon turned slimy



## biaviian

Does anybody know what went wrong?  My bacon turned slimy using Pop's brine.  I have used it 3 other times with no issues but I let this one go for 10.5 days so I'm wondering if the time was the issue.  The 3 before I only let cure for 8 days.  No pictures because I just threw the belly away.  After investigating it I noticed that there was little to no meat on the bellies.  My butcher gave them to me for free.  I thought he was just being nice but I now think that an inexperienced person cut them and did a horrible job.  They were about 1/2" thick in most parts and up to 1.5" in a few spots.  So now not only am I out of bacon but I'm afraid the weather is getting too cold as I'm not sure how I can keep my temps below 100 in an MES.  I guess I could bring it into my garage and vent it out a window.


----------



## chef jimmyj

I'm not sure what went wrong with your Bacon but I wanted to say, Welcome back you been away awhile...JJ


----------



## alblancher

Could the slime be fat?  With the cure I wouldn't think it was anything harmful.   Maybe the bellies just got to warm while curing?   Did you rinse before putting in the brine, where they a nice color and did they smell ok before and after the brine?

It's a lot easier throwing away free stuff then stuff you paid good money for!


----------



## biaviian

No, they didn't get too warm.  I have my fridge running at 34 at all times.  I did rinse them before putting into the brine.  When taking them out of the brine they had zero odor to them and had a nice color.  They were just covered in slime.  Think of the old Ghost Busters movies. 

I guess there have been a lot of changes since I was last on this site.  I see we have at least two new moderators.  Congratulations!


----------



## alblancher

Thanks,

We had a good number of people agree to help out the Admin team.  I am still learning how to be a moderator so please be patient with us!


----------



## alelover

Welcome back buddy. Hope your bacon came out OK.


----------



## pops6927

I've never had it happen to me; the only thing i could imagine was there was some kind of impurity or impurities introduced into the brine ; either water-born fungal or bacterial contamination or are you sure you added curing salt to it?


----------



## biaviian

Yeah, I'm certain I added the curing salt.  My water should be good because it actually goes through a UV light (killing all bacteria).  Maybe next time I'll use my RO water (it goes through UV then an RO filter).  No odd smell just slime. Not only was the belly slimy but the brine ended up getting a bit slimy itself (a VERY loose jelly 'texture').


----------



## sprky

I'm following this post with great interest since I am going to try some bacon soon.


----------



## michael ark

What color was the slime?


----------



## biaviian

It was clear to cloudy, if that makes sense.


----------



## rw willy

Biaviian said:


> Does anybody know what went wrong?  My bacon turned slimy using Pop's brine.  I have used it 3 other times with no issues but I let this one go for 10.5 days so I'm wondering if the time was the issue.  The 3 before I only let cure for 8 days.  No pictures because I just threw the belly away.  After investigating it I noticed that there was little to no meat on the bellies.  My butcher gave them to me for free.  I thought he was just being nice but I now think that an inexperienced person cut them and did a horrible job.  They were about 1/2" thick in most parts and up to 1.5" in a few spots.  So now not only am I out of bacon but I'm afraid the weather is getting too cold as I'm not sure how I can keep my temps below 100 in an MES.  I guess I could bring it into my garage and vent it out a window.


Why the concern for your ability to temps low.  colder weather should make it easier?


----------



## biaviian

You want cold temps but don't want freezing temps.


----------



## chefrob

this just happened to me while i had (have) a deboned leg for a ham. i noticed it when i took the bag of water (for submersion purposes) out, it had a little slime on it. the smell was not horible but it was not wonderful either.


----------



## chuck2u

I recently tried a brine recipe from this site for bacon and over the 7 day soak it soured on me and I had to throw it away.  For bacon and Canadian bacon I like the control I get from dry curing.  I get better absorption of spices and flavorings too.  I typically desalinate for an hour before setting back in the frig to form the pellical.

My $0.02

Chuck


----------



## alblancher

Chuck

You may want to reduce the amount of salt in your dry cure if you need to soak your bacon after curing.  Not sure how much salt you are using but one of the advantages of a dry cure is that you have a good deal of control of the salt.


----------



## graystratcat

The following is from Secrets of Meat Curing and Sausage Making dated 1922.  The book is now in the public domain, so I don't believe I'm infringing on copyright protection by posting this.

Perhaps this is what happened to your brine?


----------



## alblancher

Interesting Find!  Gonna have to locate that one.


----------



## graystratcat

I edited the post above to correct the title of the book.  It should have been "*Secrets of *Meat Curing and Sausage Making"

Al, all, if you want a copy it can be found here:

http://www.archive.org/details/secretsofmeatcur00bhelrich

-Salt


----------



## daveomak

Biaviian, morning... I'm a little late to the party here..... Slimy brine is not always a sign to throw out the meat.... Below is a section from the highlighted line on making brine.... 

It is very interesting to say the least....  Anyone brining foods should at least read it once as a refresher and keep it for a reference, especially if you are as old as I am.... CRS disease forces me to re-read stuff so as to not kill myself or my loved ones....  I feel it is a good practice.....  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.


----------



## shoneyboy

This was so informative that I thought I would give it a bump again.......


----------



## navigator

FYI, I read (and copied) this somewhere:

"Add sugar only when curing at refrigerator temperature 38 – 40° F, otherwise fermentation might occur and will spoil the meat.   Lower than 36° F (2° C) temperature may slow down the curing process or even halt it."


----------



## smoker21

I know this is an old thread but...

I just pulled my pork belly out from 10 days in a POP'S brine and there was @1/4 inch of slime in the bottom!  I can't see if anyone said exactly what the cause was and if I should throw everything away and start over?  Is it safe to smoke??:

Thanks.

JD

:icon_cry:


----------



## daveomak

Smoker21 said:


> I know this is an old thread but...
> 
> I just pulled my pork belly out from 10 days in a POP'S brine and there was @1/4 inch of slime in the bottom! I can't see if anyone said exactly what the cause was and if I should throw everything away and start over? Is it safe to smoke??:
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> JD


JD..... Read posts 17 and 20 on this thread..... It explains it all......  your bacon is still good.... don't throw it away.....   Next time, it may not help, but after cleaning everything thoroughly, wipe it down with a paper towel with white vinegar on it, then rinse..... the vinegar will kill other bacteria soap and stuff won't....   

Dave


----------



## smoker21

Thanks Dave for your quick reply.

I did read post 20 but I must admit when I saw the cartoon on post 17 I did ignore it.  I think the only thing I did wrong was to add brown sugar to the party. 

I still don't see where it saws the belly is still good but you've been at this a lot longer than I have so I'll take your word.  :icon_smile:

The future bacon is on a rack in the fridge and will get smoked tomorrow. 

Thanks again.

JD


----------



## gary morris

Hi thought I'd say,

I too have the gelatinous slime.  My pork belly has been in the fridge for 11 days now, I noticed it today - it smells fine.  I used Pop's tried and tested brine recipe - so thats not the cause.

I checked the temperature in my fridge and was really 'miffed' to find it was running at 11.8°c  -  57°f  - blast the thing.  

Unless you guys say otherwise I'm going to continue with the bacon as it smells OK atm.  (my choice totally)

I've read the previous threads and see that it could be caused by several different factors.  Next time I will sterilize my equipment beforehand,  boil the sugars in some of the water for the brine, and make sure the temp is  = or <   5°c  -  45°f  

Just a thought though - pork and especialy pork bones contain alot of gelatin (I think that's the word)  I know it sticks my lips together when I do a stew or make stock.  It just struck me as something I could quite easily believe in - the cure drawing the juices and gelatin out of the meat, making the water gloopy / slimey.  Probably a daft thought, so I'll shut up.


----------



## pops6927

Proper temperature and not introducing bacteria into the brine are two main factors.  Don't take the meat out of the package and put in the brine - wash it off thoroughly in clean water.  Sounds like a simple step but so often overlooked.   Make the brine with cold water; not lukewarm/tepid - as cold as you can get it, stir the ingredients, place in a clean, non-reactive vessel and cover your meat so it floats and weigh it down with a clean ziploc bag half full of cold water.  I've cured meats in my fridge for 4-5 weeks using this method without ropy brine.  But, if it does get ropy, just change the brine with fresh.


----------



## gary morris

Thanks Pop's - will do.

Ordered a new fridge (bigger one 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  ) 

I'll follow what you say, thanks.

Gary


----------



## mattsican

Gotta bump this again...

I'm using a pasta bowl submerged on top of the pork bellies i'm curing to weigh it down. Im on day 10 and I went to flip them and when i dumped the water out of the pasta bowl is was all slimy. No bad odor, just slimy. Sounds like after reading this thread things are okay though? I'm going to take the bellies out, clean everything and make more brine and let them continue. I noticed on a fry test on day 7 that the bacon was a bit salty and sweet, so im going to add just two tsps of pink salt and cold water to both hopefully desalt a bit and continue curing. Sound like a good or bad idea???


----------



## gary morris

I'm now on day 9 and so far so good, no slime. I used 'Pop's Brine as before, and the only changes I made in general were -

1.  Correct temperature control - I now have a working fridge!  

2.  Before I started, I sterilized all of the equipment with a food grade sterilizing solution.  (previously washed in the dishwasher)

3.  I bought a new packet of brown sugar to use with it.

I read through the 'Secrets of Meat Curing' and along with correct temperature control there was a significant emphasis on NOT using brown or yellow sugar, as it could cause fermentation in the brine.

This was due to impurities in the sugar  -  they tested this by dissolving some sugar in water to just below saturation point, covered it and let it rest for 24 hours.  They found a blueish deposit and some insoluble salts in the bottom.

I wonder if the production of brown sugar has changed much since the book was written, I would have thought so?

Guess what I'm going to try tonight? 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   I'll qview and post in 24 hours or when I remember.


----------



## daveomak

Mattsican said:


> Gotta bump this again...
> 
> I'm using a pasta bowl submerged on top of the pork bellies i'm curing to weigh it down. Im on day 10 and I went to flip them and when i dumped the water out of the pasta bowl is was all slimy. No bad odor, just slimy. Sounds like after reading this thread things are okay though? I'm going to take the bellies out, clean everything and make more brine and let them continue. I noticed on a fry test on day 7 that the bacon was a bit salty and sweet, so *im going to add just two tsps of pink salt and cold water to both hopefully desalt a bit and continue curing. Sound like a good or bad idea???*


The problem with adjusting an "equilibrium brine" after the meat has been in it for awhile, the brine loses strength and the meat has absorbed some of its ingredients.... Not knowing how much has been lost or absorbed and making a new brine, the finished product could be off in proper amounts of ingredients....   I'm speaking from a purely scientific point of view and not a practical one....  

This post is just intended for information....  Dave


----------



## diggingdogfarm

Benign slime comes from the salt drawing proteins out of the meat.
As far as proceeding after rinsing off the slime and ditching the brine, I know what I would do, but I'll leave the official recommendations to Pops, it's his brine.




~Martin


----------



## daveomak

DiggingDogFarm said:


> Benign slime comes from the salt drawing proteins out of the meat.
> As far as proceeding after rinsing off the slime and ditching the brine, I know what I would do, but I'll leave the official recommendations to Pops, it's his brine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ~Martin


Martin, evening..... Well, if you found "ropy, slimy brine" in a batch of bacon you were making, your brine, your bacon, what would you do ???

Dave


----------



## diggingdogfarm

Depends on the brine used and how long it's been curing.



~Martin


----------

