# Bacon Question



## BB-que (Oct 25, 2021)

I’m dry curing my first bacon, always have wet cured but this is easier and read a lot of good things. It cured for 2 weeks and I was doing the fry test to test for saltiness.  The bacon shrunk by 50% when fried.  Is that to be expected?  I was hoping it was the wet curing that was causing the extreme shrinkage but seems not.


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## JLeonard (Oct 25, 2021)

Hmm......Waiting on the replies as I am not quite a week into my dry cure on some buckboard bacon.
Jim


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## Steve H (Oct 25, 2021)

Mine shrinks by quite a bit as well. 50% seems a tad extreme.  How fatty was the bacon?


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 25, 2021)

Steve is on to your problem as fat melts and causes shrinkage. The fatter the more shrinkage.

Warren


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## BB-que (Oct 25, 2021)

Steve H said:


> Mine shrinks by quite a bit as well. 50% seems a tad extreme.  How fatty was the bacon?


Quite a bit, belly from Costco.  I was just making sure there wasn’t something I was missing.  Guess I need to sharpen up my belly picking skills.


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## Steve H (Oct 25, 2021)

BB-que said:


> Quite a bit, belly from Costco.  I was just making sure there wasn’t something I was missing.  Guess I need to sharpen up my belly picking skills.


I don't mind it being on the fatter side. I think it gives a better flavor. And the grease never goes to waste.


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