# Cured Bacon frozen?  help?



## bluebombersfan (Nov 1, 2011)

I put two chunks of pork bellys in with Cure in the fridge last thursday.  When I was away on the weekend my wife tossed them in the freezer cause she thought they were pieces of meat that would go bad.  Can I just thaw them out and start my cure date the day they thawed???  Will freezing do anything to the cure itself?


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## DanMcG (Nov 1, 2011)

I'm 99% sure you'll be ok if you do what you said, but never ran across this before.

Let us know the results.


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## bluebombersfan (Nov 1, 2011)

DanMcG said:


> I'm 99% sure you'll be ok if you do what you said, but never ran across this before.
> 
> Let us know the results.


Will do.


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## pops6927 (Nov 2, 2011)

Shouldn't do anything adverse to them, just make sure you thaw them in the fridge and not out on the counter.  How long had they been in the cure previously and was it a dry cure or wet cure?


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## bluebombersfan (Nov 2, 2011)

Pops6927 said:


> Shouldn't do anything adverse to them, just make sure you thaw them in the fridge and not out on the counter.  How long had they been in the cure previously and was it a dry cure or wet cure?


They had only been in cure for about day and a half and the wife tossed them in the freezer for the weekend.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 2, 2011)

Blue, You got a good Wife there, watching your back like that...Just defrost in the fridge and re-start your cure schedule. There are no Health/Safety issues and if anything, just speculation here, the Cure will happen faster from the change in Muscle Fiber Density from the formation an subsequent melting of ice crystals in the meat...

There was a guy on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives that marinated and froze all his meat because he said the flavor was better and the meat was more tender...Go Figure...JJ


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## bluebombersfan (Nov 2, 2011)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Blue, You got a good Wife there, watching your back like that...Just defrost in the fridge and re-start your cure schedule. There are no Health/Safety issues and if anything, just speculation here, the Cure will happen faster from the change in Muscle Fiber Density from the formation an subsequent melting of ice crystals in the meat...
> 
> There was a guy on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives that marinated and froze all his meat because he said the flavor was better and the meat was more tender...Go Figure...J


She has saved my butt more than a few times.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   Thanks for the post!!!  Hmmmm.......marinade then freeze?  might be worth trying on some other cuts?


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## venture (Nov 2, 2011)

Be sure to start timing your cure only when the meat has thawed as overly cold temps slow the curing process.

As to freezing and thawing in marinades, it depends.  If the marinade is heavy in salt or acid, as many are, this could lead to problems.  Those types of marinades can break down the meat when this method is used and may result in degrading the quality even though the meat is safe if handled properly.

Good luck and good smoking.


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