Bought a pork belly for bacon.. need some help

I headed down to my local carneceria and found a 6 pound belly with skin on. It's still in the fridge right now, but I will be prepping it tonight.

I plan on a maple cure, so I bought some good quality syrup today. I went to no less than six stores looking for Tender Quick, or some sort of curing agent, with no luck. Thanks to the search feature, I read that it's not truly necessary, but mainly helps chase away botulism. Kevin Kruger suggests that salt is the real defense, so it's not totally necessary.

I originally planned on cold smoking, but now I'm thinking that hot smoking is the way to go for convenience. But that begs the question.. what's the best method to keep the WSM under 180 degrees? I don't want the fat to break down.

Also, I'm planning on bringing this bacon down to a beach vacation starting on the week of the 29th. To transport it (8 hour drive), I planned on freezing it, loading it in a cooler, and defrosting it once I get there. After curing and smoking, it should be alright to freeze, right? Then slice after defrosting?

Thanks in advance.

I have the belly sitting in a mix of brown sugar, kosher salt, and maple syrup.

And I'm having my doubts.

I'll be feeding this to six people, one of whom is pregnant. I really should have thought this out a little more thoroughly before buying the belly. I'm going to hit my local Whole Foods tomorrow during my lunch break to see if they have any pork belly (the carnaceria was on a different side of town) and Tender Quick. If not, I'll be overnighting some Buckboard Bacon cure from Allied Kenco.

I just do not want to run any risk at all of someone getting sick. Sucks to waste $18 (syrup and belly), but I can think of many worse things that can happen.

Dan, Look for TQ at Super Wal Mart, Super Target, it's usually on the bottom shelf in a blue bag near the reg salt. If not look for a Butcher supply shop in the phone book, we have one here in Lancaster. I use pink salt for my cure, butcher supply would have this. You might call a Resturuant supply store and see if they have any Tender Quick. When I cold smoke my bacon I just make a small ring of about 30-35 briqs. I stand the outer ring ones up against each other like dominos and fill in the middle. Just put about 2-3 lit briqs on top. Here's a pic that might help.

Dan

There really is little to worry about so long as you follow food safety protocols and so long as you hot smoke it to a food safe temp. Also have to take care it is not in the danger zone too long. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about tender quick. It isn't necessary, and many people purposely do not use curing salt or tender quick. The main thing it does is makes it last longer, but you can always cut it into one pound sizes and freeze the excess.

Originally posted by Bryan S:
Dan, Look for TQ at Super Wal Mart, Super Target, it's usually on the bottom shelf in a blue bag near the reg salt. If not look for a Butcher supply shop in the phone book, we have one here in Lancaster. I use pink salt for my cure, butcher supply would have this. You might call a Resturuant supply store and see if they have any Tender Quick. When I cold smoke my bacon I just make a small ring of about 30-35 briqs. I stand the outer ring ones up against each other like dominos and fill in the middle. Just put about 2-3 lit briqs on top. Here's a pic that might help.

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what do you use to light just 2-3 briqs, or do you light a batch and just take 2-3 out to place into the wsm?

Hey Bryan - what temp do you cook the belly to?

Well, I just got back from another Super Wal-Mart and Whole Foods during my lunch break. Still no luck. No pork belly either.

Originally posted by David Lohrentz:
Dan

There really is little to worry about so long as you follow food safety protocols and so long as you hot smoke it to a food safe temp. Also have to take care it is not in the danger zone too long. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about tender quick. It isn't necessary, and many people purposely do not use curing salt or tender quick. The main thing it does is makes it last longer, but you can always cut it into one pound sizes and freeze the excess.

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What's really defined as the safe zone? Here's an issue I just thought of. Right now, I have a fridge in my garage that I use for beer and large quantities of meat. After reading that salt cures work best at 38 degrees F, I decided to test the fridge in the garage. The second shelf did very well at 37 degrees. Then I realized the garage door was open most of the day, letting heat out. When the garage door is closed, especially with vehicles in (hot engines cooling down), much more heat builds up in the garage, and the fridge doesn't work as efficiently.

I'm curious to see what temp the fridge is at when I get home from work. If it's above 40, do I toss the belly? It went in the fridge last night at 37, forgot to check it this morning when leaving for work. I would think that even if it's at 41 or 42 degrees, the sheer amount of salt (about 1 cup for a 5 pound belly) would help stave off spoilage and toxins.

No. Do not toss the belly. Anything that might have grown will be handled by the salt and by the smoking process.

You do not seed curing salt to cure bacon. I often don't bother with it. (I can usually get the distinctive bacon red color if I use sea salt, something minerally.) I don't cold smoke though--I start cold-ish but let the heat rise to 200 lid, tops. I let it rise slowly by not starting with much lit and by using water in the pan. I take it to the 150s internal then let it languish there for a while. It is time @ temp that matters.

Follow these precautions when making bacon without curing salt (I do this no matter what version I'm making):

Be clean and use clean utensils.

Cool the bacon quickly after smoking: I usually cut a belly into halves or thirds before curing (sometimes I flavor each piece differently, sometimes not; it makes it easier to manage and to cool). After smoking, place the pieces on a cake cooling rack for maybe 10 min to let the heat dissipate. Fill a large stockpot with water and ice. Put each piece into a Zip-loc or appropriately sized FoodSaver bag. Put the bags into the ice water, keeping the open ends of the baga above the water level. Let the bacon cook completely, remove the bags, seal and freeze, or seal and fridge, or slice, seal and freeze or fridge.

Bacon that has not been cured with curing salt should be treated as perishible, i.e., kept cold in the fridge.

Do not eat the bacon raw (yes, some people like raw bacon). Cook it first.


Curing salt is necessary if you are going to cold smoke, i.e., smoke <100 degrees for a long period of time. Bacon does not need to be cold smoked (commercial bacon isn't and few artisan bacons are). Basic food safety protocols are sufficient for safety if you are hot smoking and if you take the bacon up to safe internals. And, of course, if you cook it before consumption.

I would think that even if it's at 41 or 42 degrees, the sheer amount of salt (about 1 cup for a 5 pound belly) would help stave off spoilage and toxins.

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You are correct. Also, temps of up to the mid-50s wouldn't worry me because this is an item that you are going to cook--twice, actually. The pathogens that are likely to grow at those temps are not those that will survive cooking were they to survive the intense salt.

Speaking of which, note that you can test for salt level afer curing but before smoking. When you remove the belly from the cure rinse it very well then trim off a little piece. Fry it gently in oil till cooked through then taste it. If it is too salty for your taste you can soak the belly in cold water, changing it once or twice, for a few hours, then test again. Repeat if necessary.

Alternatively, should you not have the time to do this, you can rinse well, dry well, allow to air-dry to form a pellicle (or ramp your cooker slowly so that it dries in the cooker, then add your smokewood) and simply smoke. Test a piece before chilling (remember to cook it first). If too salty for your taste, then, after slicing, blanch the slices of bacon in simmering water for 1 min. Pat dry then fry as usual.

Remember that homemade bacon is not pumped like commercial bacon is. It frys better at lower temps.


Hope this helps.

Wow, I don't think I could have dreamt of a more complete answer! Thanks for the help, Kevin!

I am a little worried that I used too much salt, so I will be following your detailed steps. I do feel quite a bit better about this now. One concern, though, is that the belly I got is not from the loin end. It's a bit on the thin side - maybe 2" at its thickest but very thin (1/2") on the opposite end. I was planning on a 7 day cure, but it might be a little quicker with as thin as it is, right?

Thanks again!

You didn't use too much in terms of curing. The cure has to be thought of first. The salt level in terms of taste can be dealt with later, as described above.

Bellies run from front (butt end) to back (ham end). Commercial bellies are always thinner than pastured pork bellies but, more important, the bellies one buys at the store are not necessarily cut for bacon. They're just--well, cut. One is totally dependent on the skill of the cutter. One sees what you describe quite often.

Btw, should you miss the color or the taste that occurs with the use of curing salt, order some (or TQ, I prefer curing salt and to make my own base mix) from Butcher-Packer. Dirt cheap. Worth getting anyway--for when you get into cured sausage-making...

Originally posted by danmarks:
what do you use to light just 2-3 briqs, or do you light a batch and just take 2-3 out to place into the wsm?

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Dan, I use one of these. I also turned my grate upside down in the Weber chimney so when lighting 3-4 briqs, they stay in the center, and are easy to reach with the propane torch, side burner on the gasser, or the Turkey burner. You can just flip your chimney upside down, but you'll have to go the newspaper or veg oil paper towel route.

Originally posted by r benash:
Hey Bryan - what temp do you cook the belly to?

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Ray, I go somewhere between 130-140 on the bacon. It gets fully cooked in the end so I don't worry about it.

Well, well, well.. I ran to Super Target tonight to get some unrelated stuff and thought, "Hmm.. lemme go run to the spice aisle real quick."

Lo and behold.. a 2 lb bag of Tender Quick. I snatched it up and kicked myself for not checking here sooner, especially on Bryan S's suggestion!

While I think I will be okay with only the salt, sugar, and maple syrup cure, I can't help but have a little doubt in the back of my mind about using the TQ. I guess it's too late in the game now, isn't it?

I'm already preparing for my next cure. I talked to the finest butcher in town today and asked her (yes, her!) about the availability of a farm-raised, Berkshire belly. She said no problem, 1 week lead time. I think I'll be trying this once I get back from vacation!

Couple of other tag on questions.

What would be the longest interval for holding the belly in the fridge before you start to cure?

Slicing - I don't have a slicer and want to try this soon. Other than slicing by hand, has anyone ever taken the slab to your friendly butcher ($$ tip) for slicing?

Everything I've read about curing indicates you want to start the cure process as soon as possible.

As far as slicing, I plan on slightly freezing mine for an hour or so and then going for it. My butcher will not allow me to bring in my own meats (she doesn't know if what I'm bringing in is covered with toxins). Yours might view it differently, so it's worth a phone call. I contemplated a meat slicer, but I can't justify the cost or the sheer space that the thing will take up.

On a somewhat related note, after finding the Tender Quick I decided last night to go for a small pork shoulder for buckboard bacon and a small brisket for pastrami. Now I'm curing for real.

Okay, stupid question here..

How do I know when this belly is done curing? I've been overhauling it every day this week, and the lean portions are starting to turn hard (as expected). The fat is firm, but not as hard as the lean.

Again, this belly is on the thin side - maybe 1/2" thick in some spots. I'm thinking that the cure should be done by Friday, for sure. That's when I'm planning on pulling the pastrami out and smoking it. I think I'll do the same with the belly.

This issue is the thickest part. I think you'll be okay on Friday. If your fridge stays above 36 it'll likely be fine. You should feel firmness thoughout but this doesn't always work with belly as the softer fat can make it harder to feel. If you wish you can cut into the thickest part (but I would not do so till Friday) and look inside. Still, even so, it can be hard to tell definitively.

Kevin, I moved the meat down to the bottom shelf of the fridge, where the temp is a constant 37. I'll be taking it out the cure tomorrow evening for a little late-night WSM action.

Thanks Dan - there are a few collapsable slicers, some of higher quality that fit in a drawer. But haven't gotten off the dime yet as to whether that would be worth the $$. I do though want to move to real non pumped bacon and the good stuff at the farmers market is pretty expensive and might make the investment worthwhile. I need to make a few bellies before I trust that my product is worthy of that additional expense.

Chef's Choice 650

I just took the belly out of its Ziploc bag. I rinsed it, sliced off a small piece and fried it up.

Holy salt lick, Batman!

But OMG... wow.. the fat was just fantastic, melt in your mouth style. It had a really nice lean streak as well. The maple flavor is definitely there with an awesome sweet finish. I'm REALLY anticipating the taste after smoking!

After cutting the belly in half, I've got the two bacons hanging out in a cold water soak. This is going to be awesome!

Dan,

I hope you realize that there is no going back. You are totally screwed now. Now more conventional bacon for you.

About slicing, I really do not believe that a slicer is at all necessary to enjoy homemade bacon. As long as you have a good sharp kitchen knife and reasonable skills using it, you can cut it with a knife. Although I have a slicer, I often cut it with a knife since I like it nice and thick.

Where I find the slicer very handy is for something like pastrami where you want it sliced very thin with a uniform thickness.