Bacon...how long is too long for a cure?

Long story short, I defrosted a couple bellies, thinking I'd make them into pancetta. But I failed to realize how big they are and figured it'd would be too much pancetta, so decided to turn one slab into bacon.

Problem is...it won't be cured by this weekend (I'm doing a dry cure), so can't smoke it, which brings us to the following weekend. That's nearly two weeks, which I think is too long for a cure.

a) is it?
b) can I rinse it off and leave it in the fridge for a couple of days?
c) any suggestions?

Had the same issue last time I did canadian bacon.
Go ahead and rinse it off. Pat dry. If it's only going to be a day or two before smoking, I'd just place it on a cooling rack with a towel over it back in the fridge. If it's going to be longer you can wrap it up tightly (or vac pak).
As a rule now: I usually like to let the bacon (loin or belly) sit out of the cure for a day (or so) before smoking. jmo

Though technically two weeks is too long for belly there is not likely to be a problem were you to go that long. There is no reason to, however. Rinse well (then, if you wish, trim off a corner and nuke or fry just to cook through; taste for salt level; if too salty soak in cold water for a few hours, in the fridge, changing the water once or twice; if not too salty, proceed), pat dry, then fridge lightly covered, till smoking time.

Kevin, is it possible to calculate how much salt one would need to cure a belly, and letting things run its course?

rather than using more cure than needed and soaking later, why couldn't we mix things more precisely?

this has greater implications for me and things like pancetta and bresaola. I was hoping to remove some of the inexactness involved and avoid an overly salty finished product.

I'm not Kevin, but here in Norway we have as most other parts of the world a long tradition in curing pork belly, and you can buy unsmoked pork belly in the shops. It's not called bacon, bacon imlplies that the meat is smoked. "Flesk", or "lettsaltet sideflesk" is the name.
Her'es how we do it- you dry cure the belly. We simply add between three to four percent regular seasalt, coarse or fine to the belly. As an example, if you have a piece of belly that weights two pounds, and you go for a final result that is not very salty, you add thirty grams of salt. That's about a couple of tablespoons, I think.Something between three and four percent is right on the spot. If you add sugar, add sugar, and do not replace any of the salt.

Put the belly in cold water for half an hour, and pat it dry. You can fry it right away.

Two to three days of curing is usually enough, but is is no problem to keep the belly in the fridge for a week or more.

So- to sum up- try the well- tested 3->4% rule, and see what you think.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Kevin, is it possible to calculate how much salt one would need to cure a belly, and letting things run its course?rather than using more cure than needed and soaking later, why couldn't we mix things more precisely? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I meant to get back to you on this a while ago...

Yes and no. It depends on the meat and how it will be used, and, importantly, whether any further processing (re: cooking) is required or is typical after curing and/or before use.

A salt level of 2-3% is thought by most to be pleasant. This is not enough to effect curing, however. Salt needs to be at least 6% and in some cases greater (like 10%) for actual curing to take place.

Though these higher levels can be lessened somewhat when #1 or #2 is added, the operative issue is whether the meat will be smoked for flavor only (cold smoked), smoked for flavor and pasteurization (hot smoked), cooked before consumption (as most do for bacon, e.g.) or not - that sort of thing.

j,
It's been a little while since I read it but on the eGullet Charcuterie thread there was a guy advocating just what you are asking about. If I recall, he landed on the 3.5% salt range after several tests. He also used #1 (as Kevin notes).

I've thought about trying your brine method with 3.5% and take half out after 3 days and the other half out after a week to see if it matters. It sure would be nice to have a foolproof method without a maximum time (within reason).

I've got two loins in for canadian bacon as we speak...but I didn't think to weigh them and calculate a ratio.

Next time.

Ron

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I meant to get back to you on this a while ago... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

no sweat, better late then never.

ok, I'm going to assume brining to cure and directly salting are two different animals. If I remember correctly, Charcuterie's basic cure worked out to be that salt was 5% the meat mass. If you see this thread, I actually used something closer to 4%.