1st bacon: 2 question


 
Milan Bartolec

Milan Bartolec

New member
Doing my first bacon. bought a whole side of pork belly and cut it into two large slabs. Total weight 9 lbs - 10.75 oz.
Q1: The slabs were too big to fit into gallon zip lock backs so I put them inside clean garbage bags. Is there any issue with this type of plastic or not being air tight?
Q2: Probably a little too late but I wanted to check on the amount of Morton Tender Quick used. Guidelines say 1 Tbs / lb of meet. I weighed 1 level Tbs and got 14 grams. So I used a total of 135 g MTK for the whole 9.67 lbs. That sound about right?
:cool:
 
Milan,
Welcome to bacon making!

Zip Lock makes a 3 gallon bag that might be large enough for half a slab.
Can't answer about the type plastic used in a garbage bag, but doubt it's harmful for this short usage.
Personally, I would have wrapped them in plastic wrap first, such as Saran.

If your measurement of 1 Tbs. was correct, then your math is right.
I think 1 Tbs. of table salt is around 17 grams, and MTQ seems lighter than regular salt.
It will be close enough, that is for sure.

Just saw Tim's post above.
I started to link to that, but I know Geir has never even seen MTQ.:)
A web search is where I got the weight of table salt.
 
Last edited:
Milan Bartolec said:
Q1: The slabs were too big to fit into gallon zip lock backs so I put them inside clean garbage bags. Is there any issue with this type of plastic or not being air tight?
Click to expand...

Garbage bags aren't made of foodsafe plastic.

Milan Bartolec said:
Q2: Probably a little too late but I wanted to check on the amount of Morton Tender Quick used. Guidelines say 1 Tbs / lb of meet. I weighed 1 level Tbs and got 14 grams. So I used a total of 135 g MTK for the whole 9.67 lbs. That sound about right?
Click to expand...

Yep, that's right, a tablespoon of MTQ is a 1/2 ounce (14 grams.)


~Martin
 
Bob Correll said:
Milan,
Welcome to bacon making!

Zip Lock makes a 3 gallon bag that might be large enough for half a slab.
Can't answer about the type plastic used in a garbage bag, but doubt it's harmful for this short usage.
Personally, I would have wrapped them in plastic wrap first, such as Saran.

If your measurement of 1 Tbs. was correct, then your math is right.
I think 1 Tbs. of table salt is around 17 grams, and MTQ seems lighter than regular salt.
It will be close enough, that is for sure.

Just saw Tim's post above.
I started to link to that, but I know Geir has never even seen MTQ.:)
A web search is where I got the weight of table salt.
Click to expand...

You are quite right, as always. I have never seen MTQ :)
I do have conversion tables as well as a set of measuring spoons. These items told me that 1 tablespoon is 20 grams. I see now that it is quite high, so much that it will change the taste of the bacon.

There is a problem when you measure by volume something that should be measured by weight. :)
 
Nope. But there is a big difference in doing it once, and on a regular basis. This all boils down to a lot of different factors, such as temperature, pH, how long you store the food and so on. The thing is that if it not tested, you're not sure what happens. I would not hesitate to eat the bacon in question, but maybe not every day for the rest of my life.
 
Bacon switched to 2 gal ziplocks to finish the cure. Smoked the bacon today. Just about to come off the smoker. Internal temps at 143F.

Question: I rinsed and soaked the bacon yesterday and sliced off the ends to check for salt. No problems. Today before smoking i sliced off a couple more to cook up and family loved it. so now I'm wondering if you can make bacon without smoking? Can I just cure it, dry it and cut it up? Or does smoking it to 145F (out of the danger zone) do something, other than smoke flavor, to make the bacon safe/cure? Pics coming soon.
 
Milan Bartolec said:
Bacon switched to 2 gal ziplocks to finish the cure. Smoked the bacon today. Just about to come off the smoker. Internal temps at 143F.

Question: *snip Can I just cure it, dry it and cut it up? Or does smoking it to 145F (out of the danger zone) do something, other than smoke flavor, to make the bacon safe/cure? Pics coming soon.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can just salt and cure the belly. This is a normal way to use pork belly in many countries, including large parts of Europe. Italian Panchetta is not smoked or heat treated in any way. "Normal" bacon here in Norway is cold smoked, e.g. smoked at temps lower than 32c, or 89f. Unsmoked belly tastes a bit different. Give it a try! A traditional way to enjoy this here where I live, is fried belly, served with mushy green peas and boiled potatoes.

By the way, your bacon looks great!
 
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