Bacon Curing

[Rick N]

I've been a long time reader and very infrequent poster but the Maple Cured Bacon thread caused me to give belly bacon a try.

I read Michael Ruhlman's book and procured the necessary ingredients for basic cured bacon. Last friday I procured a 5.25# piece of fresh belly and proceeded to cut it into two pieces; 1 for basic cured bacon; the other for basic cure plus garlic and sechuan peppercorns. The basic cure was prepared following the recipe in the book.

The book indicated that 1/4 cup of the basic cure would be sufficient for a 3-5# belly so I used a generous 1/4 cup of the basic cure, applying half two each piece of belly.

As of the second flip of the belly pieces yesterday, there was minimal liquid in the ziplocks that I am using to cure the belly (maybe 1 TBL free liquid in the basic cure bag and even less in the garlic/pepper cure bag). I added two additional TBL of basic cure to each ziplock 4-days into the curing process and now have slightly more free liquid but still not what I would call a lot of free liquid.

The book indicates that the curing process will release a lot of liquid. Have I not used enough of the basic cure? I am wondering if I need to abandon this attempt and start over or not?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Rick N

 

[Cameron]

The liquid will build up over the entire week - and I think you are on day 2 (yesterday) and day 3 now?

I would give it more time. It takes a few days for things to get going while it is in the back of your fridge. Nothing sounds out of the ordinary.

What temp range is your fridge set to?

 

[Rick N]

I checked the temp of the fridge yesterday to make sure it wasn't below 36 (which apparently inhibits proper curing); temperature of the fridge was 38.

I started the cure on Friday night (almost 5 days ago). I added more of the basic cure to each bag at the 96-hour mark.

 

[Bryan S]

Rick, I think you are fine. When I do the maple bacon cure, I don't really get a whole lot of liquid either. I use that recipe for a 6-7 lb piece of belly. HTH

 

[Brandon A]

Speaking of bacon, I just aquired a large fresh pork belly. It goes almost 9lbs, quite the piece of meat. If I start the cure tonight after work, by next Saturday it will have had a strong 10 day cure. I can cut a little time off by waiting until tomarrow morning instead of doing it late tonight. Just thinking 10 days may be pushing it, but I dont want it sitting in the fridge (in freezer paper, no cryo) forever either.

Brandon

 

[K Kruger]

It will be okay. Salt test after rinsing.

 

[Rick N]

Thanks for the input guys! I'll salt test a piece before smoking and will report on the results later.

I just got a Williams Sonoma catalog with a recipe for Smoky Bacon Biscuit Dressing that looks most interesting - so I've already got plans for some of the garlic/pepper bacon for the Thanksgiving table - we always have two dressings at the table; one "traditional" and one non-traditional.

I can't wait to try homemade bacon!