Michael Ruhlman's Maple Cured Bacon from "Charcuterie"


 
Originally posted by Joshua Lee Ferguson:
Can I substitute Morton Tender Quick for the pink salt? If so, do I need to change the amounts?
Click to expand...

TenderQuick has the pink salt as well as regular salt, etc. It's all the elements of the cure except flavorings.

I once made bacon, about 4 pounds, with 1/4 cup tenderquick and 1/2 cup grade B maple syrup and it was really good, but not as good as later attempts using maple sugar + maple syrup. But that's a reasonable starting point.
 
If using Morton TQ eliminate the salt and pink salt from the recipe and use 1-1.25 tablespoons TQ per pound of belly.
 
Just made my first batch. No luck finding maple sugar, so I found a substitute (basically granulated sugar and maple syrup at a 1:4 ratio).

Two 6 lb pork bellies in the fridge now. I don't know if I have the patience to wait a full 10 days my first try. Kind of wonder how the wait will go when I try to brine a ham????
 
Have you tried googling "maple sugar"??? Displayed were lots of sites that carry the stuff. You can also get it from one of the sponsors here. Their name and website is called AlliedKenco.com.

Best,
-T
 
Hi all,

Followed the recipe on the first page of this for a belly a shade over 4lbs (adjusted ingredients down a bit). I'm on day 6 and the meat has turned fairly dark. Almost a gray. Not a bad smell when I opened it, but certainly not a red/pink I was expecting.

Also, there has been almost no liquid (I'd say maybe a teaspoon).

I've been flipping it every day. Fridge has perhaps been a bit on the cold side, but not freezing.

Is the lack of liquid and color a potential problem? Or is the color from the ingredients in the cure?

I did see a few questions in this long thread related to color, but nothing like what I'm asking as far as I could see.

Thanks.
 
Little to no liquid isn't a problem. In fact for me it's more common than not.

The color... hard to see without seeing it, but don't expect a bright pink. For me the fat takes on some of the color of the cure (so, brownish), and the meat turns a very dark deep red. When the cure's done and you cut a test slice and fry it up to check for saltiness it will probably be more the color you're expecting.
 
Thanks, Doug. I guess my concern is/was, obviously, that it might have turned. I think I'd be able to smell it even through the maple. And, with salt and pink salt on it, hopefully 6 days out of the wrapper wouldn't turn it anyway.
 
I would not worry about the color. I have not seen your slab, but a dark color is not unusual. The red/pink color comes from pink salt, and for normal bacon that is mostly just cosmetic, sorta like "meat cosmetics"
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The color on the outside of the slab is usually "duller" than the meat inside of your bacon.

The amount of liquid varies between different slabs, and as mentioned before, a tablespoon or two is quite normal.
 
That's what I was assuming you were concerned about. And maybe I should say explicitly that I agree that pork that's gone bad has usually pretty obviously gone bad smell-wise. The stuff's cheap, so pitch it if you're concerned, but it sounds fine to me.
 
I have made this recipe a number of times. The "meat" portion of the bacon is always grey but it loses the gray when it is smoked. I agree that the first time you try this it looks a bit funky but it will be fine.
 
Cool. Thanks guys. Trust me, it would take an awful lot to get me off a slab of bacon, but glad to hear this sounds fairly normal.
 
Add me to the list of those that love this recipe. So easy. I used two pieces of belly; total 5 lb and it worked out perfectly.
 
I made this cure recipe last night and added some honey and thyme. I only used about half since I was only making a couple lbs. Still getting my feet wet with charcuterie so I thought I would ask some of you experts. Any reason the cure won't keep in the fridge for a while? I spooned it on the belly so it hasn't come in contact with any raw meat.
 
I just put 6, 3 pound pieces in the cure, I used the same
Formulation for the 5 pound'er. Now that I am thinking about
It, did I screw up?? The ratios are the same...
Now I'm worried.


Thanks
 
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