Michael Ruhlman's Maple Cured Bacon from "Charcuterie"


 
Originally posted by Shawn W:
couple of questions:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">2 ounces kosher salt
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this is weight not volume right?

Can you taste the maple in the end product? Is it sweet, strong or just a hint?

I used a bunch of brown sugar in my first bacon and I couldn't taste it ... wondering if the maple sugar is worth it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
2 oz by weight as Phil said. Yes you can taste the Maple on this bacon. Not super strong maple but you def know it's there. I used Grade A medium amber @ $7.95 a qt, no dark amber to be had around here. Didn't look all that hard though. If you can get dark amber I'd use that.
 
Originally posted by Bryan S:
Next up is Tupelo Honey Bacon, it's in the cure.
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Just wondering if you made the Tupelo Honey Bacon and how it turned out. Making my own bacon is a moral imperative.
 
Originally posted by Gerry D.:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
Next up is Tupelo Honey Bacon, it's in the cure.
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Just wondering if you made the Tupelo Honey Bacon and how it turned out. Making my own bacon is a moral imperative. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Gerry, I did. Link for you.
 
Not having made bacon yet, I'm posing a question with no practical knowledge of what I speak. Thinking about the rind... It seems that some folks remove it prior to smoking (but leave it on for the cure) and some remove it after smoking, while others don't remove it at all. My question is what are the advantages and/or disadvantages of each? Why not, if one is going to remove it, do it prior to the cure?
 
You can remove it prior to the cure but I find it easier to do after, when the fat is firmer from curing. I nearly always apply something the the exterior of the belly after curing but before smoking so I remove it after curing.
 
Thanks Kevin. What about just getting a real good chill (freezer for an hour or two) to firm everything up and then trimming prior to the cure? Again, no practical experience here, just conjecture. No one has made a case for leaving the rind on.... Anyone? Bryan? Phil?

"nearly always apply something to the exterior before smoking...." "
As always, would welcome your thoughts!
 
You certainly can trim prior to the cure (I do when I do heritage bacon as it is so much thicker). I think many leave it on because it is easy to remove after smoking and, if they are not adding anything to the exterior anyway, it doesn't really matter much.
 
As Kevin said it's much easier to remove after the cure stage because the belly firms up a great deal. You could parially freezee but you better do it on a very flat surface, i.e. place the belly on a piece of parchment paper and on a jelly roll pan, skin side down. If that belly sets up in the freezer, not flat, it will make skin removal difficult. I'd check after about an hr, you don't want it to get too frozen.
Ok, I leave the skin on till after smoking and save it to season soups, beans, etc. HTH
 
I made three types of bacon from one belly of a Berkshire hog I purchased in May. The Maple Cured Bacon from Charcuterie was much superior to a packaged "Maple Cure" I bought at my supplier. Although my son tells me that the Charcuterie recipe can be overpowering in sandwiches where he prefers the other.

The Charcuterie bacon is in the lower left of this photo with the other stuff next to it in the package. I think it looks better cured.



I also made the pancetta from Charcuterie. I left it flat because it was too stiff for me to roll. It is excellent and simple to make.

 
Originally posted by JRPfeff:
I also made the pancetta from Charcuterie. I left it flat because it was too stiff for me to roll. It is excellent and simple to make.
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Pics of bacon look great. Please tell me more about the pancetta. When I read that recipe in the book, I said I so have to make it. I would leave it flat also. It just falls apart/unwinds anyway when you cook it.
 
man, I'm so excited I found this thread. I got the book for xmas and read it cover to cover but havent made anything yet.

thanks for the inspiration, and please post any other recipe attempts.
 
Bryan - We cooked up several slices and added the cooked pancetta to a chicken pasta dish. The pancetta added a deep meaty flavor to the pasta.

BTW - I cut that flat piece that I cured into four smaller pieces - probably 4 x 4 inches. I sealed three and froze them and am cooking with the other one.

j b - I've made several recipes from Charcuterie and all have been excellent. This Maple Cured Bacon beats my first bacon attempt using Alton Brown's salt cured recipes. Brown calls for cold smoking bacon, but it needs to be hot smoked as Charcuterie recommends.

I've previously made the corned beef and pastrami from Charcuterie, and have two fresh Berkshire hams in my freezer for my next attempts. I'll do the brown sugar cured ham first, then I'll do the Italian style dried ham.

Don't be afraid to try anything in Charcuterie, the recipes I tried have all worked out extremely well.

Jim
 
This is a picture of the finished pancetta. I was away for 4 nights and my family ate all of my first square except for that small wedge in the front. The rest is safely in freezer bags.

 
This thread inspired me to buy the book and try and make some bacon. Just got an email from Amazon saying its on the way. I cannot wait to try this!!
 
so does anyone else think this is to strong as mentioned somewhere else above? better yet...from what i think i understand is that if i test fry a piece and its to strong/salty, I can soak in water and change water a few times etc. and i could adjust somewhat correct? and another ? would be I have maple sugar cure... no maple sugar yet, like bryan im checkin the health nut stores tomarrow or next day. salt is on the way thought etc. if i can use this cure then i wander in what amounts etc., or if the reg. sugar is about the only way to go. thanks.
also my slabs were frozen in wait for salt. im assuming much like ribs 1 day or 1 1/2 days will thaw them in refrigeration, if flipped, and not stacked, etc. correct?.
 
It is not too strong. After curing you can slice off a little piece of belly and fry it in some oil. Taste test for salt. Soak if too salty.

I'm not sure what you mean by: "if i can use this cure then i wander in what amounts etc., or if the reg. sugar is about the only way to go. thanks." Can you rephrase?

Yes, expect 1.5 or 2 days to thaw.
 
im sorry. I mean to say that I HAVE maple sugar CURE, in a package. I DO NOT have maple sugar, (but can hopefully find within next two days at a health food store, as Bryan). I was hoping that the actuall cure could be used and my problem is solved. If I were to use the maple sugar cure, i just assumed MAYBE the amounts used would differ then that of the recipie (the recipie doesn't call for any M.S. cure, only regular maple sugar) but, you may not advise re-arranging the recipie like this. My lack of experience in bacon making + never actually using pink salts and/or any curing salts (...or curing sugars??...as in "maple sugar cure") makes me wander the potency of each, and if amounts need to be re-arranged. thanks again Kev. your just all over this bacon, and i thank you.
 
Okay. Gotcha.

If you do not find maple sugar and want to cure with the maple cure you have, you should follow the instructions that came with that cure as to the amount of cure to use with the size piece of belly you are going to use it with. I would probably also add maple syrup to the cure (1/4 c), and would cure 7 days. Mix your cure, in the amount specified per the instructions you have, with the syrup as noted in the OP.
 
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