Curing Pork Belly with Maple Syrup?

QDude

I am going to do my first pork belly this weekend.  In the book "Charcuterie", the author suggests adding maple syrup to the belly for a sweeter flavor.  I'm not sure if a should put the dry rub on the belly first and then cover it in syrup or if I should dissolve the dry rub into the syrup first.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

tnbarbq

I think I would mix the rub in with the syrup.  Not sure it would make a difference taste wise, but might be easier to deal with.

NDG

I did this same recipe and made a paste, then covered the belly.

pantsypants

I mixed it all in and it was glorious
i have been eating it nonstop since i smoked it on Sunday .
I even have another piece curing in my fridge now

The Cen-Tex Smoker

does not matter. I just pour the syrup in the bag after I put the belly in. You can just throw a belly in a bag, throw your cure mix in and dump the syrup in. It will all even out in a few hours.

BigWader

+1 - what he said.  I trim my belly pieces, weigh them, calculate the amount of cure mix (salt, sugar, brown sugar, nitrite) for each one, weigh it out then drop the belly in the bag, sprinkle the dry a bit on either side, pour in the Maple Syrup (+a tsp of molasses per piece), seal the bag and massage a bit.  By day two it's all dissolved and even.

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

does not matter. I just pour the syrup in the bag after I put the belly in. You can just throw a belly in a bag, throw your cure mix in and dump the syrup in. It will all even out in a few hours.

laserdoc85

Here you go. I'm doing this one and it is know in the frig for 7 days. People swear this is the best of the best.

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?542-Maple-Cured-Bacon&s=c626b5a4afb3b9086d67a27a9fd3eafa