All this Bacon talk....

Chubbs · January 21

Thanks for the input guys. Has anyone tried the savory blend from Charcuterie with smashed garlic and peppercorns? I am pumped about that one. Smelled great going into the bag.

500 · January 21

Chubbs said:
Thanks for the input guys. Has anyone tried the savory blend from Charcuterie with smashed garlic and peppercorns? I am pumped about that one. Smelled great going into the bag.

Ditto.

NDG · January 21

Could you please post that recipe? Or could you post the maple cure? I have my AMS smoker on order along with the Charcuterie book from Amazon . . . but neither have arrived yet. Figured I can start the cure now . . just need to know how, thanks!

billyray · January 21

Chubbs said:

Thanks for the input guys. Has anyone tried the savory blend from Charcuterie with smashed garlic and peppercorns? I am pumped about that one. Smelled great going into the bag.

My last batch was the maple cure, but I add crushed peppercorns. No garlic. This hybrid was very good.

500 · January 21

When we tried the brown sugar hickory and the regular hickory only from the butcher, we liked the regular better. I think my first will be little to no sugar, pepper, and that's about it. Maybe I try one apple and one hickory if I do two smoke sessions.

Chubbs · January 21

NDG said:

Could you please post that recipe? Or could you post the maple cure? I have my AMS smoker on order along with the Charcuterie book from Amazon . . . but neither have arrived yet. Figured I can start the cure now . . just need to know how, thanks!

I am at work, so dont quote me on this but...

The maple was 2 tsp pink salt, 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4 brown sugar. Stir until blended. Then stir in 1/4 cup of maple syrup.

The savory, I subbed regular sugar for the brown sugar, added 5 crushed garlic cloves, 3 crushed bay leaves, and 1 tbs of crushed black peppercorns

Good luck..

NDG · January 21

Great . . . . I appreciate it.

Chubbs · January 21

NDG said:

Great . . . . I appreciate it.

FYI- The book says to weigh the ingredients rather than relying on measurements, but a kitchen scale is several items down on my wish list for the egg right now. And, something tells me our ancestors didnt use a kitchen scale when curing their meats...

NDG · January 26

Ok confused about pink salt. I bought a few things of what I thought was pink salt, but thinking I made a mistake as mine is "himalania pink salt". For bacon cure, do I need to order special nitrate pink salt fom some online store?

Chubbs · January 26

NDG said:
Ok confused about pink salt. I bought a few things of what I thought was pink salt, but thinking I made a mistake as mine is "himalania pink salt". For bacon cure, do I need to order special nitrate pink salt fom some online store?

Hate to break the news, but .... Yep.

NDG · January 26

Shit the bed.

double · January 26

Check this out on AMZN: D.Q. Curing Salts - Pink Salt - 1 bag, 1... http://amzn.com/B0050IM4MY

Mine arrived today. Also ordered my A-maze-n check out my other post for a discount coupon for them.

Mighty_Quinn · January 26

Williams Sonoma sells it if you're by one of those.

NDG · January 26

Great, thanks . .

billyray · January 26

I found this to be the best price.

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=706427c7ece19dc180869adf3ede0af6&keyword=pink+salt

500 · January 26

I just ordered some from here; http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/

double · January 26

@billyray holy cow I got ripped! Oh well live and learn.

Chubbs · January 26

double said:
@billyray holy cow I got ripped! Oh well live and learn.

They get you on the shipping a little. $10 to SC for me.

double · January 26

Ah then my amazon prime deal was not so bad.

NDG · January 26

Thinking ill go to william Sonoma tmrw and save on shipping and time . . .assuming it is same product?

Chubbs · January 26

NDG said:
Thinking ill go to william Sonoma tmrw and save on shipping and time . . .assuming it is same product?

Just make sure it is 6.25% sodium nitrate.

NDG · January 26

Ok, nitrite/nitrate talk in charcuterie kinda freaked me out, lots of warnings . . .but I only had time to skim hopng to start my first cure, but I will re-read later.

Chubbs · January 26

Hey MQ, Focker, Nola, billyray, CT and whoever else that cures their own bacon-- how firm is it when it is ready? Mine has been going since last Sunday. Was kind of hoping to pull today, rinse and leave in fridge to form pellicle. Then smoke tomorrow? I know you can't rush chemistry, but what is the difference in 1 day of cure? I have to work Monday so smoking then will be a late night. Thought?

Mighty_Quinn · January 26

It's hard to say how firm it ends up. If it feels a lot more firm from where you started you're good. I would think you're ok now at 6 days...unless its an especially thick piece of belly 6 days is usually good for me.

Chubbs · January 26

Mighty_Quinn said:
It's hard to say how firm it ends up. If it feels a lot more firm from where you started you're good. I would think you're ok now at 6 days...unless its an especially thick piece of belly 6 days is usually good for me.

That is what I thought too. Thanks MQ. I have a corner on my savory batch that is thick. I may leave that one in a little longer. Do you soak yours in water when you pull it or just run under water? Thanks again

Mighty_Quinn · January 26

I always just rinse off cure thoroughly....never soaked, but I've never felt like my bacon was too salty. I always measure out the proper amount of cure for the weight of bellies I have...never do the saltbox dredge method Ruhlman talks about in the book.

Chubbs · January 26

Mighty_Quinn said:
I always just rinse off cure thoroughly....never soaked, but I've never felt like my bacon was too salty. I always measure out the proper amount of cure for the weight of bellies I have...never do the saltbox dredge method Ruhlman talks about in the book.

Thanks MQ. Appreciate the confirmation.

Focker · January 26

Chubbs said:

It's hard to say how firm it ends up. If it feels a lot more firm from where you started you're good. I would think you're ok now at 6 days...unless its an especially thick piece of belly 6 days is usually good for me.
That is what I thought too. Thanks MQ. I have a corner on my savory batch that is thick. I may leave that one in a little longer. Do you soak yours in water when you pull it or just run under water? Thanks again

You could slice a piece from that side, and cook. If it turns gray, it is undercured. Regardless of size, I cure for 14 days. Max you can cure is 20 days. Then I soak for 2-3 hours, changing the water as needed. Fat distribution varies with each piece, some may never firm up. An extra week takes the guesswork out of things.

Curing then equalizing is better than undercuring.

billyray · January 26

Mighty_Quinn said:

It's hard to say how firm it ends up. If it feels a lot more firm from where you started you're good. I would think you're ok now at 6 days...unless its an especially thick piece of belly 6 days is usually good for me.

I agree with MQ. When doing a sample piece to determine the saltiness, remember the first cuts off of either side are going to taste more salty. Same way after you smoke that the first cuts will taste more smoky.

double · January 26

Has anyone used this

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