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MTQ Belly Bacon Cure times????????

Last Saturday I started a 11lb batch of belly bacon using MTQ for the cure. I was confident in my cure times by following the MTQ of 7 days per inch of belly. At the thickest point it is almost 2" so I planned on going the full 14 days. I read a recent post about being bacon being over cured, and I am nervous and don't want to over cure it and have it overly salty. The difference in the above post is that the OP used Readycure.

Anyone done and MTQ belly bacon? Did you follow the suggested length of cure?

Comments

  • That is a lengthy cure.

    At one week, check for firmness.  If you have cured belly before, you will know when it is done.

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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    This is my first attempt at it, so I don't have the experience to know or be 100% sure.
  • It should be cured in a week.  I usually find mine to be ready at 6 days, typically. 

    Unless you have solid reasons to though, you should follow the directions explicitly until you gain experience.


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  • BigWader
    BigWader Posts: 673

    I wouldn't stress about going to 14 days.  If you used MTQ you weighed it per the amount of belly in each bag.  The juice coming out of the belly was part of the original weight and the salt will seek equilibrium in the whole bag so you can't "oversalt" or even "over cure" per se.

    I have gone 2+ weeks because life got in the way and didn't notice any negative effects.

    However, I have found that I prefer to soak my cured bacon in water for 1 to 1h30min changing the water once in that time frame to desalinate it a bit.

    Are you hot or cold smoking the bacon?  I cold smoke and usually leave it for 3-5 days after that before slicing.  I have found then that the smoke and salt are very even throughout.

    Finally, about the feel.  If you are flipping your bags and massaging every day or every other day you will notice the belly firming up.  After 6 days or so it won't feel much different anymore and you'll feel like you are there.

    Keep us informed about how it's going.

    Toronto, Canada

    Large BGE, Small BGE

     

  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980

    Thanks for the advice. I was more concerned about over salting it and/or over/undercuring as compared to the Readycure recipes.

    I have placed the bellies in FS bag and sucked out most of the air, but still leaving some to let the juices flow. I do flip them everyday, but have read its not necessary as it is all sucked together and not loose like a standard Ziploc bag.

  • I always cure belly bacon for 7 days using the Morton's TQ. Then on the evening of the 7th day wash amd soak in cold water for 1 hour 30 minutes. Put back in fridge on baking racks to dry for 24 hours prior to smoke. The soak time seems to work out best for my taste. First time I soaked for 1 hour and it was a bit too salty. Tried 2 hours and not salty enough so I split the difference and has worked good. I have 16 lbs curing now that I am pulling tomorrow night to soak. Good luck www it your batch.
  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    Well it's finally done curing and smoking. I got 13.5 1lb packs. Good or bad, I still have another 12 lbs on the second cure.
  • Big_Green_Craig
    Big_Green_Craig Posts: 1,578
    hondabbq said:
    Well it's finally done curing and smoking. I got 13.5 1lb packs. Good or bad, I still have another 12 lbs on the second cure.
    Oh man. I love me some bacon!! What kind of cure sis you use?
  • gmac
    gmac Posts: 1,814
    @hondabbq‌ To follow up, my ready cured bacon that had 3 weeks or so was fine. I didn't soak it, just smoked. It is salty but not appreciably saltier than the other half that was cured for 1 week. Btw, I will be in Winnipeg on the 12th and will try to search out some of your sauces.
    Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    edited May 2014

    @gmac After 2 weeks in the cure mine wasn't salty. The flavor is undeniably better than commercial. I find it cooks up a little differently too. Message me when your in town and ill direct you to the closest location to get some sauces. Or I can deliver some to you if we can work it into schedules. Are you here on business or pleasure?

     

    @BGC I used MTQ and since everyone was ranting about the Ruhlman method I went with that one for my first go at it. The belly I got from my supplier had t in it but I only processed one. So I will be doing another round starting this weekend. Now I have to find another hopefully good recipe to try.

  • It coooks differently because it has had water removed from it, while commercial bacon has been injected, and has had water added to it.

    It will not shrink appreciably, or spatter (which is water boiling off in melted fat), like store-bought bacon does.
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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    It coooks differently because it has had water removed from it, while commercial bacon has been injected, and has had water added to it.

    It will not shrink appreciably, or spatter (which is water boiling off in melted fat), like store-bought bacon does.

    Makes sense.

    I find it also get crispy quicker, and you have to pull it off prior to what I would normally pull it off at or it will overcook and be even too crispy for me.

  • It gets crisper and cooks more quickly because it has not been injected with water (in the cure).


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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    I decided to do my own bacon when I went to grab a pound at the grocery and saw the $7 lb. price  tag.  

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."

                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited May 2014

    2" is a nice thick slab.

    One week will not be enough.  One week per inch is a decent guideline.  I would rather cure for two weeks, equilize, and soak to desalinate, then risk undercuring.  As long as you followed the MTQ recommended ratios, you cannot overcure.  Oversalt, yes.  

    Going by palpation to determine whether a belly is cured/equilized, is a poor indicator.  Each belly differs in muscle and fat distribution.

    Ruhlman is a starting point.  His recipe tends to be on the salty side, 3.5% from recalling calculations, but there are a great group of folks that I have learned so much more from here.

     http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/2165/bacon

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • BigWader
    BigWader Posts: 673

    Looks awesome @hondabbq

    With pork prices going up the bacon packs are getting smaller.  Everyone is moving down to 375g from 500g for the same price.

    Raw belly will go up to - but I think we may actually come out ahead in that deal with a superior product too.

    Toronto, Canada

    Large BGE, Small BGE

     

  • I have found that the cure penetrates an inch per week also.

    But being that the cure acts on both sides, the cure has never required more than a week to cure belly even two inches thick. And that for typical belly, say 1.5 or better, the time is really more like 6 days.

    Just my own personal observation.  No disrespect intended.
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited May 2014

    None taken.  Have under dry cured a 1.5" belly at 12 days.

    The week per inch common guideline takes into account all sides being cured simultaneously.

    Why take the risk, if letting it sit in the fridge an extra week is harmless?

     

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • SenecaTheYounger
    SenecaTheYounger Posts: 368
    edited May 2014
    Each person determines for themselves what is undercured, too salty, etc.

    I determine when something is cured by the firmness, and past results based on personal preference.

    I start with the advice of professionals (food science lit, experienced artisans, and people who make active study of the craft, Like Ruhlman/Polcyn; as opposed to bloggers), and then see what the results are.

    Simply find it odd that you'd say all of them can be so far off, a magnitude of 100% in fact, regarding cure times.  Curing is a much studied area of food science.  Many may have no desire to delve, but personally I can't reconcile how all the pros would be incorrect by that much.

    And so it's again really just personal preference, as opposed to fact. Which means most times a cure can be affected within a week, but you a person may want to go much longer for their own reasons. And those reasons needn't be anything more than gut feeling or whim.


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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980

    I am a chef so I have access to wholesale pricing. I picked up 13.4 kg of belly for $4.40/kg. It came in 2 pieces. This was before it shot up here.  Either way it will still be cheaper than retail, the down side (well sort of) is that I have to buy in bulk.

     

    Any posters have a tried and true recipe other than Ruhlmans?

  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited May 2014

    There are experts of the craft ("bloggers") who have been curing for generations with far more knowledge than Ruhlman/Polcyn.     

    I'm sorry, Ruhlman is not a Charcuterie God, nor his book the Bible.  He did a fantastic job of mainstreaming the craft, and putting Polcyn's techniques to paper.   

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364

    Jeff,

    From P.26

    "The recipes in this book, with a handful of exceptions, reflect Brian's work as a chef and a teacher." 

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Not sure who you are referring to. but I mentioned Brian Polcyn in my post specifically.

    I did not refer to them as gods, or the Bible.

    Please do not read more into comments than there is.

    Even if we take them out of the equation, I find no standard reference that states two weeks is the norm for curing belly.

    And I said clearly that if two weeks works for you, that is fine.  Personal preference trumps everything.

    It's just that I like to provide evidence for things when I am answering a question, or I make clear it is just my preference.


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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited May 2014

    I'm not reading more into it.  Sometimes it seems like a repetitive regurgitation of the book.

    And as you stated, personal experience trumps everything.

    I too, prefer evidence and experience.  If I find a 2" belly, at one week in the brine I will slice off a piece and cook. 

    It has been fun, rehashing this thread. 

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    edited May 2014

    I just flowed the MTQ information that states- 7 days for 1" of belly. I had some of the belly that was 2" so I went the full 2 weeks.

     

     

    PS now lets get back to discussing how wonderful my bacon looks.

    ^:)^
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited May 2014

    Apologies for the hijack @hondabbq.

    If you would like to try wet curing, here is a good starting point. 

     http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

    Have yet to dial in my cure, still a little too sweet.  Along with decreasing sugar, substituting molasses to cut the sweetness.

     

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    I cant do a wet cure as I don't have the pink salt. I only have MTQ.
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364

    I can't find it locally, and purchased on amazon.  With using approximately 1T/gallon, one bag will last quite some time.

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."