Bacon cure questions

marysvilleegger · July 2015

Looking for a little help.... I got a 10-12 lb pork belly coming tonight that I'm gonna make into bacon. I've done this a couple times now with pretty good success but the biggest thing I struggle with is the cure amount.
I have Ruhlmans Charcuterie book and I think I'm going to use his basic dry cure ....

450 grams kosher salt
225 grams sugar
56 grams pink

I realize this will make more than what is needed for my 10 lb belly but I have no problem storing it for the next time...

Here come my questions...
1. Can I sub the sugar for brown sugar and if so what weight?

2. Do I do the "dredge" method and just make sure it's all covered and shake off the excess or do I use 2oz of the mix for every 5lbs of belly?

3. If I add maple syrup or any other flavor ie pepper how much?

Feel free to add any suggestions and or things to do differently.

Appreciate the help and I'll be sure keep you guys updated with pics ....

six_egg · July 2015

Wish I could help but never tried it. I will however being watching for advice.

Darby_Crenshaw · July 2015

Try the "salt box" method he mentions in the book, where you dredge all sides. That will give you the perfect amount pretty much every time, and guards against becoming too salty (for some). The dredging method is an ancient one, pretty time-tested, so you can feel safe.

You can sub brown sugar in any amounts you want. I probably split 50/50, and have also added (as in, more than is stated in the recipe) maple sugar, dark brown sugar, etc.

Just think of the recipe as a guide, but realize he's aiming for a relatively neutral sweet bacon cure with that ratio. If you add more sugar, it won't mess anything up, it will just be sweeter.

Sugar actually sucks out more water than the salt does. So you might (might) notice the bag fills with the liquid a little sooner if you added a bunch of extra sugar, but it will still work

Truth be told, I actually premix the salt and pink salt to that ratio, but leave out the sugar. That way, when I make the next batch, I can improvise a bit with the sugar, adding it in and varying it as needed or mixing different sugars, honey, etc. The salt and pink salt are requirements, the sugar can be played with. Use less for savory recipes, for example. Sugar keeps it from getting too harsh and too hard, but for bacon there is a lot of wiggle room.

When I go to add the sugar, I use a little less than 1 cup sugar for every 2 cup of the salt/pink-salt mixture (or just under half as much). The ratio is technically .44, but i am not known for hewing too closely to protocol.

Also, LittleSteven is writing me PM's asking what my inseam length is. How can I stop that? I'm new here (sorta)

marysvilleegger · July 2015

Thanks @Darby_Crenshaw Lots of good info! Will let ya know how it goes and what I decide on for "extras".

Cookinbob · July 2015

I have cured a lot of bacon. I usually start with Ruhlmans basic cure recipe which I have made in advance. I use with 3% of the weight of the belly for the basic cure. If I want to add aromatics, etc., those are added after I weigh out the cure. You could use brown sugar with white, I would say 50/50, go by the weight in the recipe, not by volume.

Here is a link to a cure calculator that I have also used if you wanted to make up cure specifically for a piece of meat.

Good luck!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/lx/hftokkkx76nq.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/67/2oxyctsba12q.jpg

paqman · July 2015

I have a food saver so I just cut a piece of belly that fits in a bag, weight it and add the proper ratio of salt/pink salt/sugar. I used to add maple syrup or maple sugar but noticed that brown sugar gives about the same result. I glaze with some maple syrup while hot smoking the bacon, that way I get more maple flavor.

nolaegghead · July 2015

I've done it with the foodsaver before. I have 3 bellies (about 27 pounds) curing right now. They come out tomorrow. I just put them in a food prep tub stacked on top of each other. I used turbinado sugar. It doesn't really matter. It will if you put a rub on prior to smoking. I add the correct amount of nitrite by weight. This is much more than what would stick to it.

I'll rinse off and soak them tomorrow, then cold and hot smoke.

I'll snap some pics.

marysvilleegger · August 2015

Thanks everyone for the advice. Here's a pic of 12 lbs of belly!

I made up the basic cure last night and subbed brown sugar for half the sugar weight. I'm gonna go with 3% of the belly weight for the cure amount. Prolly gonna cut the belly in half and add 1/2 cup of maple syrup to one of the pieces.

marysvilleegger · August 2015

Just an update .....cured it for 9 days and then rinsed and dried in the fridge overnight. Felt pretty firm so I'm guessing this should be good....

Smoking it with some apple chunks and trying to keep the temp as low as possible for as long as possible. I started with ice water in the drip pan to help. Thanks for looking.

bgebrent · August 2015

You're doing great! Beware the ice water evaporating and getting a big temp spike. I use no water and can maintain 220-230 in my large with smoke ware cap. Firmness you had at 7 or 8 days works just as well. Apple chunks are my favorite. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck.

paqman · August 2015

Looking good!

marysvilleegger · August 2015

I just wanted to wrap this thread up with some finished shots... Bacon turned out great. The one with maple syrup had a little more flavor.

Neither piece was overly salty and in fact next time might go a little heavier than 3% of the belly weight for the cure amount.

Will definitely do this again and for those that haven't made bacon yet ..... You don't know what you're missing!!

Cookinbob · August 2015

Isn't it great to have 10 lbs of bacon just for you?

Bacon cure questions

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