Bacon questions...

JacksDad

 Hi all! I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of makin' my own bacon, thanks to all of your help.



Questions for all of you with more experience...

1) All of my bacon has been cured with Ruhlmans mix, usually for about 2 weeks in the fridge. This includes Prague powder. Because the bacon is staying in the fridge (and not hanging up in my barn, so to speak), I presume the sodium nitrite actually isn't really necessary to "preserve" the pork belly. If I eliminate this on my next batch (using just salt and sugar), will the taste or texture be noticeably different? 

2) All of my bacon has been hot smoked, to about 150 IT. This partially cooks the bacon. What is the difference/benefit to doing a cold smoke instead? How is the texture better or different? Does it make much difference? And, when you buy "smoked" bacon at the grocery store... I presume this is usually cold smoked? 

Thanks all, for leading me down this path of food discovery! 

JacksDad 

johnnyp

I don't know the answer to your questions, but I'll give you a bump.  

Good luck 

paqman

Bacon from the grocery store is usually brined and injected with smoke flavor.

The nitrite in the cure is what makes the bacon keep a pink color and "picante" taste.  Without it, the meat will become gray and taste like plain pork. 

JacksDad

paqman said:

Bacon from the grocery store is usually brined and injected with smoke flavor.

The nitrite in the cure is what makes the bacon keep a pink color and "picante" taste.  Without it, the meat will become gray and taste like plain pork. 

Thank you! 

Chubbs

Cold smoking is WAY better in my opinion. Was not a fan of the texture from hot smoking. I have another 12 lbs coming out of cure this week. 

Killit_and_Grillit

You can't post pics of great bacon and then expect us to answer trivia questions!!

Thats like a woman dropping a towel and asking how splitting an atom works. 

JacksDad

I've got a bacon makin' obsession! 

I guess I will have to search the forum and rig myself up one of the cold smoking contraptions I've seen on here... But first I gotta eat and/or give away about 20 lbs of hot smoked bacon from this weekend! 

blind99

The nitrite is 100% necessary to make what you would consider bacon

next time you do it make some of the cure without the nitrite and give it a try on a small piece of belly. It just tastes like a piece of brined pork, which I guess seems obvious - but the difference is striking. It's not pink, snappy, and bacony delicious. 

JacksDad

blind99 said:

The nitrite is 100% necessary to make what you would consider bacon

Then bring on the chemicals! 

I actually think that getting a slicer, with the ability to make thinner (and more consistent) cuts, would make a huge difference in the final outcome of my product. I like thick sliced bacon, but the wife and kids like the really thin slices that you can crisp up really well...

I may talk myself into a good slicer, even without a  place to store it...

Canugghead

I use Ruhlman's basic cure too, usually just 7-10 days is enough for loin since it's thicker than belly.  I've tried both hot and cold smoke, they taste different. Cold smoked bacon is raw so taste more like store bought, we prefer cold smoked but have to be more careful with temp control and safety precautions. Hot smoked is almost like hybrid between ham and bacon, one big advantage of hot smoked is it can be eaten as cold cut or fried, also handy as pizza topping.
You need a better slicer? those slices look perfect to me!

minniemoh

Nice looking bacon! You are a hand slicing pro!

I haven't done enough cold smoking bacon to get consistent with it. I have my process dialed for hot smoke now and get really consistent results as far as smoke flavor. From my experience, hot smoked was much easier to slice due to the firmer texture. Although, I now have a slicer so it may be time to give cold smoke another try. Maybe I didn't freeze it long enough prior to slicing my last cold smoke IDK.

cssmd27

For those of you using Ruhlman's cure ratios, did you find it overly salty?  And, if so, what did you do to adjust?

I thought it was terribly salty, so I increased the sugar content.  Still pretty salty, so I soaked the belly in water for a bit after it came out of the cure.  Trying to find the right balance is tough IMO.

lkapigian

bgebrent

cssmd27 said:

For those of you using Ruhlman's cure ratios, did you find it overly salty?  And, if so, what did you do to adjust?

I thought it was terribly salty, so I increased the sugar content.  Still pretty salty, so I soaked the belly in water for a bit after it came out of the cure.  Trying to find the right balance is tough IMO.

I've settled in on a 45-60 soak after rinsing.  I don't change out water.  This gets me the salt content I prefer.  Some might find just a bit saltier than they prefer.

Canugghead

bgebrent said:

cssmd27 said:

For those of you using Ruhlman's cure ratios, did you find it overly salty?  And, if so, what did you do to adjust?

I thought it was terribly salty, so I increased the sugar content.  Still pretty salty, so I soaked the belly in water for a bit after it came out of the cure.  Trying to find the right balance is tough IMO.

I've settled in on a 45-60 soak after rinsing.  I don't change out water.  This gets me the salt content I prefer.  Some might find just a bit saltier than they prefer.

I reduce Ruhlman's cure by about 20-25%, after curing I rinse and soak for few hours with frequent water change.

Little Steven

If you don't use curing salt you will have pancetta. It needs to hang out of the fridge for a couple of months.

minniemoh

Canugghead said:

bgebrent said:

cssmd27 said:

For those of you using Ruhlman's cure ratios, did you find it overly salty?  And, if so, what did you do to adjust?

I thought it was terribly salty, so I increased the sugar content.  Still pretty salty, so I soaked the belly in water for a bit after it came out of the cure.  Trying to find the right balance is tough IMO.

I've settled in on a 45-60 soak after rinsing.  I don't change out water.  This gets me the salt content I prefer.  Some might find just a bit saltier than they prefer.

I reduce Ruhlman's cure by about 20-25%, after curing I rinse and soak for few hours with frequent water change.

@Canugghead - When you say "reduce" do you mean only the salt quantity? Or do you mean the volume of all ingredients? I usually use Ruhlman's cure too - I just want to make sure I clearly understand as I may try this on my next batch. Thanks!

blind99

@minniemoh next time you cure bacon, keep track of exactly how much salt and how much belly you use. 2% salt is a pretty good amount - it may taste too salty when you go a lot over that. Last I looked one of ruhlmans recipes ended up about 2.5%. 

If you do the dredging saltbox method there's really no telling how much salt is going on.  

Also, the amount of sugar will affect how salty the bacon tastes. I do 2% salt to 1% sugar. 

Canugghead

@minniemoh  My bad, should have clarified I don't always follow Ruhlman 'exactly'. I used pink salt once since it's hard to get here.  Usually I use Canadian ReadyCure which is basically 1% nitrate with premixed salt, manufacturer recommendation is 2% of meat weight for dry cure application but I use about 1.75-1.8%.  ReadyCure = pink salt + salt.  I also reduce sugar proportionately based on ratio on Ruhlman's basic dry cure on page 39.  

To answer your question, following page 42, I would reduce the basic dry cure from 50g to 40g, even less if belly is closer to 3lb than 5lb. Optional stuff like maple syrup, brown sugar, herbs etc can remain unchanged.

Hope this convoluted reply helps somewhat 

JacksDad

Thanks everyone. I use Ruhlmans, and just dredge the bellies in it, I measure the mix ratios precisely when I make it, but not too precisely how much I dump on the belly when it goes into the cure. I add extra than what he calls for by weight. I found an overnight soak brings the saltiness to where I like it. 

Just for kicks, I cured a couple of egg yolks, just salt and sugar, because the recipe popped up on my Facebook feed a couple weeks ago and I figured, why not?:



Haven't tried them on anything yet, but apparently they are good to grate and add a little umami flavor to things.

What else do you all like to cure? I cured a pork shoulder and made shoulder bacon out of it. It was so-so. And now I know about Canadian bacon and peameal. Any other cuts good to experiment with?  

I heard a rumor that @blind99 is curing something interesting, but I don't want to spoil the surprise...

blind99

I pickled my liver last weekend, does that count?

hondabbq

Ahhh the good old days. I remember starting down this road of curing. I started with 1 little belly, now I do a case of 6 full bellies per run. Friends and family all ask for it. 

Focker

cssmd27 said:

For those of you using Ruhlman's cure ratios, did you find it overly salty?  And, if so, what did you do to adjust?

I thought it was terribly salty, so I increased the sugar content.  Still pretty salty, so I soaked the belly in water for a bit after it came out of the cure.  Trying to find the right balance is tough IMO.

His recipe is too high in salt, it is the thang around here.

Switched to an equilibrium brine/pickle after a couple tries of that recipe, haven't looked back.  No overhauling, no guessing if it is cured ir not, no water soaking, just drop it in the bucket, and wait two weeks.  Form pellicle over 24 hrs, and cold smoke away.  Really easy to dial in the salt/sweet balance within a few batches.  

Pops' brine on the smokingmeatforum is a great starting point, super easy equilibrium brine.

"The Briner" bucket is awesome.

hondabbq

I have used ruhlmans basic cure recipe and I have never found it to be salty no have any of my customers

Chubbs

I use Ruhlans as well and have never had it seem salty but I add brown sugar to mine. I have 12 lbs going now. Never had this happen but have little silver dollar size spots on all 3 slabs that are red whereas the rest has that cured look. It has been in cure for 10 days trying to get that area to change, but guess it wont. It feels softer than the rest belly. Assuming this is fine. In 100+ lbs cured never had this happen. 

Cinder

hi all!  i received prague #2 instead of #1 and used it before i realized. it is in the fridge now for a few more days, will i be ok???  sure hate to waster a $35 pork belly.  help is appreciated!!!!!

Nsdexter

my understanding of praque powder and pink salt is that it help keep the color from being dingy and grey.