Bacon Cure Recipe

DMW · November 2013

I've seen various variations out there. Any favorites? I'm heading out now to pickup my first pork bellies. Will start the cure tonight when I get back. I do have pink curing salt.

Thanks,

CajunEggHead · November 2013

DMW I just did some Canadian Bacon and followed the recipe with the amount of salt to use in the recipe that I had, along with 8 tsp of (Tender Quick) curing salt and it came out way too salty.. If you know for sure that your recipe is tried and true go with it. Or you might want to try a small piece for a test before ruining the whole batch.. I next tried my next batch with half the recommended salt to the brine and it is in the fridge now. Good luck Cajun

DMW · November 2013

@CajunEggHead This will be my first try, hoping someone has something that is solid to suggest.

Richard Fl · November 2013

This might get you heading the the right direction:

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/10/lynnes-breakfast-bacon.html

twlangan · November 2013

I used Tenderquick as well for my first batch that we are eating now. The trick is to place the bacon in a food safe container and soak in ice water for an hour, change the ice water out, and soak for a 2nd hour. This draws some of the salt out of the meat. Ours turned out perfectly. I cannot foresee ever buying bacon at the store after having this.

My cure was simple - 1 Tbs of Tenderquick and 1 tsp of sugar for each pound of meat. Rub it in all over, put in Ziplock and stick in fridge. I flip them over once each day and let it cure for 10 days. Do the soak process mentioned above, dry the slabs with paper towel, put on a rack and back in fridge uncovered overnight to form a peticule. Into the Egg the next morning with hickory for smoke. I run temp at 200 and bring meat up to 150 internal. Slice and enjoy!

DMW · November 2013

Thanks everyone, I ended up doing Ruhlman's. Got a 12.5 lb bellie, had the cut it in 1/2. One was about 6 lb, the other 6.5 lb.

http://ruhlman.com/2010/10/home-cured-bacon-2/

Here are pics raw and with the cure applied, right before it went in the fridge.

Now to decide if I hot smoke or cold smoke it... My A-Maze-N-Pellet smoker just arrived, so I'm thinking I might try cold. I know if you hot smoke, you go until IT is 150°. How long do you cold smoke? I'll look back at @Griffin recent post.

DMW · November 2013

Forgot the pics. I think I need to get some drinks and then to bed...

yzzi · November 2013

I just did the same recipe last weekend, and did the cold smoke for about 10 hours. I also soaked it after the cure for a couple hours then left it uncovered in fridge overnight. It turned out great and can't wait to cook more up Saturday morning.

DMW · November 2013

@yzzi Thanks for the info. I was planning to rinse, I like the soak idea. I figure 7 days will be next Thursday night, think I could soak it overnight, then Friday morning dry it in the fridge 24 hrs and smoke it really early Saturday morning?

pescadorzih · November 2013

DMW said:

I've seen various variations out there. Any favorites? I'm heading out now to pickup my first pork bellies. Will start the cure tonight when I get back. I do have pink curing salt.

Thanks,

DMW, where did you get the pork bellies?
I want to try making some bacon this winter.

DMW · November 2013

.@pescadorzih I got them at Shady-Maple. Be sure to call ahead. They get them on Thursdays. I didn't ask the price and will be calling around and price checking next time. They were $5.39/lb.

Griffin · November 2013

FYI - tenderquick and curing salts are NOT the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably in a recipe. I know you can use tenderquick instead of pink salt, but its not a straight 1 to 1 conversion. I forget what the ratio you are supposed to use is.

Had to look it up again as it was killing me

2 ounces of cure #1, 8 ounces of granulated sugar, and 16 ounces of kosher salt is the equivalent of 2 oz TQ (except TQ has sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, Cure has only sodium nitrite)

Griffin · November 2013

One ounce of Cure #1 dry cures 25 pounds of meat, if evenly distributed over all sides of those 25 pounds of meat.

One ounce of "Tender Quick" dry cures 2 pounds of meat, if evenly distributed over all sides of those 2 pounds of meat.

DMW · November 2013

Thanks @Griffin I didn't use TQ, I used D.Q. Curing salt I got from Amazon.

yzzi · November 2013

Shady Maple....miss that place.

SmokinOutBack · November 2013

From some experience, using cure #1 (pink salt) as opposed to Tender Quick..meat will be way less salty. Either way, you should do a fry test first. Using Tender Quick requires soaking in water and then changing it out and soaking again usually. I prefer cure #1 all the time, whether it be Canadian bacon, corned beef, pastrami, etc.

DMW · November 2013

Thanks @SmokinOutBack Do you prefer hot smoking or cold smoking?

SmokinOutBack · November 2013

@DMW I prefer cold smoking it for about 10 hours in an electric smoker. I give it about a half hour at 120 degrees, then hit it with smoke for about 10 hours, or until my Amaz-n smoker runs out. Remove from the smoker, let cool a bit, then wrap in plastic and place in fridge for about 36-48 hours. Then it's ready to be sliced. Important part is, do a fry test before smoking, make sure it's not too salty. Also, don't be afraid to overcure so give it time, you can't overcure but you can definitely undercure.

pescadorzih · November 2013

Thanks DMW. I'll have to check with my local butcher. He makes his own bacon, so I should be able to purchase some bellies from him. I'll let you know how I make out. If the price is right, it may be worth the drive for you.
I'm from over in the Oley area.

DMW · November 2013

@pescadorzih Thanks, that would be great. I'm looking for a good local butcher, and Oley would not be too far to drive for the right price and product.

pescadorzih · November 2013

@DMW
I'll let you know the next time I get in there.

DMW · November 2013

Here it is, has been curing for 5 days now, starting to firm up.

pescadorzih · December 2013

DMW, Sorry for taking so long.
Just talked to my butcher this weekend and he sells the pork bellies for $3.99/lb. That's what they are currently. Price can rise or fall, since it's a commodity item.
He usually gets his delivery on Fridays.
He may not be getting any in until after the holidays as he already stocked up prior.
Probably best to call before hand.
Here is the butcher:
Andre Farms Market

2638 W Philadelphia Ave
Oley, Pennsylvania 19547-8506
610-689-9181

laserdoc85 · December 2013

Wow that's pricey for bellies. I paid 2.65 a pound at public grocery store last week for mine

cortguitarman · December 2013

@DMW where are you located? I live in Palmyra, PA. There is a great butcher here called Laudermilch's Meats. Groff's Meats in Elizabethtown is also very good.

NDG · December 2013

I went to an Asian Butcher this time and got 10lbs at $2.89/lb. It wasnt super pretty piece of belly - but the price was so good (compared to Whole Food $4.99/lb) - I decided to give it a try. Some parts are under 1" thickness and other parts over 2" thickness. I am hoping the salt/cure doesnt overpower the thin parts, but the price was right so giving it a try.

Also, this was the first time I used my FoodSaver to vacuum seal each bag (came if 4 pieces around 2.5lbs each) and it did NOT work out well. I must have had some liquid/sugar on the seal lip, because two of my bags did not properly seal and now I have leaking. Arrrrrrgh. Next time I am going back to the freezer ziplock bags - so much easier and works great!

This is day 7 for me, but going out of town for work tomorrow, so I will form pellicle on Thurs and cold smoke on Friday. More to come . . .

DMW · December 2013

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I checked with Meadow Creek BBQ in New Holland, PA a few weeks ago and they can order them as well. At that time price was $3.45/lb.

@cortguitarman I'm in Morgantown, PA. I wish there was a butcher here in town...

cortguitarman · December 2013

Morgantown isn't too far away. I believe there is a butcher shop in Denver, PA. That should be fairly close.

DMW · December 2013

@cortguitarman Yep, Denver's not that far. There's also one in New Holland and another in Farmersville I've heard good things about.

cortguitarman · December 2013

Weavers Market is in Denver.

Bacon Cure Recipe

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