Dry Curing Bacon

SAUSAGES,CHARCUTERIE and DELI ARTS
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guysmiley54
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:03 pm

Dry Curing Bacon

Post by guysmiley54 »

Hi all,

I'm currently dry curing my first bacon, using a maple bourbon cure recipe that I found online: http://saltandsmokefood.com/homemade-bacon/ The recipe calls for Pink Salt but I used Kwikurit which is nearly twice as strong.

I started the cure last Tuesday morning. My original plan was to cure for 7 days and then smoke and slice ready to pan fry for Christmas morning breakfast. I won't get the chance to smoke on Tuesday so I'm wondering if it would be safe to smoke on Monday instead? I'm planning on hot smoking and cooking the bacon before serving so I would think that it should be safe enough to consume? The meat was bought super fresh on Tuesday morning and will be cooked twice (hot smoke and pan fry) before serving within 8 days of purchase so I'm considering bacterial growth will have been very minimal...

Am I missing something or should the bacon be safe enough to serve? I can always leave the bacon on the cure and buy some commercial stuff if needs be, safety is number one, especially when feeding a crowd!!

Cheers
Ciapek
Posts: 215
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:51 pm

Dry Curing Bacon

Post by Ciapek »

I usually cure roughly 1.5kg pieces of belly. I find that on this size 5 days of curing is enough.
My pink salt has 6% nitrate.

Test by touch, if meat is firm and not floppy then chances are you are done.

After curing I rinse in cold water, and further soak the belly for 1.5 hours in the fridge to strip back some saltiness.
Rest uncovered in fridge overnight to dry out and than into the smoker/bbq/oven.
Cheers



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gnol
Posts: 1142
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Werribee

Re: Dry Curing Bacon

Post by gnol »

Welcome.
you may try reading through this thread.
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... 19&t=11543

Be careful with the pink salts. You don't want to overdo it.
guysmiley54
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:03 pm

Re: Dry Curing Bacon

Post by guysmiley54 »

Thanks for the replies. I have read that thread before Gnol and I did use an online calculator to help work out how much Kwikurit to use for the weight of belly I'm using. I appreciate your feedback too Ciapek, as it sounds like a dry cure is feasible in 5 days. My pork is feeling quite a bit firmer but not really stiff or hard though.

I suppose the second part of my question is the bit that is bugging me the most. Considering the steps I'm taking, what is the risk involved with serving (slightly) under-cured bacon if it has been hot smoked and pan fried before consumption? I'm not saying that I intend to under-cure, I'm just a bit nervous on my first attempt because I'm serving my whole family!

On a side note, the cure was quite moist on account of the bourbon and maple syrup. I initially saw some juices coming out of the meat (Which I flipped every 12 hours) but at this stage the amount of liquid in the bag seems to have diminished? There was a small hole and a tiny amount of liquid seeped through on to the plate underneath. I have rebagged, poured the juice back in and put on a new clean plate. How much liquid would you expect to see around day 4-5 with a dry cure?

Cheers :)
Ciapek
Posts: 215
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:51 pm

Dry Curing Bacon

Post by Ciapek »

Your meat was fresh and of good quality.
Even if the cure does not penetrate all the way through, there will be no spoil, it's just that it will not colour up pink.
When you smoke it, the meat will cook, cured bits will taste like bacon, if there are uncured sections, it will taste like roasted pork.
I assume your bacon would be around 30mm thick at the thickest point, if so, 5 days will cure it through.

Smoke it. Let it rest, slice it open, and to put your mind at rest smell it, your nose will tell you if anything is amiss.
Prosciutto is uncooked pork brined and aged for months....and I still eat it....goes against all logic!



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guysmiley54
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:03 pm

Re: Dry Curing Bacon

Post by guysmiley54 »

Thanks mate, that is reassuring. I will give on day 6 and just cross my fingers! If it doesn't taste (or smell) great, I will buy some from the shop and be more patient next time.

Cheers
Smokey
Posts: 5958
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:47 pm
Location: Terranora- Tweed

Re: Dry Curing Bacon

Post by Smokey »

Once you cure it, Wrap it (Cryovac is best). It will keep in the fridge for a few weeks before cooking.
But looking at your plan, Your doing a six say Cure and cook/ smoke the next day?
There is no problem here.
The only thing missing is rest time for a day or so wrapped in Glad wrap for it to mellow.
So once you have smoked it, Treat it like any bacon from the shop, It keeps a week or to in the fridge and thats it.

Proscuto has nitrate in it (as apposed to nitrite but a percentage of nitrite is still added for the emediate protection value) Nitrate turns to Nitrite over a very long term and hence why if you get the right PH and dry a lump of meat in a timely fashon and right RH and temp. Bad juju dont happen.
If trees screamed when we cut them down, We wouldn't. If they screamed all the time we would.
http://www.aussiecue.com.au
guysmiley54
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:03 pm

Re: Dry Curing Bacon

Post by guysmiley54 »

Great info Mick, thanks heaps! I will smoke it tomorrow afternoon and take it to work (I own a cafe) to slice on the professional slicer on Tuesday. I will get just 1-2 days rest before serving hopefully that's enough to mellow and settle the flavours together.

Thanks for all the help and reassurance guys, I will try to be organised enough that I have time for pictures. Hoping for the bacon to impress big time on Christmas morning :)
Ciapek
Posts: 215
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:51 pm

Dry Curing Bacon

Post by Ciapek »

Modern Prosciutto has nitrate/nitrite in it because it needs to be commercially viable and turned into quick profit, otherwise the market would be very small, as the price per kilo would be extremely high due to the time and effort involved.

Prosciutto Crudo just has salt in it, lots of salt, my family has been making it for countless years.

Just to clarify.



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Smokey
Posts: 5958
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Location: Terranora- Tweed

Re: Dry Curing Bacon

Post by Smokey »

Ciapek wrote:Modern Prosciutto has nitrate/nitrite in it because it needs to be commercially viable and turned into quick profit, otherwise the market would be very small, as the price per kilo would be extremely high due to the time and effort involved.

Prosciutto Crudo just has salt in it, lots of salt, my family has been making it for countless years.

Just to clarify.



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I understand that mate and do it myself the Old Way, However I always have to speak in food safe terms as possible.
And that means the latest best practice. I didnt mean to tread on toes :oops:
But I totaly understand the old way. I just cannot recomend it even though I do it :wink:
If trees screamed when we cut them down, We wouldn't. If they screamed all the time we would.
http://www.aussiecue.com.au
Ciapek
Posts: 215
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:51 pm

Dry Curing Bacon

Post by Ciapek »

No problem Mick. I respect your point of view.



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guysmiley54
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:03 pm

Re: Dry Curing Bacon

Post by guysmiley54 »

Here we are boys and girls:

Image

Cold smoked over apple and cherry pellets for 3.5 hours and then hot smoked for another until it reached 60C. The internal temp of the final product is low but will be pan fried before serving. The cure added some sweetness and complexity and the smoke is intense! I expect the smoke to settle and mellow a bit with time but for a first go I am very happy :) I think I will skip the hot step and just cold smoke for much much longer next time as the heat really changes the texture.

Happy Christmas to everyone, thanks for your help :)
Ciapek
Posts: 215
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:51 pm

Dry Curing Bacon

Post by Ciapek »

Nicely done indeed.



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