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Home Cured bacon

954 Views | 5 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by normaleagle05
BigAg95
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AG
I read an older thread and it seems you folks who do this use a dry cure, and that sounds like the way to go if I had done any research. However, I just dove in after having too much bourbon while watching youtube videos and now I have a 12 pound pork belly sitting in a wet cure in my fridge.

I have it in a food grade plastic tub, but didn't a have a lid or enough plastic wrap to cover it. I stuck a sheet of foil over the top just to mitigate against any spillage and avoid cross contamination while it sits in the fridge. The foil is not touching the meat or the brine. Do you think that will be OK, or should I order some XL plastic wrap and switch it out for the foil?
schmendeler
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AG
I think you should have enough salt in there coupled with the cold temps to prevent anything bad from growing.
HTownAg98
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You're good.
BigAg95
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AG
HTownAg98 said:

You're good.


Thanks! Was worried about the reactive foil, but assumed that was only an issue if it would contact the food.
Max Power
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AG
You shouldn't have any problems, just make sure the meat stays submerged. I always do the dry cure method, but after I'm done with a week of dry curing I do let it soak in a tub of cold water in the fridge for 24 hours, otherwise it comes out too salty. Then I let it air dry in the fridge another 24 hours before smoking. With a wet cure I don't know how long you need to air dry it, maybe 24 is still fine for that method as well, but I've never tried it.
normaleagle05
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AG
I'm not this fussy with bacon. I'm hot smoking it to 150 internal and I think it gets plenty of smoke doing that. I will be more particular about the pellicle on something I plan to cold smoke as I think that has a bigger effect on the outcome of the product.

If you want to fuss over the pellicle before a hot smoke I don't blame you. It probably doesn't have an outsized effect on the product. For me and mine that effect is not worth the extra trouble.
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