Bacon questions

[Mosca]

I hadn't read any of the recipes, but now I have and they look pretty easy. I have some questions related to timing of everything.

The written recipe says cure for 3 days, the video says 4 days. So obviously it's not critical where you have to set a timer. But is there a maximum? Is 5 days okay? Is 6 days too many?

After the bacon is cured and washed, does it have to be smoked that day? Is the next day okay, or 2 days later?

After smoking, how long does it last? Should it be sliced then and there, or can I slice it as I need it? (That makes more sense, I think.)

[holehogg]

I to await the responses.

[Rod]

I followed the written recipe to a tee and it came out super good. Unbelievably easy. I did fry some up right away and then cut the rest up in 1lb blocks and froze them. Those blocks were eventually thawed in the fridge and sliced as needed. They were still tasty. Maybe not as crispy as fresh off the smoker (I think MH eludes to this). I don't know about extending the cure time. The biggest challenge is slicing consistent thicknesses.

[Donw]

The answer to the cure question is to use the calculator. It will tell you the minimum curing time. Mine are a lot more than 3-4 days. Dr. Blonder just responded in another thread that the times listed are minimums, and in the wet cure suggested in the AR recipes there is not a maximum. (I’m sure within common sense limits.). Many let the cured meat sit exposed in the fridge to develop a pellicle. Fridge time is limited but you can freeze it and it lasts a long time. I slice some packages I freeze, but leave other un-sliced.

[FishTalesNC]

I think Donw answered the question I was going to chime in on. From the FWIW dept - my first one was a pork belly from a butcher, and after I took the skin off it was relatively thin and the 3 day cure was accurate. Since then I buy them from Costco and there's no skin and they are thicker. My cure times per the calculator are more like 5 days, and on the last one I went about 3/4 of a day over - frankly it was the best one yet. I assume the extra cure time led to the extra flavor. Also, I do not quick wash mine anymore. I did that on the first one and felt like it washed away a ton of flavor. After smoking I leave 1/3 of it in the fridge (we inevitably have BLTs and go thru it quickly), and the other 2/3 get put in the freezer. I think MH says in the article they can stay in the freezer for a couple of months - they've never lasted that long for us, ha. Everything is sliced "as needed". Good luck, its been fun tweaking the spices in the wet cure and finding the recipe we like the best!

[Attjack]

I have a bacon question. I'm making my first batch but I did not use distilled water nor did I boil the brining mixture before it touched the meat (I did after I realized my mistake but I don't think that counts). What are the chances this bacon will not be edible?

[Bumby]

I never use distilled water or boil anything. Haven't gotten sick off my homemade bacon yet, over 500 lbs later!

[ecowper]

using distilled water or boiling your water first is about being ultra cautious and avoiding introducing any bacteria into the cure. It’s highly unlikely your tap water has that issue with the residual chlorine the water company leaves in it.

[Troutman]

I agree I've done it both ways with no harmful effects. Having said that I do use distilled water because of its neutral taste, my water is quite hard. It's a taste thing not a bacterial question.

[kbremer]

When I do my bellies...which I just got done with 3 of them last Sunday, I wet cure mine for 7 days, rinse off and smoke them. When finished smoking, I double wrap in plastic, put in the fridge for maybe a week......or until I get a chance to slice them. I did regular, maple brown sugar and a pepper jalapeno. They are GREAT

[JGo37]

I've got to rethink my well's water table and the fact that I'm next to a Pet Cemetery.

[tbob4]

Cats up on bacon?

[ddmcwhirter]

My two cents...just used a different recipe for dry cure from another website: Basically, per pound of belly, it was half the sodium nitrite and about 40% more kosher salt, but calls for a seven day cure, a rinsing off the cure, and a two hour fresh water soak (to pull out some of the salt) before smoking. Next time I'll use the calculator. Regardless, I know I'm making bacon!

[Bumby]

I've cured bacon for a minimum of 4 days and a max of 10 days without issue. I prefer bacon that has been cured for a minimum of 7 days.

[aladdin4d]

Ask me again Sunday afternoon. Sunday morning will the morning of the fourth day of my first attempt at curing bacon and I'm hoping for a good Sunday breakfast.

[jecucolo]

I usually cure for 3 days but I have gone 5. Slicing is optional. I have never waited after I quick rinse the pb. I am always excited and ready to smoke. We always freeze in individual 1 lb portion. One thing to remember when you take it out of the cure do a very light quick rinse you are rinsing any heavy salt build up it is easy to wash flavors away if you do a long rinse. I have actually glazed the bacon with a mixture of maple syrup and sriracha sauce to amp up the flavors. Remember to be careful with bacon because it is known as the "gateway meat" and will lead to serious physical and psychological addiction!

[ILikePigButts]

I'm getting ready to cure my first batch of pork belly for bacon. Plan on giving 1 lb portions to some family for Christmas gifts, something fun and cheap and different. This first batch is just a test and I plan on doing about 10 pounds in another 2 or so weeks. I came here looking for answers regarding the distilled water importance, and I found them. I am just going to go with my regular tap water. As I said, this is just a test and if I don't like a flavor I got I will use distilled water next time. Just wanted to thank everybody for answering my unasked questions. This site is the absolute best.

Going with Meathead's maple bacon recipe btw, sounds like a winner.

[ecowper]

I hadn't read any of the recipes, but now I have and they look pretty easy. I have some questions related to timing of everything.

Not sure what others have said yet, haven’t read the whole thread. But here you go with my thoughts.

The written recipe says cure for 3 days, the video says 4 days. So obviously it's not critical where you have to set a timer. But is there a maximum? Is 5 days okay? Is 6 days too many?

I usually cure for 5-7 days. 3 days is a bit short, to me. I’ve gone as much as 10 days because I couldn’t get to smoking the bacon until then.

After the bacon is cured and washed, does it have to be smoked that day? Is the next day okay, or 2 days later?

I like to smoke it immediately, but I think you could wait a day or two. Be careful, though. You have cured the bacon to get rid of the threat of botulism, etc. Waiting to smoke it has the potential to reintroduce bacteria.

After smoking, how long does it last? Should it be sliced then and there, or can I slice it as I need it? (That makes more sense, I think.)

I refrigerate and keep it for about 2 weeks. Anything I don’t expect to eat within 2 weeks, I freeze. I normally slice it all, then break it up into 2 week chunks, keep one in the fridge and freeze the rest.

Hope that helps.

[EdF]

I generally cut into slabs and slice as needed. Also follow ecowper 's guidelines for refrigeration and freezing.