Bacon Monday

[tomshoots]

I'll take mine thick sliced, fried crisp, with three over easy; hash browns, grits and biscuits and gravy.

Thanks!

[jmcrig]

Hi Mark,
First of all, thanks for your post. I have been thinking of starting a pork belly and you have placed the monkey on my back. I'm going to do it.
I've seen several recipes for the cure but yours sounds very interesting. Looks like you cure the bellies in plastic bags and I assume in the refrig. Would you mind sharing your recipe and procedure for the cure. I'd really appreciate it.




Thanks,
Bill

My cure is nothing more than the country sugar and maple sugar cures sold by Butchers & Packers out of Detroit. My chipotle cure is not one that I can share. But I will say if you take a basic cure, they're all over the net, and add some chipotle to it, you'll be in the ballpark.
My process is to take the prescribed amount of dry cure and rub it on the meat. At that point I seal it up in a bag and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days. Every other day I flip it over. At the end of the curing process, I take them out of their bags and rinse both sides to remove the salt and cure. I'll pat them dry and I might apply some chipotle, maple syrup, or whatever seasoning you desire. I'll hang them in a cool spot overnight to let a pectin covering form, and cold smoke for 12 hours the next day. All in all, pretty simple.
Hope this helps.

[Florida Bill]

Thanks a million Mark!
I hope to have some bellies in the refrig next week. I'll let you know.


Bill

[Florida Bill]

Mark,
Just a follow up ..... I purchased a 11.4 lb belly. I ordered some sugar cure per your suggestion from Butchers & Packers. The belly went into the refer yesterday and so far, it's looking good.
By the way, I got the belly for 2.59 per lb and the skin had been removed. Based on what I've seen on this forum, that seems to be a fair price. And the meat is well marked with lean streaks. The processing place is not far from me and the animal was slaughtered the day before. So the meat should be fresh. Thanks again for getting me off the dime and into the bacon business and also thanks again for the input regarding your process. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[jmcrig]

Mark,
Just a follow up ..... I purchased a 11.4 lb belly. I ordered some sugar cure per your suggestion from Butchers & Packers. The belly went into the refer yesterday and so far, it's looking good.
By the way, I got the belly for 2.59 per lb and the skin had been removed. Based on what I've seen on this forum, that seems to be a fair price. And the meat is well marked with lean streaks. The processing place is not far from me and the animal was slaughtered the day before. So the meat should be fresh. Thanks again for getting me off the dime and into the bacon business and also thanks again for the input regarding your process. I'll let you know how it turns out.

That is a great price, not as many middlemen as I must go through. I just bought 2 cases and it was just over $3.00 a pound.
Are you going to rub it with anything between the curing and the smoking?

[Florida Bill]

Don't know what to rub it with. I cut the slab into four almost equal parts. I had thought about crushed black pepper on one of them. What would you suggest for the others?

[jmcrig]

After the cure, and you've washed them, you can rub them with whatever you like. Be it a BBQ rub, pepper, garlic, any combination of herbs and spices you enjoy. The world is your oyster.

[Uncanney]

Great thread right here.
Keep up the good work.
Pics Florida Bill??