Wet Cure for Canadian Bacon??

[DDave]

I just cut up and trimmed a pork loin into 3 hunks to dry cure for Canadian bacon per ShooterRick's tutorial. They are in the fridge now and will be ready to smoke on July 1.

But it always seems like such a mess trying to get the cure evenly distributed and get it all in the ziploc bag without making a huge mess on the counter. Or maybe I'm just a spaz. Anyway, I got to thinking it would seem much easier to do this with a wet cure.

Question -- how would one compute the amount of cure needed, amount of liquid needed, and the length of cure time?

The TQ bag says 1 cup cure per 4 cups water and put meat in for 24 hours. Doesn't the weight and thickness of the meat come into play as with dry curing?

Thanks.

Dave

[SmokinOutBack]

Dave, I use a wet cure for CB, have done it several times and came out good. This is for 5 LB batches so take it from there. I use a 2 gallon container, and put in 1 LB kosher salt, 1 LB brown sugar, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp (pink) cure. Takes 3-4 days depending on thickness of loin. I go 4 to be safe.

[Mark R]

Dave, I use a wet cure for CB, have done it several times and came out good. This is for 5 LB batches so take it from there. I use a 2 gallon container, and put in 1 LB kosher salt, 1 LB brown sugar, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp (pink) cure. Takes 3-4 days depending on thickness of loin. I go 4 to be safe.

That's cure#1, not T.Q. Not the same!

[Richtee]

Dave, I use a wet cure for CB, have done it several times and came out good. This is for 5 LB batches so take it from there. I use a 2 gallon container, and put in 1 LB kosher salt, 1 LB brown sugar, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp (pink) cure. Takes 3-4 days depending on thickness of loin. I go 4 to be safe.

You should read this post. Your curing brine is under nitrated... brine curing depends on concentration of cure, and also time. It's faster, but you can over-cure.

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/sho...68588#poststop

[SmokinOutBack]

Didn't mean to confuse anyone, this is the formula I have used with success.

[Richtee]

typically, a brine cure has a 200 PPM nitrite concentration... or a bit less. 200 is the legal limit. The .32 Oz. cure#1 in the post mentioned is that limit.

I am suprised you get a full cure with that recipe in that time frame. Could be...

Do you notice "un-pink" centers in the CB?

[DDave]

typically, a brine cure has a 200 PPM nitrite concentration... or a bit less. 200 is the legal limit.

So . . . how much TQ per gallon of water would give a brine a 200 PPM nitrite concentration?

And how do you determine how long to leave the meat in the brine?

Dave

[Richtee]

So . . . how much TQ per gallon of water would give a brine a 200 PPM nitrite concentration?

And how do you determine how long to leave the meat in the brine?

Dave

I do not know those figures for TQ...as it is a hybrid cure, with both nitrite and nitrate. Morton's recommends 1 cup TQ with 4 cups water for a pump (injection) to be used with a combination dry cure.

[DDave]

I do not know those figures for TQ...as it is a hybrid cure, with both nitrite and nitrate. Morton's recommends 1 cup TQ with 4 cups water for a pump (injection) to be used with a combination dry cure.

So to do what I'm wanting to do, I should get some Cure #1 and use .32oz Cure #1 per gallon of water?

Is the amount of meat irrelevant as long as the brine concentration is 200 ppm of nitrites?

How is the cure time determined?

Dave

[Richtee]

So to do what I'm wanting to do, I should get some Cure #1 and use .32oz Cure #1 per gallon of water?

Yes... that would be prudent.

Is the amount of meat irrelevant as long as the brine concentration is 200 ppm of nitrites?

Yes, that is true.

How is the cure time determined?

Bob...help!


Or, you could dry cure and be done with it.

[DDave]

Or, you could dry cure and be done with it.

But if I use Cure #1, in the small amounts of meat that I do, -- pound and a half to 2 pound chunks --that would be a real pain. My understanding is that it would be .04 oz or 1.13398093 grams per pound of meat. It seems like it would be pretty difficult to get that small amount spread out evenly over a piece of meat.

Sigh . . . doing it with TQ is not the end of the world I guess.

Come to think of it, I think I recall Gunny doing a post on a brine cure for Canadian bacon. I'll have to try and dig that up.

Dave

[Richtee]

But if I use Cure #1, in the small amounts of meat that I do, -- pound and a half to 2 pound chunks

I suppose... but you have the scale capable. Just mix it in with the spices/salt.

[curious aardvark]

you're overthinking the dry cure.

Stick the loin in a large bowl and rub all over with about half the cure.
Stick the loin in a ziplock. then just tip the rest of the cure into the bag and give it a bit of a shake.
Hell you could probably just stick the meat in the bag and add all the cure, shake and squish around a bit and you'd still be fine

As the cure draws liquid out of the meat it will make it's own brine.
The dry in 'dry cure' only refers to the starting situation. once it's been in the bag for a couple of days it's pretty much a wet cure anyway :-)
As long as you turn and squidge the loin each day it will be perfectly evenly cured - no problem.

Kinda like making muffins - a quick mix and let the cooking process do the rest :-) (you've made muffins right ? )

[Whisky Fish]

I am currently doing both wet and dry cures with #1. I Stuck with the .32 oz per gallon for the brine (Pastrami and hamcicles). Dry cure is 1 teaspoon per 5 lbs. As for time, I'm going for the full 10 days on my dry cure (Canadian Bacon) And just 7 days on the wet. Conventional wisdom for brine is 1/2 the time for dry cures. Can't quote the source but it was the folks on here
I don't worry too much about timing on the wet cures because I generally let it go longer than recommended. I do my brines on Sat and smoke on the following Sunday. Rule of thumb; If your cure quantity is correct, you can't over cure. I just relax and let er go.

[SmokinOutBack]

I am currently doing both wet and dry cures with #1. I Stuck with the .32 oz per gallon for the brine (Pastrami and hamcicles). Dry cure is 1 teaspoon per 5 lbs. As for time, I'm going for the full 10 days on my dry cure (Canadian Bacon) And just 7 days on the wet. Conventional wisdom for brine is 1/2 the time for dry cures. Can't quote the source but it was the folks on here
I don't worry too much about timing on the wet cures because I generally let it go longer than recommended. I do my brines on Sat and smoke on the following Sunday. Rule of thumb; If your cure quantity is correct, you can't over cure. I just relax and let er go.

I believe that was what I said, 1 tsp per 5 LB.