How long should I cure my pork belly?

[emuleman]

Hey guys, I got a question for you.

I made homemade bacon one time, by curing the pork belly for a total of 6 days with curing salts, and one additional day drying out in the fridge before smoking it. I come out pretty good in my opinion. I made a video of it, and some people who have watched it tell me 6 days is not enough. Someone suggested a minimum of two weeks, while another said three weeks.

I am going to try doing it again, but was wondering if anyone with more experience might recommend how long I should cure it for, and if that additional curing will make it taste better. Anyone have a wonderful recipe for a cure? I am open to any suggestions or tips that will make my next attempt better.

[Hoser]

If you are dry curing your bellies muleman....6 days is sufficient. The only time I've seen folks go longer was with a wet cure. I looked at your recipe, and you have the proper amount of cure for 5 lb bellies, so IMHO 6 days should be just fine.
Mind you, and extra day or two wont hurt anything.

And by the way... from little Rhody

[Doug S.]

I go by Bearcarver's recipe, it's in his sig it's never failed me yet

[Bearcarver]

Hey guys, I got a question for you.

I made homemade bacon one time, by curing the pork belly for a total of 6 days with curing salts, and one additional day drying out in the fridge before smoking it. I come out pretty good in my opinion. I made a video of it, and some people who have watched it tell me 6 days is not enough. Someone suggested a minimum of two weeks, while another said three weeks.

I am going to try doing it again, but was wondering if anyone with more experience might recommend how long I should cure it for, and if that additional curing will make it taste better. Anyone have a wonderful recipe for a cure? I am open to any suggestions or tips that will make my next attempt better.

I go by Thickness, and it would have to be pretty thin to get less than 7 days of my Dry curing with TQ.

Below is my Favorite Step by Step, and it includes the calculation I use for all of my TQ Dry Curing:
Link:
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19027


Bear

[curious aardvark]

7-10 days is what i usually go for.
As long as you're using a curing salt with nitrate, it can be any length of time.

Just don't use cure #1 - that's for short term curing only.

[emuleman]

7-10 days is what i usually go for.
As long as you're using a curing salt with nitrate, it can be any length of time.

Just don't use cure #1 - that's for short term curing only.

The curing salt I have is called:

Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder No.1 Pink Curing Salt

According the website, and you can see via the link, it contains 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% sodium chloride as per FDA and USDA regulations.

So can I cure some pork belly for 10-14 days in the fridge with this cure #1, or do I need to get some cure #2?

Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder No.2 (#2) Pink Curing Salt

[emuleman]

After posting the above I saw this description of the differences between cure #1 and cure #2.

Difference between Prague #1 and #2:

Prague powder #1 (aka Cure #1)

Prague powder #1 is 1 part (6.25%) sodium nitrite to 15 parts (93.75%) salt, plus anti-caking elements.
It is used for all curing other than dry.
You use 1 teaspoon for 5 pounds (2 kg) of meat, or 100g per 100 pounds (45 kg), and mix it with cold water to use.

Prague powder #2 (Cure #2)

Per pound (16 oz) (450g) of Prague powder #2, there is 1 oz (6.25%) sodium nitrite, .64 oz (4%) sodium nitrate, 14.36 oz (89.75 %) salt, and anti-caking elements.
It is mostly for dry curing (e.g. products that require no cooking, refrigeration or smoking.) These meat products typically take a longer time to cure.
You mix with cold water to use, using 1 teaspoon for 5 pounds (2 kg) of meat, or 100g per 100 pounds (45 kg.)
Certain strains of micrococcus bacteria ferment the nitrate in Prague Powder #2, converting it to nitrite.
Prague Powder #2 lasts longer in food, because while the nitrite turns into nitric oxide and dissipates, the nitrate instead has to first break down into nitrites before it can dissipate as nitric oxide, thus you have a preservative present for longer.

So it appears cure #1 would be fine to use as long as I cook, or smoke the pork belly after I cure it. Is my assumption correct?

[Bearcarver]

After posting the above I saw this description of the differences between cure #1 and cure #2.

Difference between Prague #1 and #2:

Prague powder #1 (aka Cure #1)

Prague powder #1 is 1 part (6.25%) sodium nitrite to 15 parts (93.75%) salt, plus anti-caking elements.
It is used for all curing other than dry.
You use 1 teaspoon for 5 pounds (2 kg) of meat, or 100g per 100 pounds (45 kg), and mix it with cold water to use.

Prague powder #2 (Cure #2)

Per pound (16 oz) (450g) of Prague powder #2, there is 1 oz (6.25%) sodium nitrite, .64 oz (4%) sodium nitrate, 14.36 oz (89.75 %) salt, and anti-caking elements.
It is mostly for dry curing (e.g. products that require no cooking, refrigeration or smoking.) These meat products typically take a longer time to cure.
You mix with cold water to use, using 1 teaspoon for 5 pounds (2 kg) of meat, or 100g per 100 pounds (45 kg.)
Certain strains of micrococcus bacteria ferment the nitrate in Prague Powder #2, converting it to nitrite.
Prague Powder #2 lasts longer in food, because while the nitrite turns into nitric oxide and dissipates, the nitrate instead has to first break down into nitrites before it can dissipate as nitric oxide, thus you have a preservative present for longer.

So it appears cure #1 would be fine to use as long as I cook, or smoke the pork belly after I cure it. Is my assumption correct?

I'm not a Cure #1 or #2 user---I use Tender Quick.

However I believe Cure #1 is used for Bacon. (Bacon is Short-time curing)

Cure #2 is more often used in Looooong term curing of various sausages & other things. (Much longer than Bacon)

Bear

[BYBBQ]

7-10 days is what i usually go for.
As long as you're using a curing salt with nitrate, it can be any length of time.

Just don't use cure #1 - that's for short term curing only.

I have only made slab bacon a couple times, I usually make CB or BBB, but I was told to either use the TenderQuick recipe or use Cure #1 which would give the bacon it's color and cured taste.

Now I'm curious which is right.

This is from the Sausage Maker's web site.....

Insta Cure™ No. 1, a basic cure used to cure all meats that require cooking, brining, smoking, or canning. This includes poultry, fish, ham, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, pates and other products too numerous to mention. Formerly Prague Powder #1. Insta Cure™ #1 contains salt and sodium nitrite (6.25%).
Use 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. meat.


Insta Cure™ No. 2 is a cure specifically formulated to be used for making dry cured products such as pepperoni, hard salami, genoa salami, proscuitti hams, dried farmers sausage, capicola and more. These are products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. Insta Cure™ No. 2 can be compared to the time release capsules used for colds--the sodium nitrate breaks down to sodium nitrite and then to nitric oxide to cure the meat over an extended period of time. Some meats require curing for up to 6 months. InstaCure #2 contains salt, sodium nitrite (6.25%) and sodium nitrate (1%).
Use 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. of meat

[Bearcarver]

I have only made slab bacon a couple times, I usually make CB or BBB, but I was told to either use the TenderQuick recipe or use Cure #1 which would give the bacon it's color and cured taste.

Now I'm curious which is right.

This is from the Sausage Maker's web site.....

Insta Cure™ No. 1, a basic cure used to cure all meats that require cooking, brining, smoking, or canning. This includes poultry, fish, ham, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, pates and other products too numerous to mention. Formerly Prague Powder #1. Insta Cure™ #1 contains salt and sodium nitrite (6.25%).
Use 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. meat.


Insta Cure™ No. 2 is a cure specifically formulated to be used for making dry cured products such as pepperoni, hard salami, genoa salami, proscuitti hams, dried farmers sausage, capicola and more. These are products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. Insta Cure™ No. 2 can be compared to the time release capsules used for colds--the sodium nitrate breaks down to sodium nitrite and then to nitric oxide to cure the meat over an extended period of time. Some meats require curing for up to 6 months. InstaCure #2 contains salt, sodium nitrite (6.25%) and sodium nitrate (1%).
Use 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. of meat

I think CA was just screwing with us!!!
Or seeing if anyone is paying attention.

Bear

[BYBBQ]

I think CA was just screwing with us!!!
Or seeing if anyone is paying attention.

Bear

Hope it was a misprint and not screwing with people.
Either way someone could get sick taking bad advise about cures.
JMHO-YMMV

[emuleman]

Well if my interpretations are correct, cure #1 will be fine for pork belly, as long as I cure it in the fridge, and smoke it afterward to a temperature of at least 150 degrees.

Am I correct in my assumptions? Can I cure it for 10-14 days with cure #1 in the fridge?

[gracoman]

Ruhlman

[BBQ Engineer]

I've always used 1 week per inch of product as a general rule. Also, if it goes longer due to your schedule, life happening, etc., no problem. You can't over cure, only under cure (time wise...assuming you used correct amounts of a curing agent to begin with).

[BYBBQ]

Everything I keep reading says 1 teaspoon cure #1 per 5 pounds of meat.
The link gracoman posted to Ruhlman's site is from 2010 and says 2 teaspoons per 5 pounds of meat. That's double the amount others say.
Which is the right amount to use ??
Is this one of the mistakes/misprints that are talked about in some of his recipes ?