Dry cure bacon timing

[boffin]

After two years of experiments curing pork belly these are my conclusions. 1) dry cure is definitely the best
2) Curing in a bag produces a tougher bacon. 3) I cure in a tray in a fridge using a weighed quantity of cure, (at the moment I use 45 gm of cure per kilo of belly but the result somewhat salty). I cure for 7 days, rinse then dry for 1 or 2 days, smoke lightly then hang for three weeks minimum. The improvement in flavour and quality compared with a shorter hanging period is quite remarkable. I hope to add more detail in a few months time.

[Shuswap]

I too can vouch for Brican's eq cure and procedure from beginning to end including his rub that hasn't been mentioned in this thread.

[wheels]

Do we have a direct link to Brican's cure? I hate to admit it, but I can't find it.

Phil

[crustyo44]

Hi Phil,
Here is Robert's Black Forest spice mix. I use it now on a few other EQ cured porky bits. My grandkids love the bacon etc etc. I can't argue with their expertise!!!!!!!!!
Cheers,
Jan.

Black Forest Spice Mixture:
125gm White pepper
25gm Ground nutmeg
25gm Ground mace
15gm Ground cardamom
200gm White sugar
Mix thoroughly, then store in an opaque jar out in a cool, dry place.

[BriCan]

After two years of experiments curing pork belly these are my conclusions.
1) dry cure is definitely the best

In my opinion also true

2) Curing in a bag produces a tougher bacon.

Not true, what normally makes tougher bacon if it is left in the liquid that comes out of the belly while curing

3) I cure in a tray in a fridge using a weighed quantity of cure, (at the moment I use 45 gm of cure per kilo of belly but the result somewhat salty).

What consists of the cure??

Doing a EQ cure will rectify you having salty bacon --- 2% Salt and 0.25% Cure #1

I cure for 7 days, rinse then dry for 1 or 2 days, smoke lightly then hang for three weeks minimum.

I do about the same, bellies in a 7 day EQ cure, lightly rinsed and hung to dry at room temperature ( 13C ) then cold smoked for up to 72 hours then aged/matured for no less than 3 days but normally up to 7 days again this being at room temperature -- all these steps produce an unbelievable depth of flavour

The improvement in flavour and quality compared with a shorter hanging period is quite remarkable. I hope to add more detail in a few months time.

Looking farward to your results

[BriCan]

I too can vouch for Brican's eq cure and procedure from beginning to end including his rub that hasn't been mentioned in this thread.

I dust not rub

[BriCan]

Hi Phil,
Here is Robert's Black Forest spice mix. I use it now on a few other EQ cured porky bits. My grandkids love the bacon etc etc. I can't argue with their expertise!!!!!!!!!
Cheers,
Jan.

Black Forest Spice Mixture:
125gm White pepper
25gm Ground nutmeg
25gm Ground mace
15gm Ground cardamom
200gm White sugar
Mix thoroughly, then store in an opaque jar out in a cool, dry place.

Thanks for that Jan

[Shuswap]

I have searched all the forums where Brican's maple bacon has been discussed and collected comments made by Robert and other respected contributrors. Here is one by Wheels that should be added to this thread that relates to the final stage of aging the bacon:

Wheels wrote on this forum: " Try and age it below 15°C. Above that and Staphylococcus aureus can be an issue. Around 10 - 12°C and 70 - 75% RH would be great.

If not, lightly wrapped in greaseproof or parchment paper in the fridge will suffice."

[wheels]

I can't argue with any of that!

My preference is for a little more salt than Brican, along with a little sugar. However, the saltiness of bacon is very personal. Some like more: some less! Many commercial bacon's are 3 - 4+%. Yes I found one at 4.68%! So it's not something that's 'right or wrong'.

For me, the convenience of vac-pac curing far outweighs the slight disadvantage. I also observe that whilst the drained product is more tender if used shortly after curing, due no doubt to the fact that it loses more weight during curing than the vac-pac version, it all seems to even itself out given a decent period of maturing.

To me, above all, it's decent maturing that changes good bacon into superb bacon.

For those that come after, what usage rate would you suggest for Brican's spice mix?

Phil

[Shuswap]

Phil, from my notes on Brican's comments previously, 2 Tablespoons per 5 lb belly.
Phil

[wheels]

Many thanks.

Now, I'm going to 'chuck one in'. I don't want WW3 to break out, and I know that Brican's Mentor was a German Butcher who knew his stuff, but those spices, great as they no doubt are, don't shout 'Black Forest' to me. To me Black Forest spices would be pepper, coriander, garlic and juniper berries - mainly 'cos there the ones that the Black Forest Ham Association (Schwarzwälder Schinken Verband) say are used. Of those, to me the key element is Juniper.

Is this mix for the USA style Black Forest Ham that's a cooked ham? Or the raw German one?

Phil

[Shuswap]

Phil, thanks for pointing us to the Schinken association. This page on their website (in english) is interesting and re-enforces the role of juniper berries. Also, interesting to me, is their use of fir wood chips and sawdust in smoking. I have always understood to keep away from softwoods in smoking meat. I live in a conifer forest.
Phil
http://www.schwarzwaelder-schinken-verb ... stellung#4

[wheels]

There's no doubt an art to getting it so that it doesn't taste like turpentine!

Phil

[BriCan]

For those that come after, what usage rate would you suggest for Brican's spice mix?

Phil

50 grams to a 4535 gram boneless rind on belly

[BriCan]

Many thanks.

Now, I'm going to 'chuck one in'. I don't want WW3 to break out,

and I know that Brican's Mentor was a German Butcher who knew his stuff, but those spices, great as they no doubt are, don't shout 'Black Forest' to me.

The conversation on the World Wide Forum is where the Black Forest spices was first coined but not by me -- granted I did not correct as it spread rather quickly

It was my mentors spice combination for his bacon --- use 25g of Cardamon instead of 15g's

To me Black Forest spices would be pepper, coriander, garlic and juniper berries - mainly 'cos there the ones that the Black Forest Ham Association (Schwarzwälder Schinken Verband) say are used. Of those, to me the key element is Juniper.

You forgot the cloves