In Search Of An Authentic Recipe: Wiltshire Cured Bacon

[wheels]

It was meant as a compliment!

Phil

[BriCan]

Thank you ...

Sorry about the confusion .. put it down to the bacon that much in just over a week and a half tends to do it

As to the above I myself think its one of the easiest to do/make as all I do is make the brine up .. bone out the middles and trim accordingly (specs) .. toss said loins into barrel and cover with brine .... 3 to 4 days later take out and rinse off with clean water and hang to dry ... between seven and fourteen days

The thing is their are people around that might/will say what I do is impassable ... and there in lies my dilemma on posting a recipe/work through

On a side note I had to phone my supplier for some curing salt and I asked the lad to pass on a message enquiring about 'living brines' the person who the message was for was the same person that gave me a copy of the 'Wiltshire specs' that the Canadian government was doing for the UK

[John The Hat]

I have this, from a book I have had for ages. Described as "a Wiltshire (wet) method:

To pickle 2 sides of bacon in 3 weeks, mix together:

5 lb plain (cooking) salt
8 oz bay salt
2 oz salt prunella
4 oz saltpetre
2 lbs brown sugar.

1st day: sprinkle with salt to draw out blood
2nd day: wipe dry, rub well with oickle
3rd day: Leave untouched
4th day: Rub in pickle
5th & 6th days: Leave untouched
7th day: Rub in pickle

For the next 2 weeks, rub in pickle every third day.

[wheels]

I'm not seeing why they would call a dry cure "a Wiltshire (wet) method"?

Phil

[John The Hat]

I think it is because it is rubbed in (and the cure will get quite wet) rather than burying the sides in salt. Whatever, take it up with Miss Susan Fisher of Wiltshire. Although as she was writing in about 1935, that could be difficult

[John The Hat]

Ah. In fact searching for said Miss Fisher on Gogle gets a link back to this very forum :



Calculations for Oddleys Wiltshire Immersion Brine

[wheels]

I wouldn't fancy using the recipe, certainly not just for 2 sides of bacon. Even by the standards of that time, this recipe seems to have heck of a lot of salt and nitrate.

I've come across reference before to Wiltshire dry cures, but I think that it's the (true) wet brined process developed by Harris's in Calne, that in this instance, is where Brican's interest lies?

Phil