This ratio seems to hold true across many publications. Can I use and not refrigerate for a few days, or do you think I will have a problem? How to Cook a Steak In A Cast Iron Frying Pan, https://survivalsherpa.wordpress.com/2015/06/26/makin-bacon-how-to-dry-cure-pork-belly/, Benchmade 940 Review : Gentleman’s Tactical. We love it and give a couple of pound for Christmas gifts. Turn the temperature up just high enough to produce smoke. I add some “flavors” during the process, my favorite being maple syrup,and brown sugar,adding the sugar at the midway point of curing, using 1/2 cup per lb. [CDATA[ If I am doing a couple bellies at a time, I will figure my cure for the entire weight and place both bellies into the same container with all of the curing brine. Many things have been said about nitrites and it is beyond the scope of this blog to rehash old debates. Wet Cure Method. A good ratio to work with is 16oz Kosher Salt to 8oz Sugar to 8 teaspoons of Pink  Salt. If your smoking chamber is constructed of a flammable material, run your hotplate outside the box and pipe the smoke in through lightweight pipe like central heat and air duct. Check out this dry cure method of makin’ bacon, I think it is what you are looking for https://survivalsherpa.wordpress.com/2015/06/26/makin-bacon-how-to-dry-cure-pork-belly/ . Once you have all of your cure ingredients measured, just mix them together and stir long enough to dissolve the salt and sugar into the water. gm Sugar: gm The amount of Nitrite curing salt for your chosen level of cure, or the maximum amount permitted by the regulations chosen by you above is: This refers to the mix of Salt and Sodium Nitrite. This can take awhile but be patient it is worth it! The salt is the real move and shaker when it comes to curing. Pink Salt is regular salt that has Nitrates added to it. Pink salt isn’t Himalayan salt. I don’t know how well the vacuum seal would allow for the liquid to bathe the meat. Check with your local butcher, Asian markets in your area, or even Costco if you have one nearby. Local farms might be another resource to try as many farmers might be willing to part with a belly or two. My method of making bacon needs to be refrigerated or frozen to keep. A good ratio to work with is 16oz Kosher Salt to 8oz Sugar to 8 teaspoons of Pink Salt. Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder No.1 Pink Curing Salt, 2.5 lbs. The best way to cook any bacon is in a cast iron skillet over a camp fire. When it tastes right, your bacon is ready. Place the coated belly into a large Zip-Loc bag and place it flat in the refrigerator. To convert pounds to grams, just know that there are 453.5 grams in a pound. To decide what amount of time is best for you, sample the meat from time to time. Now for the best part, cooking the bacon. You can vacuum seal your bacon (we do one and two-pound packs) and store it in the freezer for up to a year. Start sampling the bacon after a day or two by frying up a small slice and giving it a taste. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-3092004093602558"; /* Home Bottom */ google_ad_slot = "9498157713"; google_ad_width = 728; google_ad_height = 15; // ]]> Hickory, fruit woods like apple, peach or cherry, or even oak or maple can be used to smoke the bacon. It is my understanding that the dry cure is closer to what Civil War Era troops used as dry rations so I think it would keep. […] View the full article at The Backyard Pioneer […]. Fry it, bake it, even microwave it if you have to. The liquid that is drawn out of the pork belly is an integral part of the curing process. Cindy, Thanks for the input. Before modern refrigeration, meat would be left hanging in the smokehouse until it was needed, often for months at a time. Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing (Revised and Updated) is my go to book for meat curing projects. This handy calculator lets you plug in the weight of your pork belly, and it figures the rest for you. Although its a fairly lengthy process (at least, compared to running to the store and just buying some), it is a wholly satisfying one, and in addition to the sense of achievement it also yields some tasty rewards. Ahhh, bacon! It works well, but sometimes the bacon can turn out pretty salty. Weighing the ingredients out insures a good cure as different “grinds” of salt and sugar will have different volumes. Use a digital thermometer to monitor the bacon's internal temperature and smoke until the bacon reaches 150 degrees. Just slice a small slice from the hanging slab and fry it up. I am intrigued and will have to give it a try. You really need accurate digital scales with equilibrium curing, the whole point is consistent salt flavor and also consistent meat curing results Here is a page I wrote with some digital scales I can recommend.. When used, the recommended amount is a ratio of 4 oz for each 100 lb (1 kg for each 400 kg) of meat or 0.25% of the total weight of the meat. I cut a slab into 2 to 3 lb. Now imagine being able to make something even better than the store bought stuff right at home with only 4 ingredients! Rinse the bacon well and pat dry with paper towels. chunks, leave the skin on and remove after smoking, vacuum pack food saver and freeze. What can I do, what did the pioneers do to keep un-refrigerated, wrap in cloth, etc.? Cure for at least seven, and up to 10 days. I started making our bacon 2 years ago. Turn the soon-to-be bacon every other day. I’m not sure how it would work out.