For those who have made their own bacon, a question for you

[Glockspeed31]

I am trying my hand at making bacon from fresh pork belly for the first time. I have had mine sitting in the brine for almost 2 weeks now, only problem is that I wasn't able to locate any of the "pink" salt or the Nitrates that every recipe calls for. I did use a good amount of sea salt with other seasonings that I found in a recipe.

My big question is this, is there any dangers of not having that pink salt in the brine? I plan on smoking it at about 200F until internal temp is 150F, about 2-1/2 hrs.

Thanks

 

[fuelman1]

I would guess that the flavor would be different but should be safe if cooked to at least 150. I don't brine mine. I make a batch of cure at a ratio of 8 oz kosher salt, 4 oz sugar, and 1 oz pink salt. I measure that out at 3/4-1 oz per pound of meat and then add equal amount of brown sugar and some coarse ground pepper. Coat the meat with it and put it in doubled up tall kitchen trash bags and cure for 5 days. Rinse, pat dry, cover with black pepper, and smoke with apple or cherry wood at 200 until internal temp of 145-150. I use the same recipe using whole boneless pork loin. Makes some great ham.

 

[Colossus]

fresh bacon?
Like still on the pig?

 

[gh1950]

'You can cure meat in pure salt. The "pink salt" deters spoilage, and gives the meat a different color, but mean and fish and eggs and vegetables have been preserved for thousands of years in nothing but salt.

Usually bacon is made with salt (no brine) and the salt refreshed periodically for the salt that is "taken up" up by the meat. But Europeans use a brine.

If you are going to use a brine, you need to make sure it is strong enough. 1 cup kosher salt to one gallon of water is a good standard. Add some acid (vinegar, orange juice) to lower the pH which gives additional bacterial protection. Add some sugar (1/2 to 1 cup, white or brown) to buffer the harshness of the salt. Usually with a brine, the solution is injected into the meat, although that's probably not a big factor with bacon.

The short answer to your question is that, yes there is some risk, but you will know it if you cut into the meat before you smoke it. There are actually knives made for this.

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/ohishi-co-ltd/item/10000895/

When you go to smoke it, rinse it well and let it sit in ice water over night.

If you cook it to an internal temp of 145 +, it is "cooked" and will not last as long as cured bacon. You will have to eat it shortly. If you can maintain smoke at 70-100 degrees it will cure, and last a lot longer. Trouble is those temps are hard to establish and maintain with most smokers. That's why old timers used smoke houses so they could hang the meat in smoke but not really raise the temperature.

 

[gh1950]

fresh bacon?
Like still on the pig?

Like right off the pig, side meat that hasn't been cured yet, more technically, "pork belly" as it doesn't become bacon until it's cured.

Cultural note, the English and Aussies cure whole pigs and call the whole shebang "bacon" Dingo

 

[Dingo]

Like right off the pig, side meat that hasn't been cured yet, more technically, "pork belly" as it doesn't become bacon until it's cured.

Cultural note, the English and Aussies cure whole pigs and call the whole shebang "bacon" Dingo

Er, not sure about that, I believe we only use fatback/loin (bacon rashers) and belly pork (streaky bacon) but I'm no butcher.

 

[Kahrnut]

I would guess that the flavor would be different but should be safe if cooked to at least 150. I don't brine mine. I make a batch of cure at a ratio of 8 oz kosher salt, 4 oz sugar, and 1 oz pink salt. I measure that out at 3/4-1 oz per pound of meat and then add equal amount of brown sugar and some coarse ground pepper. Coat the meat with it and put it in doubled up tall kitchen trash bags and cure for 5 days. Rinse, pat dry, cover with black pepper, and smoke with apple or cherry wood at 200 until internal temp of 145-150. I use the same recipe using whole boneless pork loin. Makes some great ham.

I would recommend against putting food in a bag not specifically marked as 'food-safe', as the chemicals in the plastic can leach into the food, and be ingested.