Makin Bacon....ain't 'rocket Science'

[jaideeguy]

A friend gave me a sample of his homemade dry cured bacon and that was enough to inspire me to do it myself. After googling 'dry cured bacon', i found that there are many recipes and they all call for varying salt to sugar ratios ranging from 10 parts salt to 1 part sugar to 1 salt to 1 sugar [saltpeter/sodium nitrate optional] and a few spices of your choice. Then rub the dry mix on some pork belly bacon or loin, place in food bag and put in refrigerator for anywhere from 3 days to a week, turning the bag daily and wash the brine solution off meat and fry it up or store in the freezer.

So easy and delicious that I'll never buy bacon again. minimal shrinkage as it's not brine injected and cost is less than half the cost of store bacon which is up to 50% brine.

With so many recipes on google calling for so many different ratios of salt/sugar I tried 3/1 and it was a little salty, then my 2nd batch I tried 1/1 and soaked the meat in cold water for 4 hrs and the saltiness was better.

Try it......

[theoldgit]

Gonna give it a go, thanks.

[billd766]

It worked for me for a long time now.

PM me if you want some recipes.

[theoldgit]

Where can you get saltpetre, always thought that was an ingredient of gunpowder?

[notmyself]

Belly or back bacon?

[PoorSucker]

Where can you get saltpetre, always thought that was an ingredient of gunpowder?

It is part of black powder, it provides the oxygen to the reaction.

In the old days the made saltpetre from urine.

[jaideeguy]

I tried both belly and back bacon, but found that the back bacon didn't have enough fat and the belly has a bit too much....it does take some searching thru Makro's meat bins to find the fat/meat ratio to your taste.

I got a little saltpeter from my friend that is a professional sausage maker, but if you handle the meat with respect......sanitary and keeping meat cool and freezing it immediately after processing, it should be ok without it. If you insist on using SP, then maybe you could get some at a chemical shop or a food shop like baker's mart or yok up here in CM.

And Build766.....why not post your recipes on this thread? That's why I started it, to share info.

[Thaddeus]

And Build766.....why not post your recipes on this thread? That's why I started it, to share info.

Seconded..........

[notmyself]

I tried both belly and back bacon, but found that the back bacon didn't have enough fat and the belly has a bit too much....it does take some searching thru Makro's meat bins to find the fat/meat ratio to your taste.

I like bacon very gently cooked, 15 seconds or so each side when fried so the fat content of belly is just too much for me.

[notmyself]

And Build766.....why not post your recipes on this thread? That's why I started it, to share info.

Seconded..........

You should be able to find many on previous threads. The subject of home made bacon and or sausages comes up fairly regularly. Some have gone into depth.

[Thaddeus]

And Build766.....why not post your recipes on this thread? That's why I started it, to share info.

Seconded..........

You should be able to find many on previous threads. The subject of home made bacon and or sausages comes up fairly regularly. Some have gone into depth.

This I know ...... but I want to know his methods, and in a thread that I have made a comment in so I can find it again.

[QED]

I will try that too, sounds way too easy though!

[jaideeguy]

I tried both belly and back bacon, but found that the back bacon didn't have enough fat and the belly has a bit too much....it does take some searching thru Makro's meat bins to find the fat/meat ratio to your taste.

I like bacon very gently cooked, 15 seconds or so each side when fried so the fat content of belly is just too much for me.

Agree that the loin bacon is best when not over cooked. The belly bacon seems better if cooked slow and long, especially if there is much fat because the sugar makes it burn easily.

My last spice mix was fresh ground black pepper and zest of orange.....nice combo.

Also wondering if anyone has tried other cuts of pork, like tenderloin or the collar cuts which seem to be a bit more tender??

Edited December 22, 2012 by jaideeguy

[billd766]

And Build766.....why not post your recipes on this thread? That's why I started it, to share info.

Seconded..........

You should be able to find many on previous threads. The subject of home made bacon and or sausages comes up fairly regularly. Some have gone into depth.

This I know ...... but I want to know his methods, and in a thread that I have made a comment in so I can find it again.

I have posted recipes out quite a few times and I really think that the forum ought to have a pinned topic of purely recipes.

At the moment my shiny new desktop wireless keyboard is missing letters I have typed, putting extra letters and spaces in at random and I now have to check every word one at a time.

I need to get this fixed as it has taken me 5 minutes just to type this post. The wireless mouse is a problem too.

Sorry.

[Thaddeus]

At the moment my shiny new desktop wireless keyboard is missing letters I have typed, putting extra letters and spaces in at random and I now have to check every word one at a time.

I need to get this fixed as it has taken me 5 minutes just to type this post. The wireless mouse is a problem too.

Soak it in brine for a few days, that should cure it.

I agree about having some stuff pinned in the foodies section.

P.S. if both keyboard and mouse are misbehaving, it could be the wireless receiver, have you tried it in a different USB port>

[rsokolowski]

The brine is good, but you need to also smoke it for a couple of hours (4-6) at a low to medium temp. Not sure if you can get Hickory or Apple wood chips in Thailand but that is what is optimum.

[Pushit]

The brine is good, but you need to also smoke it for a couple of hours (4-6) at a low to medium temp. Not sure if you can get Hickory or Apple wood chips in Thailand but that is what is optimum.

Home Pro stocks Hickory wood chips (and other) for BBQing

[billd766]

At the moment my shiny new desktop wireless keyboard is missing letters I have typed, putting extra letters and spaces in at random and I now have to check every word one at a time.

I need to get this fixed as it has taken me 5 minutes just to type this post. The wireless mouse is a problem too.

Soak it in brine for a few days, that should cure it.

I agree about having some stuff pinned in the foodies section.

P.S. if both keyboard and mouse are misbehaving, it could be the wireless receiver, have you tried it in a different USB port>

It is an HP ENVY desktop 2 months into a 3 year warranty. I think the receiver is builtin somewhere plus the mouse and keyboard are less than a metre from the computer.

I will be chasing the supplier VERY soon.

Edited December 22, 2012 by billd766

[Thait Spot]

At the moment my shiny new desktop wireless keyboard is missing letters I have typed, putting extra letters and spaces in at random and I now have to check every word one at a time.

I need to get this fixed as it has taken me 5 minutes just to type this post. The wireless mouse is a problem too.

Soak it in brine for a few days, that should cure it.

I agree about having some stuff pinned in the foodies section.

P.S. if both keyboard and mouse are misbehaving, it could be the wireless receiver, have you tried it in a different USB port>

It is an HP ENVY desktop 2 months into a 3 year warranty. I think the receiver is builtin somewhere plus the mouse and keyboard are less than a metre from the computer.

I will be chasing the supplier VERY soon.

Keep mobile phones and cables away from the mouse and keyboard

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect App

[billd766]

At the moment my shiny new desktop wireless keyboard is missing letters I have typed, putting extra letters and spaces in at random and I now have to check every word one at a time.

I need to get this fixed as it has taken me 5 minutes just to type this post. The wireless mouse is a problem too.

Soak it in brine for a few days, that should cure it.

I agree about having some stuff pinned in the foodies section.

P.S. if both keyboard and mouse are misbehaving, it could be the wireless receiver, have you tried it in a different USB port>

It is an HP ENVY desktop 2 months into a 3 year warranty. I think the receiver is builtin somewhere plus the mouse and keyboard are less than a metre from the computer.

I will be chasing the supplier VERY soon.

Keep mobile phones and cables away from the mouse and keyboard

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect App

Thats a thought but it worked OK until the last few days.

I have now put an ordinary keyboard and mouse both on electric string and it works OK.

[billd766]

Some recipes and there are loads out on the internet.

These are useful to get the right cuts.

Bacon-honey mustard cure.doc

Molasses Black Pepper Cure.doc

My home made ham with pictures.doc

[jaideeguy]

Great that you got your pc back in order Build, they are no fun without a mouse or keyboard.....and thanks for sharing your 'secrets' with us who are just learning the art.

A few general questions.....

1] On the pork diagram, where is the 'back' bacon portion? The one that is used in Canadian bacon and UK back bacon??

2] and any other cuts that can be used....like the tenderloin or collar cut which is more tender and less fat??

And comments....

1] I like your drying method....no need to refrigerate??

2] and on your recipes, you call for over 2 cups of marinade to one pound of pork belly.....that's a lot more marinade [rub] than the recipes that I have been using for 3-4 kilos of meat.

Again, thanks for posting......

JD

Edited December 23, 2012 by jaideeguy

[retell]

hey great job with your bacon

myself been busy with that for over 1 year now and i do not use the dry curing but put the meat in a water/salt with different spice and herbs instead

find this method to give a more equal taste throughout the meat

after curing and a bit drying i usally smoke em at a not too hot temperature ( thailand and a box with glowing stuff usally ends up wit around 60 C.)

for 6 to 10 hours

after that you have to lock it up for yourself and anybody that knows that you have it ,cos it will be gone and eaten in no time

by any chance you stay around Mukdahan then i'm more than happy to show you more of whats possible

greetings

maarten

[retell]

Great that you got your pc back in order Build, they are no fun without a mouse or keyboard.....and thanks for sharing your 'secrets' with us who are just learning the art.

A few general questions.....

1] On the pork diagram, where is the 'back' bacon portion? The one that is used in Canadian bacon and UK back bacon??

2] and any other cuts that can be used....like the tenderloin or collar cut which is more tender and less fat??

And comments....

1] I like your drying method....no need to refrigerate??

2] and on your recipes, you call for over 2 cups of marinade to one pound of pork belly.....that's a lot more marinade [rub] than the recipes that I have been using for 3-4 kilos of meat.

Again, thanks for posting......

JD

backbacon is your basic porkloin

[retell]

Great that you got your pc back in order Build, they are no fun without a mouse or keyboard.....and thanks for sharing your 'secrets' with us who are just learning the art.

A few general questions.....

1] On the pork diagram, where is the 'back' bacon portion? The one that is used in Canadian bacon and UK back bacon??

2] and any other cuts that can be used....like the tenderloin or collar cut which is more tender and less fat??

And comments....

1] I like your drying method....no need to refrigerate??

2] and on your recipes, you call for over 2 cups of marinade to one pound of pork belly.....that's a lot more marinade [rub] than the recipes that I have been using for 3-4 kilos of meat.

Again, thanks for posting......

JD

backbacon is your basic porkloin

streaky the belly , and great pieces from schoulder and backleg

[jaideeguy]

So Retell, you're saying that any cut can be used?? And the basic porkloin is used for Canadian bacon? I get most of my meat from Makro and the pork loin there has hardly any fat. Maybe I'll try the local market as most of Makro's meat seems like it poped out of a pork mold and all looks the same. corporate pigs!!

[notmyself]

So Retell, you're saying that any cut can be used?? And the basic porkloin is used for Canadian bacon? I get most of my meat from Makro and the pork loin there has hardly any fat. Maybe I'll try the local market as most of Makro's meat seems like it poped out of a pork mold and all looks the same. corporate pigs!!

Legs are used for hams which is somewhat similar to bacon. Other cuts including legs are used for gammon which is also similar to bacon. Butcher close to where my sister lives in the UK do racks of ribs which are cured in the same way as their bacon. Very nice when grilled.

[retell]

So Retell, you're saying that any cut can be used?? And the basic porkloin is used for Canadian bacon? I get most of my meat from Makro and the pork loin there has hardly any fat. Maybe I'll try the local market as most of Makro's meat seems like it poped out of a pork mold and all looks the same. corporate pigs!!

dont forget to smell it before you buy it

[theseahorse]

So Retell, you're saying that any cut can be used?? And the basic porkloin is used for Canadian bacon? I get most of my meat from Makro and the pork loin there has hardly any fat. Maybe I'll try the local market as most of Makro's meat seems like it poped out of a pork mold and all looks the same. corporate pigs!!

Any part of the pig can be cured, but some are more suited to bacon or ham or aging than others. Obviously the most popular for bacon are the belly and then the loin, although you'll find it difficult here to find loin with a small bit of belly attached for a real British style back bacon.

But cuts like the collar are great for curing. Collar bacon is great due to the natural marbelling, just look at the Italian Coppa. It also makes a great ham too. Tenderloin is a bit too lean for just bacon/ham (although great when aged to make 'Filleto'). Then the leg makes gammon when boned and cured (or ham if you then cook it).

I personally prefer to dry-cure as I prefer the stronger flavour but many brine cure as it's easier . I also prefer it less sweet than the recipes above (they're very American). But play around, it's not hard, once you have your basic recipe sorted just add different levels of sugar or try using mollasses/honey/ syrups or different sugars (I really like using the dark brown natural sugar we get here) and play around with different herbs and flavourings, add garlic and herbs and you have pancetta. Experiment and find your own personal style.

Here's a recent batch of dry-cured back bacon.

Edited December 23, 2012 by theseahorse

[retell]

So Retell, you're saying that any cut can be used?? And the basic porkloin is used for Canadian bacon? I get most of my meat from Makro and the pork loin there has hardly any fat. Maybe I'll try the local market as most of Makro's meat seems like it poped out of a pork mold and all looks the same. corporate pigs!!

Legs are used for hams which is somewhat similar to bacon. Other cuts including legs are used for gammon which is also similar to bacon. Butcher close to where my sister lives in the UK do racks of ribs which are cured in the same way as their bacon. Very nice when grilled.

gonna trying to do that ribs next time harr harr sounds tasty indeed