Making bacon...

[Noel Johnson]

Well, as the cold winter nights draw in I thought I'd try some home curing.

You will need:
1Kilo salt
20g sugar (soft brown)
2 teaspoons of saltpetre (optional)
bayleaves (finely chopped)
Pork belly

I used organic as it's kinder to the animals...

Mix all the cure ingerdients in a bowl.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/teambunny/making%20bacon/2005_1029Image0001.jpg

Get your pork and remove the bones... Mmmm Spare ribs

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/teambunny/making%20bacon/2005_1029Image0002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/teambunny/making%20bacon/2005_1029Image0003.jpg

Rub the cure all over the meat

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/teambunny/making%20bacon/2005_1029Image0004.jpg

Place in a non metallic container

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/teambunny/making%20bacon/2005_1029Image0005.jpg

Save the remaining cure for tomorrow

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/teambunny/making%20bacon/2005_1029Image0006.jpg

Cover and put in the garage with the rest of the dive kit

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/teambunny/making%20bacon/2005_1029Image0009.jpg

Tomorrow I'll drain the juices being leached out of the pork, apply more cure and keep repeating as necessary.

Mmmm Lovely.

[SylvainGoodwill]

Now that's a good way to get ready for the icy winds! Thanks for the brilliant idea, I'll try this befor the week is over.

PS: I don't have no diving gear, can I use a semi broken Series I steering box instead?

[Noel Johnson]

Update if interested:
The first run was good but I'm going to alter the salt (reduce the quantity slightly per rub) for the next batch as it was very salty after a 6 day cure, but not unpalatable with some hot water soaking.

[toppa]

MM my dive gear is under the stairs, she wont be happy with the bacon curing under there!!

Cheers

[Stut]

mmmmmmmm.......be trying that with my parents home grown piggys.

[jen.s.f]

That sounds good, real bacon!! How many days do you leave it to cure, and have you tried it with any other cuts or just belly. Also how much do you plan to reduce the salt by?

[Noel Johnson]

Hi, This is the first time I've tried it so here goes...

I'll keep the salt quantity the same as it will keep for the next time (I still have a bit left) I just think I was rubbing too much in in one go if that makes sense. As far as the curing time goes I went for a 6 day cure to start (started Saturday night and ate on the following Saturday morning) but I think I'll try for 5 days next time.

On Friday night there was a little liquid in the dish so I dried it and applied more cure and on Saturday morning there was no liquid at all, which may indicate that the curing time was correct but the salting was excessive - I'll update when I try it again.

Cheers,

Noel

[Olan Giech]

just wanted to add... that salted pork or Pancetta is not a good thing for making a curry with, tried it last night (after the pub) and was up at 5.30 this morning belching like a man who cooked himself a bacon curry the night before. Two & half hours later after the belching had subsided I reckon it was the HUGE amounts of pork fat that were the problem.

Pastry Swirls anyone?


In Italy you can buy salted lard from the butchers, salted with pepper and chillis, aparently was a favourite of the marble quarry workers in times of yor. Sliced finely and heated over hot toast, yummy!

[Mogwyth]

In Italy you can buy salted lard from the butchers, salted with pepper and chillis, aparently was a favourite of the marble quarry workers in times of yor. Sliced finely and heated over hot toast, yummy!

MMMMMMMMMM Long time since I had dripping on toast, wonder if there is any in the kitchen.

[jeff]

driping on toast beef driping is best. when i was an apprentice i had to have bread and lard as mony was tight tasted better with plenty of salt

jeff

[msalzinski]

I'm a culinary instructor who makes bacon on a regular basis and I have a suggestion for you to keep it from being too salty. Don't drain the liquid that accumulates as the bacon cures. Leave the bacon in the liquid, and give it a flip every day to ensure it cures evenly. Also, don't apply more cure to it after the first covering. The liquid (which really becomes more or less a "brine") is sufficient to cure the belly in approximately 7-10 days. Keep poking the bacon, and when it feels uniformly firm all over, it's ready for slicing or smoking. Good luck.

[russ2903]

Sounds great and I will be trying it.
I have been trying to buy saltpetre but no-one in town sells it anymore, any ideas anyone?
If I cant get any I will be making it without, will it alter the taste, or is the saltpetre for the curing? Also any ideas how long it will keep once it is out of the brine? I am thinking of keeping it for New Year.

[Stephen]

Sounds great and I will be trying it.
I have been trying to buy saltpetre but no-one in town sells it anymore, any ideas anyone?

controlled substance probably why chemists dont stock it anymore - used in explosives and such like.

can get it from friendly butchers

Garden centre too but that is not food grade saltpetre !

These guys sell a replacement for saltpetre called curing salt (http://www.sausagemaking.org/cgi-bin/sh000002.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2esausagemaki ng%2eorg%2facatalog%2fsearch%2ehtml&WD=saltpetre&PREVQUERY=RANDOM%3dNETQUOTEVAR%253ARANDOM%26PAGE%3 dSEARCH%26SS%3dsaltpetre%26TB%3dA%26PR%3d%2d1%26GB %3dA%26ACTION%3dSearch&PN=All_Purpose_Curing_Salt%2ehtml%23a72#a72)

http://www.sausagemaking.org

Though I think my mother bought the real stuff from them too, worth checking.

[Mogwyth]

Great link Stephen and yes they have saltpetre.

[russ2903]

Made the bacon without the saltpetre and its just great. I will be making some more in the future.