Messed up bacon cure.

[Dave in AZ]

pr0wlunwoof
Yes, you have to look at the directions on the cure product. That video and writeup underneath you reference, they don’t know how much bacon you are making, so they just listed the product printed usage of 2 lbs for 100 lbs of bellies.

That video is for injecting, and for 10% pump weight. You have 8.3 lbs water plus 2 lbs cure, just over 10 lbs product. Assuming a 10 lb belly, 1 lb would get used up on each of 10 bellies, that is a 10% weight pump, which is how correct nitrite levels are calculated for injection. Then you might have some left you can dilute and cover them with.
So, you used 2 gallons of water to inject then 2 more to cover that is 8.3 lbs each, plus lets say a 10lb belly. So you have enough nitrite for 100 lbs meat plus 1 gal water, 108 lbs, and you instead are using it in 43.2 lbs of water and meat. So your nitrite concentration is 2.5 times higher than expected. If you had spread it out over 100 lbs of meat it would be fine.

You always must be extremely careful you use the correct amount of anything with nitrite in it, and it is always based on the meat weight. Bacon you are only allowed 120ppm per the gov. Here is what blue Ribbon cure directions are:

USAGE:Use 2 lbs of cure to 100 lbs of fresh bellies. This imparts 120 ppm of nitrite and 547 ppm of erythorbate.

FREQUENTLY BOUGHT TOGETHER:

SELECT ALL ADD SELECTED TO CART

DESCRIPTION

Blue Ribbon Maple Bacon CureA Complete Bacon Cure

[Austin]

pr0wlunwoof
How much solution did you inject into the bellies?
The cure was enough for 100 lb of meat, but the water was too much. It really depends on how much you injected into the meat.

At this point I’d say there is not a great way to know how much nitrite you have in there unless you can figure out how much you actually injected.

[pr0wlunwoof]

I did the 10% by green weight. I followed the other

[Dave in AZ]

He also already covered it with the rest… at like 2.5 x the expected concentration. With the cure accelerator, a lot of that cure surrounding the meat probably has already bonded the nitrite to meat. It is basically soaking in a nitrite gradient cure that is 2.5x the nitrite ppm levels, with a cure accelerator.

[pr0wlunwoof]

So i cut the original solution that was 50% with double the water by weight making it a 25% solution.

[pr0wlunwoof]

I think i am gonna make another 50% solution and soak it again.

[Austin]

Let it sit for an hour or two outside the brine and weigh it. That will tell you how much it picked up. You should know what it weighed from original injection. Based on what it picked up, it might change what I would do.

[pr0wlunwoof]

Austin Thats a good idea.

[pr0wlunwoof]

It weighs almost to the gram what it weighed after injecting last night.

At this point I am thinking another soak at 50% is the way to go. So 1lb of cure and 1 gallon of water and another overnight soak.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[Austin]

pr0wlunwoof it is likely then that you don’t have too much nitrite in. You are probably fine, but I can’t say that with 100% confidence. I would not add any more nitrites and soak again. In most cases, when you mess up with nitrites the best solution is to throw it away and start over. If you are set on using and eating it still, at least don’t add more cure.

[pr0wlunwoof]

Austin thats sound advise. I am just gonna process it at 160. That should protect against surface bacteria if the nitrates didn’t get everything. Wont be perfect but better than throwing it out.

[pr0wlunwoof]

Its on the smoker. Anyone have a recommended IT for my given situation. Recipe says 138, but Im thinking 145 to 155. If I render fat I just live with it.

[Austin]

pr0wlunwoof I’d still cook to 138 or so. As long as you are going to slice and fry up like bacon later. Pan frying as bacon strips will put you way over the 160 temp for lethality.

[pr0wlunwoof]

Austin appreciate your help. I will take it to 138 then icebath and fridge over night for slicing tomorrow.

[pr0wlunwoof]

Ok. It looks like a success at this point.

[bocephus]

pr0wlunwoof It looks good, let us know how it tastes.

[pr0wlunwoof]

It might be the most delicious piece of meat I have ever cooked. I told the wife I needed to test it alone just in case.

[bocephus]

pr0wlunwoof Glad it turned out good for you.

[scottfletcher]

pr0wlunwoof I’m glad you were able to save the belly. My first mistake with bacon was adding to much cure. It tasted like a salt block. I didn’t know how to use the convention and thought adding more would be ok, lol