BrewBQ (or Brew n Q) - for you Kelsey

[Beer Baron]

Bacon is definitely on my list of things to do along. That looks sensational Kelsey!!

[ben 10]

15 minutes ago, Beer Baron said:

Bacon is definitely on my list of things to do

The EASIEST thing to do.

[Beer Baron]

I am finally going to do some bacon next days off. My LHBS sells Prague Powder #1. Is that the same as Curing Salt #1. 

They read similar 

https://www.countrybrewer.com.au/products/Prague-Powder-%231.html

Thanks

Beer Baron

[ben 10]

Yeah bud, same thing.

All the best,

[Beer Baron]

1 minute ago, Ben 10 said:

Yeah bud, same thing.

All the best,

Thanks

[Otto Von Blotto]

You'll love it mate. Since I started making my own bacon we've not bought any from the shops at all. It's just so much nicer made properly. I also make hams on occasion, the procedure is pretty much the same anyway.

[joolbag]

I picked up a leg of pork from Aldi $4.99/kg and will cure it up for smoking as ham. Soooo much better than the commercial versions

[Beer Baron]

25 minutes ago, joolbag said:

I picked up a leg of pork from Aldi $4.99/kg and will cure it up for smoking as ham. Soooo much better than the commercial versions

My father in law does ham all the time and it’s absolutely awesome. 

BB

[Otto Von Blotto]

I did a small leg ham for Xmas last year and everyone loved it. A couple were still talking about it months later lol

 

[joolbag]

My leg ham attempt was inspired by your photos @Otto Von Blotto  and the purchase of Charcuterie book as recommended day you and @Ben 10. Have only scratched the surface of the recipes in that book.

My ham got a better reception than the bacon! Hmm better get to bringing this 3.5kg portion so I can smoke it in A week's time

[Otto Von Blotto]

I did a wet cure of mine for two weeks, then boiled it for ten minutes after rinsing it, and straight into the smoker. That's about the only difference in process to the bacon, which obviously gets left uncovered in the fridge overnight before smoking.

[joolbag]

What recipe was that from @Otto Von Blotto.?  I'm following the brown sugar-glazed ham recipe from, the book. Page 91.  Brine for a week (just put it in this arvo). Leave for a week then smoke and glaze. No boil required

[Otto Von Blotto]

I found it online. I figure it was boiled because of the longer curing time, to drive out some of the salt. 

I find I have to adjust the curing time depending on the size of the meat, not long enough and it doesn't penetrate all the way through. My last lot of bacon got a week or maybe 9 days but smaller cuts only need a few days.

Cheers

Kelsey

[Beer Baron]

I got my curing salt today and I will go out and get a pork belly tomorrow. I will end up getting that book but money is right at the moment especially with someone hacking my PayPal and stealing $1412 from me f$&k f$&k f$&k. 

If someone could give me a wet cure recipe, just salt and water and length of time to cure, it would be much appreciated. 

Thanks

Beer Baron

[Otto Von Blotto]

I'm working off memory here, but my  cure for a 2kg piece is 350g salt (non iodised), 225g sugar (I use brown sugar) and 42g curing salt, usually in about 3L water. I scale the dry ingredients depending on the weight of the meat. The recipe in the book says 4 litres but that would overflow my pot with the meat in there. It doesn't seem to matter much though. 

For 2kg I leave it in the cure for a week, turning it over about halfway through. It's also weighed down with a plate to keep it submerged. When it comes out, I rinse it off with water, pat it dry then leave uncovered in the fridge overnight. I smoke it at about 80-90°C until the internal temperature reaches 65, then cool, cut the skin off and slice it. Half goes in the freezer and half in the fridge. I find it keeps for about 4-6 weeks in the fridge, plenty of time to eat it.

I normally make mine from loin rather than belly a la British bacon. Give it a try too, it's beautiful.

For hams I use the same cure with the addition of pickling spice, and use a slightly different process as outlined above.

Cheers

Kelsey

[Beer Baron]

5 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

I'm working off memory here, but my  cure for a 2kg piece is 350g salt (non iodised), 225g sugar (I use brown sugar) and 42g curing salt, usually in about 3L water. I scale the dry ingredients depending on the weight of the meat. The recipe in the book says 4 litres but that would overflow my pot with the meat in there. It doesn't seem to matter much though. 

For 2kg I leave it in the cure for a week, turning it over about halfway through. It's also weighed down with a plate to keep it submerged. When it comes out, I rinse it off with water, pat it dry then leave uncovered in the fridge overnight. I smoke it at about 80-90°C until the internal temperature reaches 65, then cool, cut the skin off and slice it. Half goes in the freezer and half in the fridge. I find it keeps for about 4-6 weeks in the fridge, plenty of time to eat it.

I normally make mine from loin rather than belly a la British bacon. Give it a try too, it's beautiful.

For hams I use the same cure with the addition of pickling spice, and use a slightly different process as outlined above.

Cheers

Kelsey

Thanks Kelsey. 

I’ll start with the belly this time and then move to the loin. 

Should I remove the thick skin on the belly and what does the sugar do besides adding sweetness??

Thanks

[joolbag]

Baron I remove the skin after it is smoked, like Kelsey does. It is easy when the fat is nice n soft and warm.

 

I really want to get a loin and belly attached. Just like the commercial bacon slices. Best of both worlds!

 

There is a dry cure as well that I've used for bacon. I've only wet cure ham. Doesn't really matter at the end of the day. Curing is curing.

I find the brown sugar /maple adds a nice element of sweetness that doesn't exist in commercial bacon. Of all the batches I've made n given away, EVERYONE loves the maple bacon the most

[Beer Baron]

I’m not a huge fan of sweetness so I might just drop the sugar down. 

Thanks

[Otto Von Blotto]

Trust me, you can't taste the sugar in the final product. It's more there so it doesn't end up tasting like eating a spoonful of salt.

I forgot to add, I boil the cure mix then allow it to cool to room temp before refrigerating it overnight. The next day the meat goes in.

Cheers

Kelsey

[Beer Baron]

Thanks!!

I will give it a go and check in with updates on how it all goes!!

BB

[ben 10]

I use a dry cure for the bacon made from belly.

Draws out a fair bit of moisture anyway.

 

Other news I smoked an Ingham Turkey Breast roll the other day - very yummy.

[Beer Baron]

7 hours ago, Ben 10 said:

I use a dry cure for the bacon made from belly.

Draws out a fair bit of moisture anyway.

 

Other news I smoked an Ingham Turkey Breast roll the other day - very yummy.

What is your dry cure recipe @Ben 10

[joolbag]

Try this one @Beer Baron. It's a blog from the author of the Charcuterie book : http://blog.ruhlman.com/2010/10/home-cured-bacon-2/

[ben 10]

Yep 

[Hermoor]

Read this last night, I went to bed thinking of bacon! This is now on my to do list after night shift