Home Cured Bacon

Roo-B-Q'N · 01-05-2008, 12:13 PM

I recently cured and smoked my second batch of bacon using pork belly and the instructions from the book Charcutiere.

My problem is every time I go to fry the bacon it starts out looking great but then goes black. It looks burned, but does not taste at all burned. The first time I thought I did not rinse the cure off properly so paid attention to this the last time around. But the same thing happend.

What have I been doing wrong? What causes this to happen? Any help would be appreciated.

jgh1204 · 01-05-2008, 12:24 PM

How much sugar are you using? Sounds like sugar burning.

CajunSmoker · 01-05-2008, 02:42 PM

I'm not familiar with the method you listed but it sounds like a sugar problem to me too. I use a mix of 50/50 light brown sugar to kosher salt with 1/4tsp per pound of meat of Prague #1 cure. Cure for 7 days flipping over every couple of days and remixing juices to make sure the meat is cured. Then rinse for several hours (I'm doing 4 hours with 2 - 3 water changes) before smoking. Never had a problem with the meat turning black.

Roo-B-Q'N · 01-05-2008, 03:18 PM

The cure called for 1 pound kosher salt, 13 ounces dextrose and 3 ounces pink salt.

I combined all ingredients and then rubbed some on all surfaces of the pork belly. Placed in ziploc bags and turned and massaged daily for ten days. Once done I rinsed.

I am thinking, that if you are saoking for 4 hours than I did not rinse well enough. But saying that, the second batch is not as "bacony" enough. Thought that was due to rinsing, but now I am thinking it wasn't cured enough. If that is the case is it hazerdous to eat?

CajunSmoker · 01-05-2008, 03:35 PM

I've never used dextrose. 3 ounces of cure sounds like an awful lot to me. I'm not sure if the "pink salt" is the same thing as the Prague #1 or not, but the instructions on the Prague box is pretty clear.

Sorry about the blurry pic but to get close enough to read the jar it gets blurry.

I'm thinking that the dextrose may be what is turning the meat black though.

01-05-2008, 12:24 PM	#2
jgh1204 Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-26-04 Location: Selma, TX(You better slow down when you hit town)	How much sugar are you using? Sounds like sugar burning. __________________ Wannabe BBQ Illuminati

01-05-2008, 02:42 PM	#3
CajunSmoker is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 02-06-07 Location: Rolling down the river between St Louis and New Orleans	I'm not familiar with the method you listed but it sounds like a sugar problem to me too. I use a mix of 50/50 light brown sugar to kosher salt with 1/4tsp per pound of meat of Prague #1 cure. Cure for 7 days flipping over every couple of days and remixing juices to make sure the meat is cured. Then rinse for several hours (I'm doing 4 hours with 2 - 3 water changes) before smoking. Never had a problem with the meat turning black. __________________ Rodger How y'all are? I'm glad you got to see me I guarontee Justin Wilson 4/24/1914 - 09/05/2001 CAJUN QUE KREWE Proud ARKLAFO KCBS member & CBJ#24398 Twin Ugly Drum Smokers Brinkman Smoke King Deluxe Brinkman Gourmet ECB with super chicken mods Weber OTS kettle

01-05-2008, 03:18 PM	#4
Roo-B-Q'N is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-29-06 Location: Arlington, Nebraska	The cure called for 1 pound kosher salt, 13 ounces dextrose and 3 ounces pink salt. I combined all ingredients and then rubbed some on all surfaces of the pork belly. Placed in ziploc bags and turned and massaged daily for ten days. Once done I rinsed. I am thinking, that if you are saoking for 4 hours than I did not rinse well enough. But saying that, the second batch is not as "bacony" enough. Thought that was due to rinsing, but now I am thinking it wasn't cured enough. If that is the case is it hazerdous to eat? __________________ ________________ www.operationbbqmw.org KCBS CBJ 9831 Large Spicewine, Backwoods Smoker (Party), WSM, Oklahoma Joe's Offset, Wood Fired Oven

01-05-2008, 03:35 PM	#5
CajunSmoker is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 02-06-07 Location: Rolling down the river between St Louis and New Orleans	I've never used dextrose. 3 ounces of cure sounds like an awful lot to me. I'm not sure if the "pink salt" is the same thing as the Prague #1 or not, but the instructions on the Prague box is pretty clear. Sorry about the blurry pic but to get close enough to read the jar it gets blurry. I'm thinking that the dextrose may be what is turning the meat black though. __________________ Rodger How y'all are? I'm glad you got to see me I guarontee Justin Wilson 4/24/1914 - 09/05/2001 CAJUN QUE KREWE Proud ARKLAFO KCBS member & CBJ#24398 Twin Ugly Drum Smokers Brinkman Smoke King Deluxe Brinkman Gourmet ECB with super chicken mods Weber OTS kettle

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01-05-2008, 12:13 PM	#1
Roo-B-Q'N is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-29-06 Location: Arlington, Nebraska	Home Cured Bacon I recently cured and smoked my second batch of bacon using pork belly and the instructions from the book Charcutiere. My problem is every time I go to fry the bacon it starts out looking great but then goes black. It looks burned, but does not taste at all burned. The first time I thought I did not rinse the cure off properly so paid attention to this the last time around. But the same thing happend. What have I been doing wrong? What causes this to happen? Any help would be appreciated. __________________ ________________ www.operationbbqmw.org KCBS CBJ 9831 Large Spicewine, Backwoods Smoker (Party), WSM, Oklahoma Joe's Offset, Wood Fired Oven