Bright pink spot on cured pork belly ***PIC***

fremont · 01-05-2013, 05:22 PM

This is a belly that's been cured for 7 days. Never seen it before. It wasn't constricted any funny way during the curing period. Any thoughts?

thirdeye · 01-05-2013, 05:50 PM

What kind of cure (recipe) and what was your fridge temp?

fremont · 01-05-2013, 05:53 PM

Ruhlman and 36-38

Boshizzle · 01-05-2013, 05:57 PM

I have no answers for you and wish you luck!

I wish I had the guts to cure some bacon. My Dad used to cure his without pink salt using only salt & pepper and hickory smoke. I keep asking him to help me do it the old school way that he did, but he has no interest in it nowadays. I think it's because it reminds him too much of my late Mother.

Either way, I hope to do it sometime with his help before it's too late.

IamMadMan · 01-05-2013, 08:01 PM

I know you said you used the Ruhlman Cure, but did you use cure #1 or Cure #2?

Possibly your curing agent was not evenly applied, or it may have pooled in the liquid run off from curing.

Boshizzle · 01-05-2013, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamMadMan

I know you said you used the Ruhlman Cure, but did you use cure #1 or Cure #2?

Possibly your curing agent was not evenly applied, or it may have pooled in the liquid run off from curing.

That's what I'm afraid of.

captmoby · 01-05-2013, 08:10 PM

Could that area have rested against a USDA stamp on another piece of belly during the cure?

pbj · 01-05-2013, 08:12 PM

did you turn it at all. maybe the red spot was not in the cure long enough?

thirdeye · 01-05-2013, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fremont

Ruhlman and 36-38

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamMadMan

I know you said you used the Ruhlman Cure, but did you use cure #1 or Cure #2?

Possibly your curing agent was not evenly applied, or it may have pooled in the liquid run off from curing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbj

did you turn it at all. maybe the red spot was not in the cure long enough?

Yeah, I'm leaning toward an application issue or not turning often enough. As I recall, Ruhlman's cures are usually pretty strong, but I think he recommends overhauling only once...... Have you done the sniff test yet?

wnkt · 01-07-2013, 09:11 AM

I have noticed that raw cured meat that it exposed to air is gray...but if it isnt exposed to air (such as right against the plastic) is pink

So if everything has been done correctly...meat turned...proper cure ingredients in the proper amounts....it should be ok..But when in doubt...throw it out specially if it smells funky

01-05-2013, 05:57 PM	#4
Boshizzle somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-26-10 Location: Virginia	I have no answers for you and wish you luck! I wish I had the guts to cure some bacon. My Dad used to cure his without pink salt using only salt & pepper and hickory smoke. I keep asking him to help me do it the old school way that he did, but he has no interest in it nowadays. I think it's because it reminds him too much of my late Mother. Either way, I hope to do it sometime with his help before it's too late. __________________ Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member - I am Obsessive Compulsive about BBQ. Google it.

01-05-2013, 08:12 PM	#8
pbj Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-03-12 Location: Hopkins, MN Name/Nickname : Curly	did you turn it at all. maybe the red spot was not in the cure long enough? __________________ Chargriller Pro w/SFB [COLOR="Magenta"]retired[/COLOR] Brinkmann TrailMaster 1 generic digital thermometer Maverick 732 UDS [COLOR="Red"]Thermapen Mk4[/COLOR]

01-07-2013, 09:11 AM	#10
wnkt is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-08-06 Location: Upstate South Carolina	I have noticed that raw cured meat that it exposed to air is gray...but if it isnt exposed to air (such as right against the plastic) is pink So if everything has been done correctly...meat turned...proper cure ingredients in the proper amounts....it should be ok..But when in doubt...throw it out specially if it smells funky __________________ Chargriller Super Pro with a big ol rust hole and a mouse nest ------ Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood --saying in a fortune cookie--

01-05-2013, 05:22 PM	#1
fremont Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 01-14-12 Location: Etna, NH	Bright pink spot on cured pork belly *PIC* This is a belly that's been cured for 7 days. Never seen it before. It wasn't constricted any funny way during the curing period. Any thoughts?

01-05-2013, 05:50 PM	#2
thirdeye somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming	What kind of cure (recipe) and what was your fridge temp? __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *Barbecuist ~ Charcuterist ~ KCBS Master Judge & CTC* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal, SnS Deluxe Kettle Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it's hard to verify their authenticity” ~ Abraham Lincoln

01-05-2013, 05:53 PM	#3
fremont Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 01-14-12 Location: Etna, NH	Ruhlman and 36-38

01-05-2013, 08:01 PM	#5
IamMadMan somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-30-11 Location: Pemberton, New Jersey	I know you said you used the Ruhlman Cure, but did you use cure #1 or Cure #2? Possibly your curing agent was not evenly applied, or it may have pooled in the liquid run off from curing.

01-05-2013, 08:10 PM	#7
captmoby On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-28-10 Location: Pretty Prarie, Kansas	Could that area have rested against a USDA stamp on another piece of belly during the cure?