First time to have a go

[johnfb]

And the great thing about this site is, that no matter how stupid your question might be ( and boy have i had a few ) nobody ever makes you feel silly.
All questions, no matter how inane, are answered plainly and professionally and bare in mind that you are asking because you don't know about, or understand, the particular process you are questioning.

A great bunch of people on this site and they have helped me no end.

John

[Ianinfrance]

To largewhite

I saw your question on the "techniques" forum. Like you I live in France and like you I use a cure from Sausagemaking.org. I've made quite a few kilos of streaky in the last year and always had a resounding success with it.

The big difference between using plain salt, and a cure, is that the cure contains nitrate and nitrite - and it is this last which acts so much faster.

In addition, unless your pork is the world's thinnest slab, I think you're miscalculating. The "rule" is 2 days + 1 day for each 1/2". My slabs of streaky are typically 5 cms thick at the widest point. 5cms is almost exactly 2 inches, so that works out at 2 days +4 days or 6 days in all. That's what I've been giving mine and it's been wonderful and lasted brilliantly.

[johnfb]

Dont forget to experiment with your bacon. Once you have put in the correct amount of cure you can add almost anything to impart flavour. In the past I have used:

Black treacle
Mixed Herbs
Chilli Flakes
Brown Sugar
Juniper Berries

The Black Treacle bacon which not only adds a fantastic colour but a superb taste is one of my best sellers. However interestingly enough I cannot seem to sell any streaky bacon, evrybody wants loin........

cheers WW

Can I ask the wise sages amoungst you:

What % of flavouring do you use per kilo or is it a case of simply smothering the pork in whatever you like after you salt cure it.

What are some good flavourings to add. WW offers some but is there more like maple syrup or is that a no no.

thanks in advance


John

[saucisson]

Measure by eye

If adding something sweet I add about the sugar equivelant that is in the cure, so a couple or so teaspoons of honey, maple syrup instead of sugar. Or if you want extra sweet, as well as the sugar. A single or double whisky works wonders too. Up to you whether it gets as far as the curing bag though . For herbs and spices, think what you would use if cooking it in a stew as a starting point, you made need to add more, but above all, experiment. Things I haven't tried but would like to, marmalade, mustard (english and dijon) and reggae, reggae sauce

Dave

[johnfb]

Dave
Is the following process correct then:

Measure out meat to cure ratio
Cover meat in cure
Cover meat in , lets say two tablespoons of honey. massaging into meat over the cure
Sprinkle cried herbs or chillis to cover meat if using that instead of sweet flavouring
Is there a need to cover fat in flavouring or is it enough to cover the meat part only

Will curing time be the same?

John

[saucisson]

I rub the cure in and leave long enough for the salt to dissolve (a few minutes) then rub in any extras, again, mostly on the meat side, but if it's really sticky ie black treacle make sure the fat side gets a good dose. The flavours should distribute around the meat as you turn it so a completely even coverage isn't necessary. Always make sure you have at least the equivelant dose of sugar going in otherwise the taste of salt may come through too much. Curing time should be the same. Try and avoid adding anything too wet as that will alter the effective salt/cure dose.

edit: in significant amounts that is, a couple of tablespoons per kilo should be fine.

[johnfb]

Cheers, Dave

[bogoiler]

i got some dry cure mix and it say collect the liquid that runs off and baste the meat with this liquor! is this right !

[saucisson]

yes, when you do it in a ziplock bag, you turn the bag over every 2 days (I actually do it daily so I don't have to remember what day it is ) so it self bastes. If you dry cure in a box, then turn the meat and baste every couple of days.

[johnfb]

Dave, would you say it is best to turn the pork over every day.
I have been turing it every two days in the fridge in its casing of shrink wrap and inside a ziplok bag...which is best, or does it really matter?

[jpj]

as dave said if you do overhaul it every day, you wont forget.
it does really mattter as if you didn't you'll have a mainly lower half cured piece of meat

[johnfb]

I am turning the pork every 2 days as in the instructions.
Should I be turning it every day?????

[saucisson]

No John, you don't need to turn every day, but it does no harm. every other day is fine. JPJ meant what matters is if you forget to turn it at all.

[johnfb]

Ok...thanks for holding my hand on this...

[jpj]

sorry johnfb i should've been clearer there