my first bacon

[senorkevin]

I'm sorry if I offended you that was not my intention.
I have done everything you said to the letter and the bacon is in the fridge as we speak.
Thanks again.
So I shouldn't use the calculator that Dan suggested and work it out with the 156 ppm?
I gave it a go anyway just to see the difference...if any and it was almost exact just with a higher salt content.

[yotmon]

Kevin, I don't think it is a case of offending anyone as most guys on this site will bend over backwards to help anyone in need. However, there is tons of info just lying around www.sausagemaking.org to educate anyone in the fine arts of sausage/bacon making. In the late 1970's I worked in a corner butchers shop and was responsible for producing 400lbs of sausage a day from scratch, all made by hand - and yes I did have muscles in my spit in those days ! Now times that number by a five day week and it equates to 2000 lb. Times that by 5 years and it makes 500,000 lb of sausages. I linked them by hand into 12 to the pound so that equals 6,000,000 sausages - quite a number, yet I still see myself as a 'novice' compared to guys on here giving out their time, experience and knowledge. My point is - please listen to what is being offered, there is no need to keep wondering this or that. You want to make bacon - it will take you 5 minutes following the instructions given, don't go too deep in your thoughts, enjoy what you are doing and do't be afraid to make mistakes, we all do that some of the time, but its just part of the fun. I'm not having a go - I just want you to relax and enjoy making a good product.

ATB STe.

[wheels]

Thanks Yotmon. You've explained it.

But, thinking about it Kevin, I was just as inquisitive as you when I first started!

Yes, of course you can use the calculator. I designed it to stop the worst excesses of people "having their own ideas" but it's not really been tested that much and is not infallible.

Let's get this one "under our belt's" first? If you/your wife likes it, we'll take it from there.

Phil

[senorkevin]

Thanks guys.
its just that I don't want to be a pain and keep asking for cure formulas etc every 5 mins.
I can't stress enough my thanks to everyone that has helped. It is work trying to do this in Mexico. I waited a year my a butcher drinking partner in England for a sausage recipe and all he told me was to buy a packet mix! There is no packet mix here! I love weighing out all my ingredients and creating my own packet mixes. I have been making a Cumberland style, Italian, apple, 4 types of chorizo and some longanizas! Trust me I am enjoying every moment. Looking forward to my bacon.
Thank you all once again

[senorkevin]

And the 156 ppm for the nitrite was what the technician told me when I bought the cure salt form a "proper" shop.

[wheels]

156ppm (mg/kg} is the US gov't maximum for nitrite in comminuted products (sausages).

Bacon has different rules.

HTH

Phil

[senorkevin]

Splendid

[senorkevin]

I can't wait. In 12 hours my first bacon will be ready after a LONG 10 days! Just need to give it a good wash and wait another 2 days.

[senorkevin]

Here we are the end result...

[wheels]

It looks the biz! What's it taste like?

Phil

[senorkevin]

Thanks a mil!
Tastes great but was a little bland. I only added .02 grams of thyme and .03 of pepper. I think I should have used a lot more. Also I think it needs more salt. But over all very pleased. Thanks again.
For a more salty bacon do I just add more salt next time or does the whole recipe change?
How do I make smoked bacon? For 1 kilo and without skin?

[JerBear]

For salt I typically use about 2.5-3% of kosher salt based on the dry weight of the meat.

Smoke depends on many factors such as the wood being burned and how much smoke is being produced. For a small tenderloin I personally wouldn't go longer than about 4-5 hrs. For whole bellies I've been doing 10-12 hrs.

[senorkevin]

I all I do is cover it in salt and smoke it? No need to cure or anything like that? I have some charcoal with mesquite (Kingswood), normal charcoal and apple wood.

[JerBear]

Sorry, no. You'll have to combine sugar/cure#1/salt (preferably kosher or sea) and allow to cure. For a 1 kg piece of meat about 3-4 days should be fine. To smoke you'll need so smoulder the wood chips. When using coals I get them ashy then plop on a handful of chips. Depending on your set-up you might have to be careful with the heat from the coals. It's preferred to cold smoke. I don't have my notebook with me but can send my ratios once I get home tonight. Where in Mexico are you by the way?

[senorkevin]

So if I want to make 2 kilos of smoked bacon I use the formula that wheels gave me?
I am living in Mexico City