Found a bacon curing 1 day course - what do you think?

[Carolyn1124]

Hi

I've had a bash at bacon curing in the past using basic HFW techniques (no nitrates/nitrites). But knowing a little, I want to do it better. And by better I also mean safer.

So I've spent more and more time browing the internet and have read about salt petre, cure #1, cure #2, curing salts, FDA guidlines, brine cures for immersion, brine cures for pumps, thickness of the cut, length of time in the cure etc My head is going to burst.

This web site is fab! And it was a great help when it came to sausage and salami making ( a *huge* sucess by the way) But for every opinion on curing there seems to be an opposing one. So I've been looking for a course. There don't seem to be many our there.

What do you think to the 1day contents of this one:
Food Hygiene, Equipment
Salt � effects, ingredients for curing
Cuts used for bacon & gammon, pig breeds used for curing
Mix salt for dry curing
Salt bacon pieces
Mix brine, Put gammons into brine
Use brine pump
Boning & Slicing Bacon
Tasting

I asked about the use of preservatives on the course and was told that they use salt petre.

What do you think?

Thanks
Carolyn

[johnfb]

Hi
I did a 1 day course on this...well a fifteen minute course really, since I used Paul Kribbs fantastic tutorial on bacon curing.
He is a member here and really knows his stuff.

I suppose it depends on what you want to do.
THe HFW approach is more for curing for long term and preserving and NOT for breakfast rashers etc. He says as much on his pig in a day DVD.

If you want that, then just follow his salting only approach.
If you want bacon for frying and boiling then use a bought cure from here or any other supplier.

Have a look at Paul's guide, it gives the most beautiful results, and it is the only way I do my bacon now...and the only way my family eats bacon.

Adding honey etc gives great variety too.

John


Pauls's link:

http://www.btinternet.com/~happydudevir ... bacon.html

[Carolyn1124]

That's a great link. Thanks. Avoiding the 1 day course would save me �150 and 8 hour round trip!

However, doesn't using a ready prepared cure feel like cheating? If I've see the piglet born, raised it and taken it to the abattoir at the end of it's life it feels like cheating to buy someone else's cure rather than using salt, preservative and flavourings I've mixed myself.

[johnfb]

That's a great link. Thanks. Avoiding the 1 day course would save me �150 and 8 hour round trip!

However, doesn't using a ready prepared cure feel like cheating? If I've see the piglet born, raised it and taken it to the abattoir at the end of it's life it feels like cheating to buy someone else's cure rather than using salt, preservative and flavourings I've mixed myself.

I guess so, only you can decide that.
For me it would be down to taste. It really depends what you want it for.
Is it long term preserving or for breakfast reashers etc. Or is it for long term air dried hams like parma which will take the best part of a year.

THe chemiclas are for safety and speed etc, but historically this would not have been the case.
HFW does not use slatpetre in anything and he is still alive so he must be doing something right.
For me, in an urban seting the bought cure is the way forward and gives a result a thousand times better and tastier than the rubbish that can be bought in stores.

Still, I guess the only one cheated here is the poor piggy.....

[Carolyn1124]

[quote="johnfbStill, I guess the only one cheated here is the poor piggy..... [/quote]

A pig is for pork, not just for Christmas.

[johnfb]

[johnfb]

Carolyn
Please check your private mail.
John

[wheels]

That's a great link. Thanks. Avoiding the 1 day course would save me �150 and 8 hour round trip!

However, doesn't using a ready prepared cure feel like cheating? If I've see the piglet born, raised it and taken it to the abattoir at the end of it's life it feels like cheating to buy someone else's cure rather than using salt, preservative and flavourings I've mixed myself.

Carolyn
It's great to see that you want to be in control of your curing from start to finish.

Your present reading list should give you a good grounding in the basics, so I'm wondering if this course is too much of a 'beginners' type course for you. I guess it would consolidate what you already know but, if they only cure with Saltpetre, it may not be what you want.

If you want to make your own cures, and do it safely, you won't do better than to follow the ones posted by Oddley.

This one should, to my recollection, meets EU standards:

Dry cure for bacon

1 kg meat not fat
2.55 g cure #1 (150 ppm)
0.3 g saltpetre (300 ppm)
0.55 g sodium ascorbate
18 g sea salt
10 gm sugar

Saltpetre is however a controversial issue in bacon and is not allowed in the US, so you may want to use this one which is to US standards:

Oddleys Quick bacon cure Using Cure #1

1.3 kg meat (About 70% VL)
15 gm sea salt or rock salt
10 gm white sugar
3.2 gm Cure #1 (6.25% Nitrite)
0.5 gm Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C powder)

Usage: 29 gm per 1 kg lean meat NOT FAT

Method:

Rub the meat side with about 90% of the cure, making sure you get into all the crevices. Use the other 10% on the fat side. Put into a ziplock or similar bag, in the bottom of the fridge, 2 - 4 oC, turning every two days, for a least 2 days per inch of thickness + 2 days. When finished take out of bag wash in cold water, leave uncovered in the bottom of the fridge for about 2 days to dry out. Slice and enjoy.
**********************************************************

10 kg batch cure

32 gm Cure #1
150 gm Salt
100 gm Sugar
5 gm Ascorbic acid

Mix well before use.

By amending this formulation to 2.55g (25.5g for the batch) of Cure #1 and applying 28g per Kg you should meet both US and EU standards.

You will find a set of accurate scales almost essential when curing - these are available on ebay for under �20 and are often sold as Jewellers Scales (although I think they are probably bought mainly by nefarious men that stand on street corners selling their evil wares). They will weigh as low as .01 of a gram in some cases.

I hope this helps to save your �150 - you can get a good sausage stuffer for less than that .
Phil

[Carolyn1124]

You guys are great! Thank you.

And I'm not bothered at all about not meeting US standards!

[wheels]

In that case stick to Oddley's recipes - adding any flavourings you want, black pepper, herbs, spices etc.



Mmm... Bacon.

Phil

[johnfb]

I'm starvin now.....

[Zulululu]

Hi Carolyn,
If you are looking for more info on brining then this site is a worth while visit. http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/
Regards.

[Richierich]

In that case stick to Oddley's recipes - adding any flavourings you want, black pepper, herbs, spices etc.



Mmm... Bacon.

Phil

Now that bacon looks very reddy, is that the cure that has turned it red, using the bought cure I use it normally goes pink.

[wheels]

Richierich
It's the lighting on the picture. It wasn't that red in real life. It was dry cured with Oddleys cure using cure #1.
Phil

[lemonD]

Rich,
The colour is from using Cure#1, and it tastes like American bacon.
A recipe by Oddley for English bacon

Hi wallie

I don't think the corned beef cure would suit bacon. I have designed a Traditional bacon recipe that I'm quite pleased with. I recently cured a shoulder of bacon as frying bacon with it.

Traditional bacon

This recipe for 1 Kg Of Meat

3.06 % -- --30.6 g Sea Salt
0.825 % --- 8.25 g White Sugar
0.025 % --- 0.25 g Ground Black Pepper
0.025 % --- 0.25 g Ground Coriander
0.2548 % - 2.55 g Cure #1
0.03 % - ---0.3 g Saltpetre

Usage weight = 42.2 g Per Kg of meat

Rub cure into meat 10% on skin side, the rest on the meat side. Make sure you get the cure into any cracks or creases. Put meat into a food grade bag, at the top of the fridge, for about 14 days. When finished, wash off in cold potable water, and allow to dry for a few days in the bottom of the fridge.