Cooking with Jonny69: Home cured bacon - Page 8

Jonny69 · 27-04-2009, 10:54

Brilliant idea! I'm going to get me some of that

SidewinderINC · 01-05-2009, 16:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flibster

I can recommend smoked sea salt too.

Very yummy.

What smoked sea salt did you use?

TBH, I'm not a great fan of sea salt - with the amount of garbage we pump into the sea I'd rather have mined salt anyday.

Jonny69 · 17-01-2011, 14:11

Something amazing happened for the first time at the weekend. For some reason my home cured bacon had never met home made bread. I've been curing bacon off and on but they never seemed to meet at the same point.

I've cured off some back bacon this time:

Nice thick slices need some doorstop slices of bread:

Fry:

Butter and load up:

Take precious time out cutting neatly and taking a photo for the benefit of the internet:

And devour greedily

Will · 17-01-2011, 20:56

Yum!

I want! Next time I come round I want some!

Did you take any pics of the pheasant experience?

Jonny69 · 18-01-2011, 08:48

I did, but it's going to be one of those threads that takes some time to think through. I only get forum access at lunchtimes so I've got to squeeze it in at some point.

Fo sho with the bacon. Let me know when you're next over this way and I'll have some waiting

volospian · 18-01-2011, 14:44

Guys...

From what I understand of curing, the salt is doing the hard work by drawing the moisture out (which kills off bad bacteria by dehydration and protects the meat by drawing proteins to the outside of the joint) while the sugar is feeding the beneficial bacteria and adding flavour (but not contributing much to the initial osmotic process)

Now, assuming it is the salt that draws the liquid out, is it worth starting with a high salt ratio, then tailing off daily? As the free water in the meat is drawn, you'll need less salt to absorb the moisture, and as some salt will have been absorbed, the ratio of salt to meat will remain high, even though you reduce the additional salt being introduced.

If I'm right (and I may not be, lol) you should, theoretically, be able to reduce the ratio down over time and increase the sugar to improve the flavour?

Jonny69 · 18-01-2011, 16:30

I only do one cure now; a day and a half for belly and two days for back bacon. You could try and do a variable cure, but it's a lot of attention.

27-04-2009, 10:54	#71
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Brilliant idea! I'm going to get me some of that __________________

17-01-2011, 14:11	#73
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Something amazing happened for the first time at the weekend. For some reason my home cured bacon had never met home made bread. I've been curing bacon off and on but they never seemed to meet at the same point. I've cured off some back bacon this time: Nice thick slices need some doorstop slices of bread: Fry: Butter and load up: Take precious time out cutting neatly and taking a photo for the benefit of the internet: And devour greedily __________________

17-01-2011, 20:56	#74
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Yum! I want! Next time I come round I want some! Did you take any pics of the pheasant experience? __________________ *No No!*

18-01-2011, 08:48	#75
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	I did, but it's going to be one of those threads that takes some time to think through. I only get forum access at lunchtimes so I've got to squeeze it in at some point. Fo sho with the bacon. Let me know when you're next over this way and I'll have some waiting __________________

18-01-2011, 16:30	#77
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	I only do one cure now; a day and a half for belly and two days for back bacon. You could try and do a variable cure, but it's a lot of attention. __________________

18-01-2011, 14:44	#76
volospian Vodka Martini Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 786	Guys... From what I understand of curing, the salt is doing the hard work by drawing the moisture out (which kills off bad bacteria by dehydration and protects the meat by drawing proteins to the outside of the joint) while the sugar is feeding the beneficial bacteria and adding flavour (but not contributing much to the initial osmotic process) Now, assuming it is the salt that draws the liquid out, is it worth starting with a high salt ratio, then tailing off daily? As the free water in the meat is drawn, you'll need less salt to absorb the moisture, and as some salt will have been absorbed, the ratio of salt to meat will remain high, even though you reduce the additional salt being introduced. If I'm right (and I may not be, lol) you should, theoretically, be able to reduce the ratio down over time and increase the sugar to improve the flavour?