When I was young I knew an old farmer that cured his own bacon. It was salt cured to last a long time without refrigeration. When he cooked it he would put water in his frying pan and boil the bacon first, drain and then fry. This was just to make it less salty.
Good video 👍👍👍 on the no additives . Almost 76 and been doing this on & off, well over 40 years - no comparison with supermarket yuk😉 your video is simplicity and that is how it should be👏👏👏
Dan, I remember making bacon and sugar cured hams in NC as a child. We wrapped the bellies and hams in brown paper and it went into a cotton sack. The paper and sacks absorbed the moisture and the sugar, salt, and black pepper were the power of the cure. We used regular sugar and later used brown sugar but there has not been any better hams and bacon than that. Way before there was ever "pink" salt.
@@TheGrassfedHomestead Traditionally for most places you would use more than just salt. Sugar, syrups and so on and you would always include ground celery. Use only salt and you get salt pork, Not bacon.
Ok,now I have watched both videos. Happy to see you add sugar. If you do another video remember to mention adding sugar allows you to reduce salt. If you're making bacon to preserve the meat do not rinse salt and or sugar until it's time to cook. After all you just spent all that time drying out the meat. The last thing you want to do is get it wet. Same thing with a cured country ham. Also referred to as salted pork. The two tub idea is a improvement over the first video. But I recommend using just one tub and placing a stainless steel baking cooling grate in the bottom. One that holds the meat up out of the juices. This will allow air flow around the meat. This will greatly speed up the curing process. And I have never had any reactive problems using stainless steel for curing. I love your wood Smokehouse. However folks should know you can smoke bacon at hotter temperatures. It smokes in about one hour,very nice. Last thing,experiment with different types of wood. Yes hickory is nice. But Oak, Maple,Pecon are all very nice. I highly recommend using fruit woods like apple and cherry. My favorite is red alder, it grows naturally and is native to the Pacific Northwest. Very mild, absolutely wonderful smoke flavor. Have a great day 🌤 😀 👍🥓.
I used the old recipe as well. Also too salty. To reduce the saltiness, I soaked the bacon in a bucket of cold water for 24 hrs after curing, then hang another 12-24 before smoking. It doesn't rehydrate the meat, but uses osmosis to remove saltiness. This worked pretty well, but still a tad salty. I used sticks in the tub instead of holes. I think the excess saltiness came from me adding salt over the 10-14 days. I should not have added any, but it is sooo tempting! Brandon says that a little mold is a good sign, a sign of not over salting!. Honestly, is that ALL the salt you used? That one spot on the bottom belly looked pretty bare. I'm butchering in a few weeks and I'm pretty excited to cure again.
I do my own curing and hands down home cured bacon is the BOMB. It is even better than some of the most expensive shop bought stuff. Become your own artisan supplier....... to yourself.
Thank you so much .i did build a cold smoker and smoked. 3 cheese s different kinds for 7 hours it tasted great but has to cure for a couple weeks. thanks again for sharing. Have a great weekend
Dang… it’s not traditional when you use a fridge. I don’t have a fridge or freezer so I’m looking for videos that demonstrate that method. It’s still excellent info though, thank you.
I smoked a slab of bacon last February. I cut it in half. I ate the one half after smoking and vacuumed the other one and froze it. I could taste the smoke on the first one but the smoke taste was gone on the other after about 8 months. My advice is to eat the smoked bacon as soon as possible.
Did I see a few cloves placed into the pork skin on the one side of the slab? I’m pausing the video at 4:12 to pose This question because up until this point I hadn’t heard you mention cloves. No I do know they closed has some astringents I guess you could say so I don’t know if this is for the flavoring or to help with the carrying or if you’re putting them in them to kind of help lift it off the plastic bass and I’m not being nitpicky but this is my first time making bacon and you are very thorough on your previous video and since this is the update I want to make sure that I’m following instructions and not missing anything
I love your bacon because its healthier withiut using cured salt which contains nitrite which can caused colorectal cancer.I am going to do my own bacon using your recipe.Greetings from Sarawak, Borneo.Tqvm.
So I’ve watched a few videos saying that if you call smoked bacon or don’t get bacon above a certain degree when you’re smoking it, that you risk the chance of having botulism. Since it doesn’t have any nitrates in it, I’ve been wanting to do it this way for so long, but being kind of scared. your thoughts please
Bacon is a whole-muscle cure which means it isn't susceptible to botulism. Botulism occurs in anaerobic cures like salami and other fermented cures that are not whole-muscle (ground meat).
@@TheGrassfedHomestead Currently into day 2 of curing my own belly. Comparing my piece of meat to yours. Mine (purchased from Costco) is initially alot wetter than yours. Moist and floppy. Yours already looks dried and stiff to begin with. Is that a difference of commercial meat producing and processing vs raising and butchering your own personal animal?
I just salt boxed a 6.5 pound slab of pork belly this morning. I will let it stay covered in the rock salt for 6 days, then I will hang and dry. I used garlic powder, black pepper, old bay, 100% natural liquid smoke, and brown sugar.
How long will this keep? Can you keep it out of the fridge and how long would that last??? How long will it last in fridge?????? How long will it last out of the fridge????????? Sorry for so many questions
It has no expiration date once it is cured. It gets better with age. The downside is it gets harder and harder as it dries out over time. I find it best to eat within a few months. Again, it doesn't go bad, it just gets harder to slice.
I just did 3 pork bellies with course Celtic salt, and maple sugar. I drilled holes in a small plastic tub that fits into my silicon collapsible tub. After salt curing, I will try it on my Camp Chef smoker grill on low heat and medium smoke, . . . maybe 3 hours? What do you think? or high smoke?
I just took mine out of my pit boss smoker took it up to 152 degrees internal took about 7 hours on the 160 degree smoke level then last hour or so at 200 to get the internal temp up.
Thanks for the updated video. I have been making my own bacon since I moved to Japan because I can't find any here that tastes like home. I have been doing it very different. Even though everyone here loves mine I want to try it this way.
@@roosterhpd5353 I tried this way too and it was way too salty for me too. I had to boil the bacon and rinse it before cooking each time. My way is similar but I use more brown sugar than salt and I do it for less time before I smoke it.
I just came across your video....totally awesome......do you leave the skin on after everything is done........or do you take it off then cook.....thanks again....love the video.
Thanks, Johnny! I leave it on for the entire process and then when I slice the bacon, I slice down to the skin which is usually too hard to cut through at that point. If I had a meat slicer, I'd slice through the skin and cook it with the skin on
I had to Butcher Shop and I used to cure and smoke my own baking and meats al tell you there's nothing like the first time you try a new recipe and taste the first piece of cooked Bacon ,mmmmmmgood ✌💪👨🍳🎅🚌👍
Did i make a mistake with just rinsing out the container i put it in each day? Do i now have possible bacteria growth? And everything im seeing is there is possible bacteria growth when not covering in the fridge. Now idk if its safe...also, I did stack 3 bellies too, because I had three.
I pu some pork belly in salt 6 days ago,draining the water/wet salt off daily and resalting the exposed parts. No bad smell,or any smell really,but it doesnt appear to have shrunk or turned much darker. I am going to unearth it tomorrow and rinse off. Can I dry it in a food dehydrator at a low temperature,such as 50oc or should I hang it?
Thanks for sharing. I have seen in comments that you have said it will keep indefinitely at room temp. What about in a hot environment though? Do you know if it freezes well?
Just put a plate upside down in your tub ...with a cup under one side of the plate so it sits at a 45 degree angle and let the juice naturally drip off into the tub....ensure you turn the meat around daily so it cures well
I use a cooling rack on the bottom of a cookie sheet and I cover the rack and the pork with salt. I mean cover it. Not like this video. You can't see the pork when I do it. When I was a child my grandparents would have a crate in the shed of salt that they would use to cure pork.
Do you know why i think it was DRY mystard was used back in the late 50's on smoking hams....I cant find a recipe for the old way they cured it back then, and since I was so young it wasnt on my SEE/REMEMBER how brain, lol
awesome video and thank you. I just picked up some bellies yest and going to cold smoke. Have never done this before and will try this way. I have some maple syrup that i want to use. Do you just make a paste with the sugar salt and syrup and rub it all over or would you just rub the syrup over the belly and then sprinkle the salt and sugar..or does it really matter which way . Thanks again. A sub for sure
My experience has only been doing a dry cure. When using a syrup, I think people usually coat the meat heavily and put it in a plastic bag. I really don't have any experience with that though so I can't really help you.
@@TheGrassfedHomestead ok thx for your reply. I ended up just basting syrup it then sprinkle the kosher and brown sugar and its curing on day 3 now in the fridge. I really want to try your way of not sitting in the juices etc to avoid too salty . Thanks again
Hi there! Love your videos! I tried to cure my own bacon with just salt. And after 2 weeks with salt, in the fridge, curing, took it out, washed off salt- cut some bacon strips and it was way toooooooo salty. Any tips on how to move forward? I’ve been told that I can cut how much bacon is like to eat- Immerse that in cold water for 2 days to draw out salt and then cook. But how do I store the rest of the bacon ? Fridge? Cover in plastic? In freezer? How long would it last now? Love your thoughts! Thank you
Yes, soak in water to remove salt. store it in the fridge (not in a bag - it needs to breathe) or hang it somewhere in your kitchen (not near the sink - avoid moisture)
the principle does apply to other whole-muscle cures but the fat and flavor of pork is different from other meats that might require brining or additional seasoning
Thank you, Andrew. The shelf life is indefinite. You can hang it at room temperature and it will last forever. It just gets dryer and harder as it ages so eventually it gets almost too hard to slice. You will most likely eat all the bacon long before that ever happens.
I didn't know smoking it dropped the ph making it inhospitable for pathogens because of acidity. I think more people might watch this if that was in word bubbles or something in the video thumbnail. Thank you for this and God bless
I understand that once cured and cold smoked, there is no need for refrigeration. My question is whether refrigerating after curing and smoking will change the process at all, would it still technically be without expiration refrigerated? Thank you in advance
@@TheGrassfedHomestead thank you so much for the prompt reply. Have been following your channel since it first began. Thank you for the clear and succinct information that you provide. Definitely one of the best homestead channels to follow.
Thank you very much question can I cover it before I put it in the fridge cause it will stay for 10 days in the fridge with other food so what do you recommand can I cver it with a plate or any other thing thanks a lot
If i want the meat with some special flavors, should i add the seasonings into the salt and sugar before curing or i have to marinate the cured meat ? Can i steam the cured meat ? Thank you in advance .
You can keep it in the refrigerator or hang it at room temperature (not somewhere moist like near a kitchen sink) indefinitely. I've never vacuum packed or froze my bacon because it isn't necessary so I don't know that answer to that part
i was always scared of nitrates until i learned more about the horrors of botulism. you only need a small amount of pink salt - definitely not even half as much as they use in commercial charcuterie. if you choose to avoid preservatives, always prioritize hygiene - sterilize all utensils and surfaces with boiling water and peroxide. and always cook naturally preserved food(s) to safe (pathogen killing) temperature and hold there for at least 5 minutes, 10 to be sure, specially if feeding kids or old folks.
Sterilization should be key no matter what. But some people like myself have to stay away from nitrates. I live with chronic pain. If I indulge in to many foods with nitrates I can be bed ridden for days.
@@libertymicrofarm6032 tiny amount of nitrate goes a long, long way. it's only commercial/industrial food that go overboard for fear of legal liabilities. pink salt is way cheaper than a lawsuit - that's why they load it up to hazardous levels. and some silly people sterilize with bleach and that is just as crazy as abusing preservatives. peroxide is the only effective non-toxic option.
@@lisacastano1064 great idea. infused gin or vodka for non-traditional flavors. honey, juniper, cloves, orange peel, anise. not really for belly bacon but for hams maybe.
Botulism is an almost non-existent issue with whole muscle cures. You'd have to have some really irresponsible conditions. Botulism is more of a concern when making fermented cures like salami.
@@TheGrassfedHomestead I did the salt cure for 10 days. I took it out and rinsed it and it was grey but no bad smell. It’s currently hot smoking right now. I can’t find any information on whether or not the meat turning a grey color is absolutely bad. This is from a pastured pig. I’m sorry, I’m so new to this.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
When I was young I knew an old farmer that cured his own bacon. It was salt cured to last a long time without refrigeration. When he cooked it he would put water in his frying pan and boil the bacon first, drain and then fry. This was just to make it less salty.
This is just the way the good bacon supposed to be making and cooking. Thank you 💕🤷♂️
Proper bacon made at the right time of year don't need alot of salt
Very well done -- direct, clear, no bullshit. Thank you.
Ha! Thanks!
Good job. I rotate mine once a day while it's curing.
Watched both videos. Thank you for putting these together. It is nice to see it done without nitrate.
You're welcome!
Good video 👍👍👍 on the no additives . Almost 76 and been doing this on & off, well over 40 years - no comparison with supermarket yuk😉 your video is simplicity and that is how it should be👏👏👏
This is exactly what I want to see. No additives, just pure salt and sugar! Thank you!
@@AlbertoAntonioLinaresLopez Not traditional? Who's traditions are you referring to? How do you do it?
Where are you from?
Dan, I remember making bacon and sugar cured hams in NC as a child. We wrapped the bellies and hams in brown paper and it went into a cotton sack. The paper and sacks absorbed the moisture and the sugar, salt, and black pepper were the power of the cure. We used regular sugar and later used brown sugar but there has not been any better hams and bacon than that. Way before there was ever "pink" salt.
Sounds great!
Can you put receipts on please
What Mama Bear said.
@@TheGrassfedHomestead Traditionally for most places you would use more than just salt. Sugar, syrups and so on and you would always include ground celery. Use only salt and you get salt pork, Not bacon.
Nitrates have been used in meat preservation since at least 850 bc… hate to break it to you guys.
Ok,now I have watched both videos. Happy to see you add sugar. If you do another video remember to mention adding sugar allows you to reduce salt. If you're making bacon to preserve the meat do not rinse salt and or sugar until it's time to cook. After all you just spent all that time drying out the meat. The last thing you want to do is get it wet. Same thing with a cured country ham. Also referred to as salted pork. The two tub idea is a improvement over the first video. But I recommend using just one tub and placing a stainless steel baking cooling grate in the bottom. One that holds the meat up out of the juices. This will allow air flow around the meat. This will greatly speed up the curing process. And I have never had any reactive problems using stainless steel for curing. I love your wood Smokehouse. However folks should know you can smoke bacon at hotter temperatures. It smokes in about one hour,very nice. Last thing,experiment with different types of wood. Yes hickory is nice. But Oak, Maple,Pecon are all very nice. I highly recommend using fruit woods like apple and cherry. My favorite is red alder, it grows naturally and is native to the Pacific Northwest. Very mild, absolutely wonderful smoke flavor. Have a great day 🌤 😀 👍🥓.
baking grate is a good idea!
Great idea to put a baking grate! Thank you. And agree with not putting under water to rinse off salt!
Thanks for the comeback.....Pretty good grazing is a hard act to follow........on to the Corned Venison this Month......
I got to try curing my own bacon. Lots of good info here. 4 thumbs up from Little Buddy! Got to be a winner!
Thanks 👍
V well detailed pork belly becon recipe, nothing can bit A2Z speaking explaining!! Its lovely ending, wow from TANGA Tanzania.
Thanks for the updated video :) Have used your earlier salting video so will be happy to try this one out. Off to order my pork belly now :)
Nice! I think you'll like this method better. It require less maintenance also
I used the old recipe as well. Also too salty. To reduce the saltiness, I soaked the bacon in a bucket of cold water for 24 hrs after curing, then hang another 12-24 before smoking. It doesn't rehydrate the meat, but uses osmosis to remove saltiness. This worked pretty well, but still a tad salty. I used sticks in the tub instead of holes. I think the excess saltiness came from me adding salt over the 10-14 days. I should not have added any, but it is sooo tempting! Brandon says that a little mold is a good sign, a sign of not over salting!. Honestly, is that ALL the salt you used? That one spot on the bottom belly looked pretty bare. I'm butchering in a few weeks and I'm pretty excited to cure again.
I do my own curing and hands down home cured bacon is the BOMB. It is even better than some of the most expensive shop bought stuff. Become your own artisan supplier....... to yourself.
Wow, I'm really NEVER going to get store-bought bacon ever again!! I can't wait to try this 😊
Trying this without sugar starting today. Thanks for the natural approach!
Hope you like it!
Thank you so much .i did build a cold smoker and smoked. 3 cheese s different kinds for 7 hours it tasted great but has to cure for a couple weeks. thanks again for sharing. Have a great weekend
Thanks for watching, Gary!
Love that smoker you built!
Thank you!
How would you smoke this if you live in a warm environment?
Nang ganda ng pag kakaluto.Mapapa sana all ka talaga sa gawa mo.Your so fantastic.
.. THANK YOU FOR THIS !! I am going to try withOut sugar .. I love the homemade smoker .. thanQ again !!
Dang… it’s not traditional when you use a fridge. I don’t have a fridge or freezer so I’m looking for videos that demonstrate that method. It’s still excellent info though, thank you.
just set it outside when the high temps don't exceed low 40s and lows don't drop below freezing
Nice video. Wish I could make some bacon. Good to see how much little buddy has grown.
Thanks 👍
I SO want to try this! It looked like you used less salt than the first video. Hmmmmmm...will have to watch your video on making the smoker now.
straight forward, no fancy stuff ... i like that. Tanks !
Another great video. Thank you for making it.
I smoked a slab of bacon last February. I cut it in half. I ate the one half after smoking and vacuumed the other one and froze it. I could taste the smoke on the first one but the smoke taste was gone on the other after about 8 months.
My advice is to eat the smoked bacon as soon as possible.
you may want to leave the piece you plan to freeze for 1-2 wks in the fridge first to allow smoke to penetrate the meat
This definitely good with sugar added. Thanks for the come back
Great video, no nonsense
Did I see a few cloves placed into the pork skin on the one side of the slab? I’m pausing the video at 4:12 to pose This question because up until this point I hadn’t heard you mention cloves. No I do know they closed has some astringents I guess you could say so I don’t know if this is for the flavoring or to help with the carrying or if you’re putting them in them to kind of help lift it off the plastic bass and I’m not being nitpicky but this is my first time making bacon and you are very thorough on your previous video and since this is the update I want to make sure that I’m following instructions and not missing anything
I didn't omit anything in this video. It is stand alone. I don't use cloves.
What you saw was the nipples of the hog
Nothing beats home raised and cured bacons! Sure miss the days when we raised our own hogs.
Those were the days my friend. I thought they'd never end.
I love your bacon because its healthier withiut using cured salt which contains nitrite which can caused colorectal cancer.I am going to do my own bacon using your recipe.Greetings from Sarawak, Borneo.Tqvm.
I hope you like it!
Dope shirt. Appreciate the knowledge.
you're welcome!
So I’ve watched a few videos saying that if you call smoked bacon or don’t get bacon above a certain degree when you’re smoking it, that you risk the chance of having botulism. Since it doesn’t have any nitrates in it, I’ve been wanting to do it this way for so long, but being kind of scared. your thoughts please
Bacon is a whole-muscle cure which means it isn't susceptible to botulism. Botulism occurs in anaerobic cures like salami and other fermented cures that are not whole-muscle (ground meat).
Smoke it to 150f then put in frig or freezer
Great tutorial. All the videos using the pink Prague Salt annoy me.
Would this technique work for salmon as well?
Probably, though I'm not certain. I've never looked into doing it with salmon but the principle is the same
@@TheGrassfedHomestead Currently into day 2 of curing my own belly.
Comparing my piece of meat to yours. Mine (purchased from Costco) is initially alot wetter than yours. Moist and floppy. Yours already looks dried and stiff to begin with. Is that a difference of commercial meat producing and processing vs raising and butchering your own personal animal?
😦 checked on my pork belly today and the bottom has some grey/green spots forming on the bottom.
I just salt boxed a 6.5 pound slab of pork belly this morning. I will let it stay covered in the rock salt for 6 days, then I will hang and dry. I used garlic powder, black pepper, old bay, 100% natural liquid smoke, and brown sugar.
sounds great!
How long will this keep? Can you keep it out of the fridge and how long would that last??? How long will it last in fridge?????? How long will it last out of the fridge????????? Sorry for so many questions
It has no expiration date once it is cured. It gets better with age. The downside is it gets harder and harder as it dries out over time. I find it best to eat within a few months. Again, it doesn't go bad, it just gets harder to slice.
I just did 3 pork bellies with course Celtic salt, and maple sugar. I drilled holes in a small plastic tub that fits into my silicon collapsible tub. After salt curing, I will try it on my Camp Chef smoker grill on low heat and medium smoke, . . . maybe 3 hours? What do you think? or high smoke?
I just took mine out of my pit boss smoker took it up to 152 degrees internal took about 7 hours on the 160 degree smoke level then last hour or so at 200 to get the internal temp up.
can you salt pork for a week and eat it raw?
I was curious as to where you purchased the Smokemeister 2.
Did you mention how much salt to use? I went back and re-watched and I might be missing it.
Thanks for the updated video. I have been making my own bacon since I moved to Japan because I can't find any here that tastes like home. I have been doing it very different. Even though everyone here loves mine I want to try it this way.
Post your way. This came out too salty
@@roosterhpd5353 I tried this way too and it was way too salty for me too. I had to boil the bacon and rinse it before cooking each time. My way is similar but I use more brown sugar than salt and I do it for less time before I smoke it.
thank you
I just came across your video....totally awesome......do you leave the skin on after everything is done........or do you take it off then cook.....thanks again....love the video.
Thanks, Johnny! I leave it on for the entire process and then when I slice the bacon, I slice down to the skin which is usually too hard to cut through at that point. If I had a meat slicer, I'd slice through the skin and cook it with the skin on
What is the ratio of salt to meat?
Just curious what the reason is for seasoning and putting in the fridge for five days twice?
Thank you for the video! Would it make a difference if you added onion and garlic powder, as well as liquid smoke to the salt / sugar mix? Thank you!
I bet you could and it would be fine though I've never tried that
What is the benefit of leaving skin on? We've always skinned the pig as we butcher. Is there a reason you don't?
You get to eat the skin and you don't lose a bunch of back fat when you keep the skin on
@@TheGrassfedHomestead was the skin on when u were slicing it after baking
@@ceciliamitchell4269 yes
Does your frig. Have to be a certain temp?
mid to high 30s F
I had to Butcher Shop and I used to cure and smoke my own baking and meats al tell you there's nothing like the first time you try a new recipe and taste the first piece of cooked Bacon ,mmmmmmgood ✌💪👨🍳🎅🚌👍
Did i make a mistake with just rinsing out the container i put it in each day? Do i now have possible bacteria growth? And everything im seeing is there is possible bacteria growth when not covering in the fridge. Now idk if its safe...also, I did stack 3 bellies too, because I had three.
Not covering in the fridge doesn't matter. Airflow is better. Did you dry out the container before replacing the meat? If so, you're probably fine
Nice video. How much salt per pound of pork bell6 please?
I don't measure by weight
Those guys remind me of my little boys. 🤗
My youngest just asked me earlier, “How come you never make bacon for breakfast?”.
Well done .
I pu some pork belly in salt 6 days ago,draining the water/wet salt off daily and resalting the exposed parts. No bad smell,or any smell really,but it doesnt appear to have shrunk or turned much darker. I am going to unearth it tomorrow and rinse off. Can I dry it in a food dehydrator at a low temperature,such as 50oc or should I hang it?
N.B. dont have a fridge,using a cold pantry instead.
I've never done it that way so I'm not sure
For us city folks with no access to a smoker could it be possible to use liquid smoke?
I've never used it but it seems like it would be a good substitute in a pinch
Thanks for sharing. I have seen in comments that you have said it will keep indefinitely at room temp. What about in a hot environment though? Do you know if it freezes well?
I think humidity is the issue. It could get moldy but just wipe off the mold and it's fine
I was wondering about that here in Australia hot and humid so much humidity in the air what to do ???😊
Try air fryer cooking the bacon, awesome...
Hi...just wondering if you could substitute maple syrup for the maple powder? Easier to get syrup than powder...
yes but it becomes a wet cure which is a bit different process. If you can't find maple sugar in your grocery store you can order it online.
Just put a plate upside down in your tub ...with a cup under one side of the plate so it sits at a 45 degree angle and let the juice naturally drip off into the tub....ensure you turn the meat around daily so it cures well
Could possibly be done with hickory flavored liquid smoke to replace the smoking process??
I think so
how about using a rack to set the bacon on inside the pan then you don't have to waste a pan unless you cure bacon a lot
I use a cooling rack on the bottom of a cookie sheet and I cover the rack and the pork with salt. I mean cover it. Not like this video. You can't see the pork when I do it. When I was a child my grandparents would have a crate in the shed of salt that they would use to cure pork.
Looks amazing!
Do you know why i think it was DRY mystard was used back in the late 50's on smoking hams....I cant find a recipe for the old way they cured it back then, and since I was so young it wasnt on my SEE/REMEMBER how brain, lol
awesome video and thank you. I just picked up some bellies yest and going to cold smoke. Have never done this before and will try this way. I have some maple syrup that i want to use. Do you just make a paste with the sugar salt and syrup and rub it all over or would you just rub the syrup over the belly and then sprinkle the salt and sugar..or does it really matter which way . Thanks again. A sub for sure
My experience has only been doing a dry cure. When using a syrup, I think people usually coat the meat heavily and put it in a plastic bag. I really don't have any experience with that though so I can't really help you.
@@TheGrassfedHomestead ok thx for your reply. I ended up just basting syrup it then sprinkle the kosher and brown sugar and its curing on day 3 now in the fridge. I really want to try your way of not sitting in the juices etc to avoid too salty . Thanks again
What would be the difference in the end product leaving the skin on vs off?
cracklin
Hi there! Love your videos!
I tried to cure my own bacon with just salt.
And after 2 weeks with salt, in the fridge, curing, took it out, washed off salt- cut some bacon strips and it was way toooooooo salty.
Any tips on how to move forward?
I’ve been told that I can cut how much bacon is like to eat-
Immerse that in cold water for 2 days to draw out salt and then cook.
But how do I store the rest of the bacon ? Fridge? Cover in plastic? In freezer? How long would it last now?
Love your thoughts!
Thank you
Yes, soak in water to remove salt. store it in the fridge (not in a bag - it needs to breathe) or hang it somewhere in your kitchen (not near the sink - avoid moisture)
Out of curiosity, would this same procedure be able to be used for other cuts of meat? What about for wild game such as venison?
the principle does apply to other whole-muscle cures but the fat and flavor of pork is different from other meats that might require brining or additional seasoning
@@TheGrassfedHomestead Thank you.
I'm wondering if instead of sugar I could use Stevia powder as a healthy version if it would work. I'm on the Keto diet right now
I'd just leave the sweetener out
This is a great video. Thanks for making it. Just curious. How can you do this without a refrigerator? They didn't have refrigeration back in the day.
If you have a root cellar, that works. Or you have to time it where you cure outside when the temperature doesn't go above the 40s and below freezing.
Have you made buckboard bacon like this? Would it be about the same process?
I'm not familiar with that
What is the shelf life of this? Great vid. Subscribed and ready for more. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Andrew. The shelf life is indefinite. You can hang it at room temperature and it will last forever. It just gets dryer and harder as it ages so eventually it gets almost too hard to slice. You will most likely eat all the bacon long before that ever happens.
@@TheGrassfedHomestead thank you very much for getting back to me. I look forward to more videos and the responses of your biggest fan. 4 thumbs up
How long would the meat last unrefrigerated when preserved in this way?
indefinitely
Can you do beef bacon the same way?
I've never done it so I'm not sure
@@TheGrassfedHomestead well, I'm gonna try it, trying new things and that was on my list, lol
I didn't know smoking it dropped the ph making it inhospitable for pathogens because of acidity. I think more people might watch this if that was in word bubbles or something in the video thumbnail. Thank you for this and God bless
👍🏻
I understand that once cured and cold smoked, there is no need for refrigeration. My question is whether refrigerating after curing and smoking will change the process at all, would it still technically be without expiration refrigerated? Thank you in advance
yeah, either way is fine
@@TheGrassfedHomestead thank you so much for the prompt reply. Have been following your channel since it first began. Thank you for the clear and succinct information that you provide. Definitely one of the best homestead channels to follow.
@@MegaAaronlee 😊
Hi,
Where did you get the woodchip hopper?
smokemeister
How much salt per kg? Thanks
2,5%/kg
Do I need to cover it in the fridge? I noticed you did not.. whats the reason 🤔 thanks!
It's better to have air flow around it
Thanks for your reply! Just prepared mine last night! Can't wait for day 10! Happy new year 🎉
Thank you very much question can I cover it before I put it in the fridge cause it will stay for 10 days in the fridge with other food so what do you recommand can I cver it with a plate or any other thing thanks a lot
Put them in a 2 gallon zip lock bag when curing. Ive never seen it done any other way.
How can I make this without a refrigerator?
keep it outdoors when the temperature stays between the low 30sF and low 40sF
For cold smoking what is warmest the outside temperature can be before it becomes unsafe to cold bacon?
For me, I don't like to do it when it's above the mid-40s. Others might disagree but low 40s down to mid-30s is my comfort zone.
what it I do not want it smoked -just salted?
then don't smoke it. It isn't necessary
If i want the meat with some special flavors, should i add the seasonings into the salt and sugar before curing or i have to marinate the cured meat ? Can i steam the cured meat ? Thank you in advance .
You can add peppercorn or other ingredients with the cure. I don't see why you can't steam the meat, though, I've never done that.
with this method how long does the bacon keep for in the fridge and in the freezer if vacuum packed?
You can keep it in the refrigerator or hang it at room temperature (not somewhere moist like near a kitchen sink) indefinitely. I've never vacuum packed or froze my bacon because it isn't necessary so I don't know that answer to that part
Can it be eaten witjout cookinf it ?
I don't recommend that
What if there’s no refrigerator?
In such a situation, the pork would be cured outdoors during the fall when the outside temperature is in the refrigerator temperature range.
Can cut it and freeze it. ?
you can
So, its a cold smoke and as a result you are not shooting for an internal temperature. You doing this in the fall only?
Correct. Pretty much just the fall
Where do you get your salt?
salt works
great thank you
i was always scared of nitrates until i learned more about the horrors of botulism. you only need a small amount of pink salt - definitely not even half as much as they use in commercial charcuterie. if you choose to avoid preservatives, always prioritize hygiene - sterilize all utensils and surfaces with boiling water and peroxide. and always cook naturally preserved food(s) to safe (pathogen killing) temperature and hold there for at least 5 minutes, 10 to be sure, specially if feeding kids or old folks.
Sterilization should be key no matter what. But some people like myself have to stay away from nitrates. I live with chronic pain. If I indulge in to many foods with nitrates I can be bed ridden for days.
@@libertymicrofarm6032 tiny amount of nitrate goes a long, long way. it's only commercial/industrial food that go overboard for fear of legal liabilities. pink salt is way cheaper than a lawsuit - that's why they load it up to hazardous levels.
and some silly people sterilize with bleach and that is just as crazy as abusing preservatives. peroxide is the only effective non-toxic option.
@@pusanghalaw or you can do it with booze the Chinese use baijiu aka moonshine and put some directly on the meat
@@lisacastano1064 great idea. infused gin or vodka for non-traditional flavors. honey, juniper, cloves, orange peel, anise. not really for belly bacon but for hams maybe.
Botulism is an almost non-existent issue with whole muscle cures. You'd have to have some really irresponsible conditions. Botulism is more of a concern when making fermented cures like salami.
Hi do you have to smoke the bacon or can you fry it with just the salt methard
You don't have to smoke it
What is the shelf life after curing the meat ?
indefinite
Hi what is the price of the smoker?
the smoke generator is around $120 I think
Is there a ratio of salt to the weight of the belly?
2.5% of the meat weight should be in salt but I haven't ever tried it that way.
Surprised you did not let the slab sit idle for a day between removing salt and smoking. All other recipes I have seen recommend this.
How Much Maple Syrup would you use?
I'm not sure. I've never done that. Using syrup turns it into a wet brine cure. It just changes things a little and I don't have experience with that.
Can I hot smoke this after curing like this?
Yes, but it won't be shelf stable anymore. It will be cooked meat that will have to be eaten comparatively quickly
@@TheGrassfedHomestead I did the salt cure for 10 days. I took it out and rinsed it and it was grey but no bad smell. It’s currently hot smoking right now. I can’t find any information on whether or not the meat turning a grey color is absolutely bad. This is from a pastured pig. I’m sorry, I’m so new to this.
how do you store it?
I keep mine in the refrigerator since I don't have a good place to hang it
Do you cook it with skin on or off?
The skin is usually too hard to cut through so usually skin off
this video was a way better. great job
Thanks, Lee