# Bacon to cure ratio



## rpooley (Dec 1, 2015)

I am making the bacon recipe from Michael Ruhlmans Charcuterie book. The amount of curing salt mixture he recommends is kind of barely covering the meat. Will it just take longer or is it a problem with the finished product?


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Without knowing the recipe and how many pounds of bacon no clue...


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

I recommend that you use % of weight for your salt, cure, sugar vs 3 TBSP & 1/4 cup, etc. This method is much more accurate.

You need to have an accurate digital scale. Weigh your meat, convert that to grams. Your cure will be 2-2.5% of the meat weight in salt, .25% cure#1, 1.5% sugar. For my taste, 2% salt is perfect, 2.5% was too salty, just depends on how salty you like things. Example, for a 10lb belly there is 4536g. 2% salt is 90.72g, cure is 11.34g, sugar is 68.84.

Mix all together rub all over the belly and place in a zip bag or vacuum seal, turn it daily and massage the cure into the meat. Should take about a week. Rinse, let dry in the fridge on a rack uncovered for at least 24 hrs, this will let the smoke adhere better. Smoke low temp if you can, I do 150 for 4 hrs then bring it up to 175 or so for about an hour until IT hits 160


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Ruhlmans recipe has plenty of salt. I even cut back a bit.

12 on belly takes about a week. You can tell when it firms up. Remember to rinse at the end of the week to get rid of extra salt and then air dry overnight before smoking.


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## rpooley (Dec 1, 2015)

4 lbs pork bellly

cure:

450 g kosher salt

225 g sugar

56 g pink salt


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## rpooley (Dec 1, 2015)

@chefbuba Thanks for that. I think my cure is closer to 4% following Ruhlman, hence @MillionsKnives 'too salty' comment probably.

Will it cure faster?


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

I screwed up a couple of bellies before I started using this method. Have made close to a dozen pieces and they always come out perfect. Salt is subjective, I'm salt sensitive so two percent is good for me, two & half max. Your mileage my vary..


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

I like my bacon salty so use 4%...


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## rpooley (Dec 1, 2015)

I forgot to add that that mixture is meant to be about 1/4 for 3-5#, which didn't seem like much


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Try the method that I described earlier on your next batch. 4% salt is just too much.


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

I use about 2.5-3 % salt and that works for me.
4% sounds way too high....

I did find Ruhlmans recipes a bit inconsistent in use of cure and salt.
If you want to do more curing and sausage making, I would advise to but Stanley Marianski's book: Home production of quality meats and sausages


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

@rpooley I use the same ratio from M. R.'s book
[product="6305"]Charcuterie The Craft Of Salting Smoking And Curing [/product]
What happens is it only takes a small amount of cure and liquid is pulled out and as you turn the bacon each day it cures. You can add more but be wary of over salting. The first few times I made it was completely paranoid of getting bacteria but if you cure it long enough and smoke it properly it is very easy. I make my own bacon regularly it is much better than store bought. Experiment with flavors I have added garlic and black pepper, maple and molasses, etc etc. 
[article="29103"]Makin Bacon [/article]


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## rpooley (Dec 1, 2015)

o. m. g.

Big success, imho.   I took the large belly pieces out of the brine and made lots of slices to freeze for bacon and eggs, etc.  The trimmings will hide themselves in various concoctions of beans, sauerkraut, stews, etc.

But to test, I fried 3 slices.  Terrific.  I'm hooked.  A bit salty as I suspected form people's experiences shared here but nothing a quick blanche can't fix.

Thanks for all the input.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Just an fyi I've been making bacon for over eight years and the bellies I've gotten recently were BOAR TAINTED, made from UNcastrated hogs.   After the two week curing process they still tasted raw and untreated out of the frying pan.  The odor and flavor were "off".   This is just a warning/fyi.   A vendor told me that occasionally bellies from uncastrated hogs make it thru to the vendor.


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Nothing like boar taint.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Neither the saltyness nor the cure flavours came thru.


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Boar bacon is plain nasty. I got some and tossed 4 pounds because it was inedible.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

MaryB said:


> Boar bacon is plain nasty. I got some and tossed 4 pounds because it was inedible.


My vendor is kind enough to work out an exchange with me and is seeking out another supplier. This isn't the first time he's sold something with boar taint. Also fwiw I contacted a major supplier in the area and the latter stated that occasionally a boar tainted belly comes thru.


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## Apprentichef (Oct 21, 2010)

Here you go: http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html

Salt levels are also spot on so that you don't need to soak.

p.s. Ruhlman's book as a lot of errors in it and incorrect percentages


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## rpooley (Dec 1, 2015)

Apprentichef said:


> Here you go: http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html
> 
> Salt levels are also spot on so that you don't need to soak.
> 
> p.s. Ruhlman's book as a lot of errors in it and incorrect percentages


Hey, that's pretty slick. Just enter the meat weight and voila!


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## parkster44 (Oct 9, 2017)

chefbuba said:


> I recommend that you use % of weight for your salt, cure, sugar vs 3 TBSP & 1/4 cup, etc. This method is much more accurate.
> You need to have an accurate digital scale. Weigh your meat, convert that to grams. Your cure will be 2-2.5% of the meat weight in salt, .25% cure#1, 1.5% sugar. For my taste, 2% salt is perfect, 2.5% was too salty, just depends on how salty you like things. Example, for a 10lb belly there is 4536g. 2% salt is 90.72g, cure is 11.34g, sugar is 68.84.
> Mix all together rub all over the belly and place in a zip bag or vacuum seal, turn it daily and massage the cure into the meat. Should take about a week. Rinse, let dry in the fridge on a rack uncovered for at least 24 hrs, this will let the smoke adhere better. Smoke low temp if you can, I do 150 for 4 hrs then bring it up to 175 or so for about an hour until IT hits 160


If I use 2.5 or 3% salt would my sugar and prague #1 cure change as well ?


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Sugar and cure stay the same %


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## Jim (Feb 11, 2018)

apprentichef said:


> Here you go: http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html
> Salt levels are also spot on so that you don't need to soak.


That's great, so glad I stumbled onto this site!
New to makin' bacon. Just did my 1st belly last week. Used just some pink salt and brown sugar. Came out OK, but... Doing the 2nd one tomorrow. Going to coat the belly in maple syrup and use the calculator to determine the amount of cure (pink salt), reg. salt, and sugar to use. Can I use brown sugar instead of regular sugar? Or should it be in addition to regular sugar? 
Learned a lot reading through here! The 1st belly was OK, the 2nd is going to be much better!


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

The amount of cure (nitrite) and salt are important to curing.
The amount of sugar can be totally adjusted to your preferences. You can put more if you like a sweet bacon, you can leave it out if you want (I hardly use any sugar. Don't have a sweet tooth at all)

Just one thing to beware off:
Check the percentage nitrite in your cure!!!!

The USA and UK mainly use a 6 %, Most of Europe is 0.6 % (Chloroso salt).
Me, I can only get an 8 % cure, so need to adjust accordingly.

If you want to go further in curing and making sausages/ham etc, I would advise to buy Stanley Marianski's book "home production of quality meats and sausages" and check their website and forum:
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/
https://www.meatsandsausages.com/


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## Apprentichef (Oct 21, 2010)

If you're using a brine you need to be careful of the sugar levels or you can end up with ropey brine (slimey, will kind of freak you out the first time it happens).

Good luck and happy curing.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Jim said:


> ............Can I use brown sugar instead of regular sugar? Or should it be in addition to regular sugar?
> ...{/QUOTE]
> 
> Cooking is infinite and experiment to your heart's content. 8)


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## Jim (Feb 11, 2018)

butzy said:


> The amount of cure (nitrite) and salt are important to curing.
> The amount of sugar can be totally adjusted to your preferences. You can put more if you like a sweet bacon, you can leave it out if you want (I hardly use any sugar. Don't have a sweet tooth at all)
> 
> Just one thing to beware off:
> ...


Thanks, that's why I like that calculator! 
I'm using Insta Cure #1 which I believe is 6.25% nitrite. I can see how that is a important factor.
I went into doing the first belly pretty blind and didn't add any salt at all. After cooking (frying) in the skillet I was salting it on the plate. Was good, but certainly needed more flavor. I think I'll use brown sugar versus "regular" sugar on this next one. Once I get better at bacon we'll see if I move on the ham / sausage!


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## Jim (Feb 11, 2018)

apprentichef said:


> If you're using a brine you need to be careful of the sugar levels or you can end up with ropey brine (slimey, will kind of freak you out the first time it happens). Good luck and happy curing.


I thought about using a brine, that's what the butcher where I get by bellies uses (he does a bunch at a time of course). After reading up a bit prior to my first attempt it seemed that dry curing would be easier for me. I may try a brine solution once I get better at this.


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## Jim (Feb 11, 2018)

Thanks again for the replies, much appreciated...
I cut the 1/2 belly I just bought in half (~3.0 lbs ea.). I coated both with pure maple syrup. I utilized the calculator and used the appropriate amount of cure for each "slab". Added salt and brown sugar (a little more salt and a touch of pepper to one) and their in the fridge curing. Can't wait!
Thanks...


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## Jim (Feb 11, 2018)

Sorry to bring up this old thread (again). Just wanted to say that the second bacon cure(s) came out great. Used the "cure calculator" provided by @apprentchef and it worked well. Split some differences in the calculator #'s and will do more in the future.
Thanks again...

Oh.. And I took the liberty of upgrading my Exp. from Rookie to Novice!


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Jim said:


> Thanks again for the replies, much appreciated...
> I cut the 1/2 belly I just bought in half (~3.0 lbs ea.). I coated both with pure maple syrup. I utilized the calculator and used the appropriate amount of cure for each "slab". Added salt and brown sugar (a little more salt and a touch of pepper to one) and their in the fridge curing. Can't wait!
> Thanks...


Once cured are the slabs:

rinsed and allowed to dry to form a pellicle?
smoked??


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## Jim (Feb 11, 2018)

kokopuffs said:


> Once cured are the slabs:
> 
> rinsed and allowed to dry to form a pellicle?
> smoked??




Yes to both. Rinsed (not soaked) then 20 - 24hrs. on a rack in the fridge before smoking.


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## MrMika (Jul 20, 2018)

chefbuba said:


> I recommend that you use % of weight for your salt, cure, sugar vs 3 TBSP & 1/4 cup, etc. This method is much more accurate.
> You need to have an accurate digital scale. Weigh your meat, convert that to grams. Your cure will be 2-2.5% of the meat weight in salt, .25% cure#1, 1.5% sugar. For my taste, 2% salt is perfect, 2.5% was too salty, just depends on how salty you like things. Example, for a 10lb belly there is 4536g. 2% salt is 90.72g, cure is 11.34g, sugar is 68.84.
> Mix all together rub all over the belly and place in a zip bag or vacuum seal, turn it daily and massage the cure into the meat. Should take about a week. Rinse, let dry in the fridge on a rack uncovered for at least 24 hrs, this will let the smoke adhere better. Smoke low temp if you can, I do 150 for 4 hrs then bring it up to 175 or so for about an hour until IT hits 160


I fallowed your recipe for this bacon and it came out outstanding. 2% on salt is more than enough. 
Now i am trying to apply this recipe to baby back ribs. Making bacon ribs i guess you can call it that? 
Would I use the same ratio of salt, sugar, and cure? or less since ribs have less meat on it? 
Please advice.

Thank you!

Mika


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

I'll never forget 20 years ago now acquaintances payed a big-city butcher $3.50 a pound for a whole pig (absolutely outrageous at that), specifying it was for a pig roast, and he supplied a non-castrated pig. Fortunately it wasn't the only food we had for the event, being as much for the ambiance as anything else, but yah, big disappointment.


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## Ashlingin (Jun 2, 2019)

Jim said:


> Thanks, that's why I like that calculator!
> I'm using Insta Cure #1 which I believe is 6.25% nitrite. I can see how that is a important factor.
> I went into doing the first belly pretty blind and didn't add any salt at all. After cooking (frying) in the skillet I was salting it on the plate. Was good, but certainly needed more flavor. I think I'll use brown sugar versus "regular" sugar on this next one. Once I get better at bacon we'll see if I move on the ham / sausage!


I just got on the site......Where is the calculator mentioned above?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

A google search yields plenty of calculators, most of which give you control of your desired percentages. Just change them as you desire.

http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html


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