HELP! MY BACONS NOT WORKING

[lestblight]

im curing some bacon in the fridge but its not getting firm

i am on my 8th day

Is it ok if it takes longer?

thanks

[Ernie Diamond]

You are just going batty on the charcuiterie, hmmm?

What was the cure? What was the process? Did you use pink salt or nitrates?

[lestblight]

indeed! tryin to do all my hw and learnt he basics.

so i used this

2 ounces (1/4 cup Morton or Diamond Crystal coarse kosher) salt

2 teaspoons pink curing salt #1 (I use this DQ Cure from Butcher-Packer, $2)

4 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

4 bay leaves, crumbled

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup brown sugar or honey or maple syrup

5 cloves of garlic, smashed with the flat side of a chef’s knife

2 tablespoons juniper berries, lightly crushed (optional)

5 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)

i cut down on the kosher salt though

[hohokam]

How much meat was this cure applied to? Did you use it like a rub (dry cure) or did you make a brine with it (wet cure)?

[lestblight]

a little less then 5 pounds of meat

dry rub/ just put all over.

Its nto super squishy .. just not as firm as last time when i had the peices cut in smaller parts

[pthaloearth]

you just answered your own question. It's a larger hunk this time so it won't firm up as quickly. I'd test a portion personally, don't want to end up with salt pork when you want bacon.

[lestblight]

the reason i asked was because Ruhlman said it shoudlnt take more then 7/8 days with a 5 pounder - skin on.

i think i will remove it tomorrow.

If it fails it fails and ill figure out why.

sigh.

(all rhyming unintentional)

[hohokam]

If it were mine, I would do as pthaloearth has suggested--cut off a bit of the meat, rinse it, and cook it up to see how it tastes. If it doesn't seem too salty, then I'd rub the cut edge with a little bit of the salt/sugar/pink salt mixture and give it another day or so.

[hohokam]

Assuming the belly has been in contact with the cure and/or brine the whole time, I'd go ahead and pull it. The initial moisture content and ratio of lean to fat can affect the feel of the curing/cured meat. If you leave the meat in the cure any longer, you'll likely have an overly salty chunk of bacon that will require blanching to make it palatable.

Of course, this should all be taken with a grain of salt, seeing as how I haven't been there to see what has been happening with the meat.