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Making your own bacon. |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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Making your own bacon.
Anyone else done it?
I recently bought a fresh pork belly to make my own. I made up a cure of equal parts salt and Demerara sugar, about 20 crushed Juniper berries and some finely chopped Bay leaves. I put a handful of cure in the bottom of a lidded plastic box, laid the belly in and then another handful of cure on top, rubbing it in well, not forgetting the sides. Every 24 hours for 5 days I tipped out the liquid that had leached out of the bacon and added a bit more cure mix. After 5 days I washed all the cure off with water and patted the belly dry with kitchen towel. I then hung it on a butchers hook to dry completely for about a week. I thinly sliced 3 rashers and put then in a dry frying pan for a bacon butty. The difference to shop bought bacon was remarkable and it was the best butty i've ever had, no question. I did the whole process in a room that is always cold with no windows but it can be just as easily done in a normal household fridge. I don't think i'll ever buy supermarket or butchers bacon again. The process is so simple, it just takes time. Curing bacon yourself may sound daunting but it really is simple. I urge anyone to give it a go, and you will be rewarded with the best bacon ever. After all, is there really anything better than bacon? |
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 23,310
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Back in ye olden days (1970s) every butcher worth the name would make their own bacon. Going back pre-WWII, almost every farmhouse did.
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: East London
Posts: 14,258
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Awww sounds really fab Indian! Clever guy.
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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Quote:
Awww sounds really fab Indian! Clever guy.
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: The Enchanted Wood
Posts: 878
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I'm really interested in doing this! When you dried it after the curing process, would I be able to do this in the fridge just by popping it in a dish and leaving it (uncovered) in the bottom of my fridge?
How much cure mix did you make? |
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,472
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Interesting - is sugar and juniper normal in a cure? Does it taste of gin?
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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Quote:
I'm really interested in doing this! When you dried it after the curing process, would I be able to do this in the fridge just by popping it in a dish and leaving it (uncovered) in the bottom of my fridge?
How much cure mix did you make? I got my cure recipe from the River Cottage cooking school where I recently did their "Pig in a Day" course (which was excellent BTW). |
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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Quote:
Interesting - is sugar and juniper normal in a cure? Does it taste of gin?
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 21,640
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Quote:
Yep, just let it dry out uncovered. I made my cure with 1 kilo of salt and the same of sugar. I keep it in a big Tupperware box and i've got plenty left. It doesn't go off so i'll keep it for the next lot.
I got my cure recipe from the River Cottage cooking school where I recently did their "Pig in a Day" course (which was excellent BTW). |
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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Quote:
No saltpetre in your cure mix. Is this omission deliberate, or due to non-availability?
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 23,049
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Did you use regular salt or sea salt?
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#12 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: North West
Posts: 23,325
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Recipe for bacon.
Slaughter 1 pig. |
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#13 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 3,851
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I just put the pork bellies in a tub of sea salt for 5 days then into the cold smoker for another 3 days along with applewood chippings,this cures, drys and smokes the bacon. I then put it through the slicer then into the freezer or fridge. I use the same process with mackerel, scallops and pork shoulder joints using different types of wood chippings or sawdust.
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
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Quote:
Anyone else done it?
I recently bought a fresh pork belly to make my own. I made up a cure of equal parts salt and Demerara sugar, about 20 crushed Juniper berries and some finely chopped Bay leaves. I put a handful of cure in the bottom of a lidded plastic box, laid the belly in and then another handful of cure on top, rubbing it in well, not forgetting the sides. Every 24 hours for 5 days I tipped out the liquid that had leached out of the bacon and added a bit more cure mix. After 5 days I washed all the cure off with water and patted the belly dry with kitchen towel. I then hung it on a butchers hook to dry completely for about a week. I thinly sliced 3 rashers and put then in a dry frying pan for a bacon butty. The difference to shop bought bacon was remarkable and it was the best butty i've ever had, no question. I did the whole process in a room that is always cold with no windows but it can be just as easily done in a normal household fridge. I don't think i'll ever buy supermarket or butchers bacon again. The process is so simple, it just takes time. Curing bacon yourself may sound daunting but it really is simple. I urge anyone to give it a go, and you will be rewarded with the best bacon ever. After all, is there really anything better than bacon? Also want to make pork scratchings. |
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#15 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 13
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I hate pork....except for bacon.
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Fort William
Posts: 22,265
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http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/catal...ring_salt_beef
This site was recommended to me, but I haven't had the time to do it yet. |
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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Quote:
Did you use regular salt or sea salt?
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