Do You Need Nitrates in Bacon?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- This is my second make your own bacon video. This time I tried a wet brine and reduced the salt. I've been wondering for a while what would happen if I made nitrate and nitrite free bacon without curing salts and I set up an experiment to see if there was any difference between the two pork bellies. Are you curious if you need curing salt or just want to see how to make bacon? Tune in!
Curing salt might be hard to find. Here is the amazon link:
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Fancy Cordless Slicer (It's a knife!)
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I've tried this method several times and it's great but I was wondering if less salt or time still works if I want it less salty?
When I made this video I really just wanted to see the differences between curing salt and no curing salt. I usually eat my bacon on burgers and sandwiches rather than by itself, which masks the saltiness, so it didn't bother me. I've made bacon a few times since then and think it comes out best with less salt. This recipe is about 3% salt by weight, but 2-2.5% is more ideal. If my pork belly weighed 2000g, I would use 40g of salt in the cure.
Grill Top Experience Thank you so much! Now do you have any suggestion on adding flavors to this simple recipe. It’s one of my favorite techniques.😀
I'm editing a peppered bacon video right now. Some people will throw in a few cloves of crushed garlic and a bay leaf. Maple bacon is good too, you just replace the brown sugar with about 1/4 cup of maple syrup.
You can also experiment with different smoking woods. Apple and Hickory are two common ones used in bacon.
Grill Top Experience like I said I’ve tried several techniques and both apple and hickory woods. I needed to know what you did to add flavors to your style. Thank you again. Feel free to share any other flavor ideas!
It's better to stick with establish gradients based on weight.
I don't think the time in the refrigerator is the biggest concern for botulism, it is smoking meat at low temperatures afterwards. If you cold smoke meat, you are putting it in a low oxygen environment and holding it at temps that might allow it to produce toxin. Of course if you only do it for a few hours the risk is still small. However I think the risk of harm from nitrates is misunderstood. As long as you give the cure time to process before consuming it, you should have no risk at all. The danger is only when you consume the meat too quickly after adding the curing salt, and it has not had time to break down. If sodium nitrite was really a concern, health officials would have some very strange advice for people since nearly 93 percent of sodium nitrite intake comes from leafy vegetables, tubers and is produced in our own saliva.
Agreed. I smoke my bacon around 185 - 200F and I usually don't use pink salt. Some of the sausages that I make are cold smoked, below 60 - 80F, I always use pink salt. Just how I was taught many years ago.
Thank you for the side-by-side comparison. And for not making an over-produced and overly lengthy video.
Lucky for you, production isn't my strong point! Rambling videos bug me and I try to do better. Thank you for the encouragement.
Nice video until the end. Disapointed you didn't show frying and tasting, it's like stopping a movie five minutes before the end.
Yeah I agree
Or porn without a money shot
@@SG-ig2th damn, I was about to say the same thing.
@@SG-ig2th enjoy watching other men ejaculate do you?
Damn, like building a house without a roof...
I'm more concerned about the health effects of NOT using curing salt - botulism is a real bummer.
Then do more research on sodium nitrite/nitrate. It's believed to cause cancer and added stress to the liver and heart
@@StevenStGelais You better stop eating leafy greens then if that's what you believe.
Come on!!! Cook and taste.... that’s what everyone wants to see!
Maybe you can answer a question for me. I did bacon for my first time, I did a dry curs with salt only from another video. I salted till all the moisture was gone, took about 6 days. I then soaked in water for about 9hrs to get a lot of the salt out while I was at work. I then came home took them out of the water and smoked them for about 3 hrs until done. When I sliced them and they sat in the fridge for longer then 3/4 days they started turn a greenish tint tears the bottom. So I through them away. Thankyou great video
I think you made a good choice in tossing the bacon. Green mold is always bad news. It sounds like you have a pretty good method for making the bacon. Everything should have been OK assuming the meat was in the fridge during the curing process and your fridge is at a good temperature. Some fridges have warmer spots where food can spoil faster than it should. I'm also wondering if you had it sit on a rack for a while. If that rack had any copper in it it's possible that you are seeing that copper tarnish on the meat.
Thank You
This is exactly what I needed to know
We can not have the SN, but LOVE Bacon
Nice! As long as you don't cold smoke it and keep the meat at safe temperatures, the risk is low. Botulism doesn't grow at normal refrigerator temperatures.
No, we will be smoking it "Low and Slow" (180 until 140 - 150f internal)
Then Vacu-Seal and freeze it in half pound portions
Thanks again, Den S
It's unlikely that you can't have nitrates. They naturally occur in many vegetables in amounts much higher than in bacon, not to mention hundreds of products in a grocery.
How long will bacon without curing salt last in a vacuum sealed bag at room temperature and refrigerator?
Didn't see you put any wood chips or pellets in your smoker
great info. it helped me understand the difference. thank you
Great camparison👍🏻
Pink salt does affect the taste of bacon. IMHO makes it better.
Those that are worried about nitrites in your food should know that celery contains more nitrites than what you might consume with pink salt cured bacon.
You are right and thats one reason why people put celery seeds in their rub. The nitrates give the "smoke ring" a nice pink color.
Grill Top Experience
Yessir.
Could liquid smoke be added to the brine mixture instead of smoking it in a smoker?
I'm not a big fan of liquid smoke, but it could be used in a pinch. Most bacon you purchase has liquid smoke added.
It's actually a natural product.
Yes
how many pink salt did you use per kg of pork belly?
It's .25% the weight of the meat. That's 2.5 grams of curing salt per kilogram of meat.
So your comparison is for visual results only ...
Is iodized salt necessary or you could use Himalayan pink salt ?
You shouldn't use iodized salt because the iodine can give an off taste. Himalayan pink salt or Kosher salt would be better.
Can you use normal sugar instead of brown sugar? will I need more or less or the same amount?
Yes, I'd use the same about of either sugar.
@@GrillTopExperience cool thanks, turns out I had just enough left, I thought I was all out. I was gonna use some fancy organic cane sugar we just got, maybe i'll try that next time. I'm doing it with smoked sea salt and 1 tbsp of smoked paprika to see if I can get a good smokey flavor in the oven.
Nice
Is there a difference in the taste?
Neither me or the Mrs noticed any real difference in taste. between the two. The color differences became more apparent after some time in the freezer.
Do your research , nitrates and salt health
Thanks for this useless comment.
Hi can I skip the smoking process?
You can, but it won't taste the same. I would still suggest baking it in the oven until it reaches 145F.
@@GrillTopExperience thank you!
How was the taste ! ???
They were about the same. We really couldn't tell a difference between the two. Either one was good bacon.
I also try to avoid nitrites ( salts) in the sausages I make!
wow..prefer no curing salt indeed. Thanks from Malaysia
What about taste?
I didn't notice a taste difference after frying it up. There are several who have commented on this video that disagree though.
I did it with out nitrate and I’m still alive. I froze the rest of my meat. I prefer adding a bit of water while I’m cooking the bacon and discard after a few mins. It removes excess saltiness. I tried soaking for 30 mins before I let it dry and it was still salty.
If you don't want to eat proper bacon just eat fresh belly.
Expirementing with meat safety is a really bad idea. You are guessing, and often poorly in this video. Nitrates aren't primarily for color or taste. They kill a dangerous nerve toxin that grows in warm to hot tempurates. Sure, botulism can't grow in your fridge. (Below 40), but it sure can grow if your internal temperature isn't rising fast enough on your smoker. Particularly when people here are trying to reduce salt in the cure. Yes, the risk is low, but 1) you dont butcher your own meat and have no idea is is been done properly, and 2) you can die from botulism, not from nitrates in small amounts. Why not ask, is there any reason not to use curing salt? The amount you should be using imparts less nitrate than you get from most vegetables, and certainly less than many wines. Not to mention hundreds of packaged products you consume. Maybe even your toothpaste. I just don't get the anti nitrate movement. It's irrational.
Attach studies to support your claim. Otherwise you are simply speculating.
proportions
recipe
it is NOT good video
It was meant to be an experiment not a recipe. If you are looking for one: th-cam.com/video/Snq8ayhVaZQ/w-d-xo.html
Bacon is smoked pork belly ... if you add salt or a rub or liquid or anything but smoke to it then its not bacon its salted pork when done with salt is cured when done with a liquid or a rub ... it is only bacon when it is smoked ...
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Only in america do they called salted pork bellies bacon ... beside why ruin somethng as good as smoked bacon with extra salt or sugar or liquid ... just cut it about 1/8 thick .. put it in a smoker with some nice sugar maple chips and smoke that puppy for 12 to 24 hours ... and voila perfect bacon every time ...
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Great video! Straight to the point with clear instructions and explanations. I appreciate no ridiculous intro, music, etc.
Thank you!
Lucky for you, I'm bad at all of those things! I like videos that get to the point and I figured other people do too. Thanks for the support.
You skipped the most important part, taste!
I fry Bacon for my family every morning, Monday through Friday, and I have cooked every kind of Bacon there is. First off, all of it tastes great but the Bacon with nitrates are overall a little better tasting and that's a fact. Also, I keep the Bacon grease with nitrates and without in separate jars. Why ? Because the Bacon grease with nitrates is saltier to the taste buds and I use it for certain things and the other Bacon grease for others. Just some info and thoughts from a long time home cook is all, no harsh comments, please.
If you get any harsh comments its because they are jealous that they don't eat bacon five days a week!
ha. exactly
Good. I simply don't understand the no nitrate crowd. There are safer ways to reduce saltiness in your end product.
@@LoraxChannelIt's not about salt, it's about the inflammation the nitrates can cause.
For anyone with arthritis nitrates are like pouring boiling water in your joints.
Your statement that you don't understand the no-nitrate crowd is like saying "well I smoke 2 packs a day and I don't have cancer!"
I have been carnivore for yrs and it cured my arthritis completely.
Only mistake I have made was nitrates, last time I used them for corned beef and pastrami I could barely walk for 3 days and had severe pain for 10 days.
If it does that to me just think if what it's doing to you
If you don't avoid inflammatory things you will likely get Alzheimer's on too of arthritis as you age
Bro is literally poisoning his whole family but it's fine, because "it tastes a little better", average American I swear 💀💀
Nitrates do add a different flavor to meats. Solid pork bellies for bacon and most whole muscle meats do not have anoxic pockets internally, therefore botulism shouldn’t be an issue. Most commercial producers add nitrates for flavor, color and reduction of possible pathogens.
Shouldn't be an issue, isn't the same as can be an issue. I've never seen a clean butchered pork belly, where whole muscle cuts can be inspected.
Not sure of your point.
Botulism toxins denature at about 185 degrees F so a good cooking should destroy the toxins as well.
The benefit of the Pink salt is simply to prevent botulism from growing at lower temps. If you are planning on cold smoking (below 100F) then pink salt is a requirement. since in this video you are hot smoking, it's not needed. . Since I only like to cook my bacon once I prefer to cold smoke it.
You got it right on the pink salt and cold smoking. How long do you cold smoke your bacon?
I smoke for 4-8 hours friending on the wood used. Lately I've been all about pecan wood
Our preference - now - is dry cure without nitrates and a cold smoke. We used to wet cure, but decided that we like the texture and taste of the dry cure. With a dry cure you are pulling most of the water out of the belly, and keeping it exposed to air / oxygen during the whole process - eliminating the need for the pink salt. (not that I think that there is anything wrong with pink salt in moderation)
LeGourmetTV Recipes Could you please explain to me the difference between cold smoke and hot smoke? Different flavor?
Cold smoke - the temp is below 100ºF (ideally below 80ºF) and you are just imparting flavour, without cooking. This is only good for meats that are dry cured below a certain moisture level making them stable at room temp. Hot smoking - the temp is around 250ºF and you are cooking the meat to an internal temp around 150ºF. This is good for brine cured / wet cured meat that isn't stable at room temps (even with pink cure) because the internal water level is high.
You should avoid using iodized salt for curing process (the iodine content messes things up). Use kosher salt in this case for best results. Just want to point that out.
Kosher salt on pork. 🤔 Let's call it sea salt for posterity's sake
@@csabo1725 I love using sea salt, especially the ones that came from your mom. It definitely taste like the sea, YUM!
@@gundummies that joke didnt make much sense
@@csabo1725well..Kosher salt and sea salt are not the same thing. So lets designate properly. How about that?
@@agoogleuser3787Acknowledged. Affirmative.
add your salt by weight, I use 2.5%, to control the saltyness of your bacon. also bbq rub really goes well.
I heard botulism needs a no air environment and temperatures above 50?and it’s mostly in pork. I use curing salt just in case for dry aging my meat
We made this and it was just heavenly!
I could not nelieve how delicious it was.
And not difficult at all.
To soak them for 30 minutes after rinsing off the salt really helps.
You are so right that you don't need all that salt!
Thanks for sharing.
I'm glad it worked out well for you. It's nice to have homemade bacon around.
Answer !
If you want it to taste like bacon YES use cure, that is bacon's or ham for that matter, taste
all else is BS
It is probably safe without the curing salt. But what about the 2 hours in the smoker?
I use sea salt and brown sugar sometimes maple syrup. Then after rubbing the mixture on all sides of the meat I'll place it in a large ziplock bag.Turning everyday for a week.Then I'll remove it from the bag rinse off all liquid and remaining salt/sugar pat dry. I start my smoker using apple wood chips setting my smoker for 135f I'll slow smoke for about 6 to 8 hours with a probe thermometer to get a temperature of 127f internal meat temperature. Then I let it cool off on the counter before I put it in the fridge for 1 day. Your kitchen will smell like bacon its terrible..lol.The next day you can slice it to whatever thickness you like enjoy.
2 1/2 gallon bags work much easier. Keep flap up in refrigerator
made bacon with like 5 full spoons of pink salt for 2 kg of pork Now im afraid of eating it.
One question: Does the pink salt, or the lack thereof change the flavor?
It changes taste slightly.
The taste is not the same to, not that mush with bacon.. but with ham it really noticeable
If by mistake I put twice more pink salt, what can be done to safety product and health as result?
Instead of "no" on the one with salt should have written "na"
Great video mate!! I like the safety net of the pink salt and the color but that's me either way I'll be trying this soon.
+Clayton Blachly pink salt is a reasonable safety net. Most if the health concerns are with nitrates, not the nitrites in curing salt #1 anyway. Smoke on!
U can use dried and ground celery to provide the nitrates instead of a chemical based nitrate.
Are you saying pink salt has nitrates in it and I mean Himalayan salt used in fancy restaurants the nitrate I have seen was white.
No, Himalayan Salt does not have nitrates in it. You need curing salt. Where I am, it's dyed pink so you don't mix it up with regular salt.
Mmm, gray bacon
Problem is that botulism CAN grow in the smoker at that low of a temp
That is true if cold smoking, which is why I demonstrated cooking it in a hot smoker. Cold smoking has its own set of risks.
Do you want botulism? If the answer is no then you want pink salt.
Pink salt adds another layer of protection, but botulism doesn't grow at refrigerator temperatures or hot smoked temperatures. It's much more important if you cold smoke.
You really didn't add potassium nitrate which makes the difference, pink cure salt is 94% salt and 6% potassium nitrate.
Pork belly with or without skin?
I buy cheap bacon scraps at Lidl and boil and rinse them to remove nitrates. I wonder, if I buy a greener (greyer) pack, does it mean it has got less nitrates in curing process? Or does it just have more salmonella?
But curing salt with curing meat will make sure that you will not get sick or your family will not get sick I would not worry about myself but I would sure where you're both my daughter didn't that's why I use curing salt
yes you are right -I start at 4.00 am
It all depends on your curing situation. Do not use iodized salt for curing. Use equilibrium method for curing for consistent results.
Was the bacon taste test to different between pink salt and the natural salt? I have not used Prague powder and I have the same thing it slightly greyed on the ends
pls dont use iodized salt
So what about the taste?
How did it taste?
My father never used cureing salt just regular salt never got sick from it just smoked it well
Thank you for the report. I'm the same way. If it doesn't sit at room temp or get cold smoked you don't have to use nitrates.
@@GrillTopExperience yes, let's not forget that botulinum toxin only produced in anaerobic conditions, so bacon is safe anyways. It's just a problem in canned foods or sausages. Maybe very very thick smoke can be considered anaerobic, but that is easy to avoid and very difficult to do :)
Historically, smoking was performed as a means of preserving food because the smoke itself acts like an acidic coating on the surface of the meat, preventing the growth of bacteria. The smoking process also helps to dehydrate the meat, again creating an environment that is less hospitable for bacteria to thrive in.
The addition of Prague powder exists for a reason. And it's really quite a good reason. It's just my opinion but too me this is like advocating the use of raw milk. Think of it like using a seat belt. Most of the time you can get by without it. But when you need it... you really need it and were glad you had it on. And just like a seat belt... you never know when that's going to be. Use the pink powder.
Well said. IMO this video is dangerous. It's justifying irrational behavior to avoid a safe additive, while massively increasing real risk for many who have no clue about meat safety or nitrates. Just read some of the comments, and you realize people are taking tons of risk removing nitrates while using poor methods, wrong tempuraturs, and no clue what a well butchered safe piece of meat is.
Yea, if you want cancer.
NO TASTE TEST WTF?!
Who cares about the colour, what about the flavour?
I tried this and mine turned out like a pork chop not bacon
Dustin Anderson he used like no salt or sugar. Should like double those amounts
One of my early bacon-making efforts did, too. I smoked it to 165-170 instead of 150. Now I go to 150 and it comes out like - BACON.
I've 8+ lbs curing right now and hope to have bacon next Monday. And I used the pink salt with maple sugar. Should be really, really sweet but I'll add pepper to one chunk and Jack Daniels to another for some variation.
You should cure bacon not brine it. 2.5% salt of weight of pork belly plus sugar and spice.Approx 10 days then cold smoke for up to 10 hours . Dont confuse salt with sodium nitrate it can be lethal
@@scotta547 Like like like (etc.) Are you 14?
@@daveengstrom9250 you said like more times than I did soooo
The only thing I disagree with is that pellicle helps absorb smoke. No science behind that and raw meat that has no pellicle clearly absorbs smoke just fine.
I don't mean to be argumentative, but do you have any science behind smoke absorption of cured and slightly dried meat and meat that has just been cured? That might be another fun experiment . . .
Great video, thanks for mentioning botulism! I was wondering how the bacon turned out after it was fried up - any difference in color?
Not when it was fresh. After the meat sat in the freezer for a bit the differences in color were much more apparent. They both tasted the same to me, but there have been several commenters who would disagree.
Yes but that is not what we call dry cure
Right, this is a wet cure. I did a dry cure in a different video.
Why not do a dry cure for all of us bro i will watch it
Macartan Caughey
He’s telling you to watch his other video
Why wet rather than dry age the bacon?
It's just one way to do it. I have another video on a dry cure, but it comes out saltier than this one. The wet method is easier and only requires a zipper bag and less space in the fridge.
I've tried to make bacon other ways but different types of meat. from pork but roast, pork tenderloin, brisket. and well...I expected them all to taste like bacon yet they all tasted how the meat is suppose to taste even when cooking in the oven at 200 (because where I live we can't use smoking.) and when I bring them out they don't look raw mostly cooked all the way in and again they dont feel or taste like bacon especially after all this curing so I wonder...what's the point of curing? I don't see it meeting my expectations.
If you want bacon to taste like bacon you need to dry cure it.
@@Krahamus is this video a dry cure??
@@Emivioricomex Not really he is hot smoking the meat, dry curing is when you cure meat for like 1 week in vacuum pack than, drying it depending for weight of meat to loose 35% of its weight, in the end it gets hardened from inside and out, or you can cold smoke it instead of drying, cold smoking not making your meat cook unlike hot smoking, it just gives flavour of smoke and dries the meat also, but it takes long hours to cold smoke like 6 hours or more, also you can do both, cure meat, dry it, and smoke it.
So for clarity....you're saying I don't need curing salt to make bacon???? None at all? I live in Barbados and can't find it have some in my Amazon cart but we're on COVID lockdown here so it won't be arriving any time soon.
The curing salt adds a measure of protection against food born illness like botulism. If you are using proper food safe practices, the bad bacteria and spores shouldn't be able to grow and that reduces the risk. That is why I demonstrated curing it in the refrigerator, hot smoking the bacon, and storing it in the freezer. If you are cold smoking the meat or if you want to eat it without frying it, you should consider using curing salt. The only difference I've noticed is that the nitrite free bacon turns grey.
@@GrillTopExperience Thank you sooo much sir I shall keep you posted!
Question...if am on vacation and don’t flip them is this an issue? Also can it be cured for more than 7 days ?
You wouldn't ruin it by not flipping it, but the cure may not be as even. Letting it go longer might make it saltier. Some cure recipes go as little as three days.
I heard that using Iodized salt is a big no no. Anytime I've read curing of preserving directions with salt, they say to use regular or Kosher salt.
I just made some homemade bacon and used iodized salt.. no issues.. and came out fantastic
Nothing wrong with pink salt.
I agree with you, but if it's prepared the right way you don't need it if you don't want to. I used pink salt in the back bacon video I published yesterday. I'm good either way.
As an alternative Healthcare practitioners my experience there's plenty of things wrong with pink salt.
Wow, this is an awesome video. This is far beyond what I’d ever do but still awesome stuff.
Thanks for watching, Jay. I think we all have a few things that go beyond what others would do. I'll check out your channel and see what yours are.
Thanks a lot. So, do you think it's cheaper to make it on your own as opposed to just buying it from the store. I'm just wondering because when I buy pork belly it's normally for Korean dishes and that stuff isn't cheap.
good video but id don't no why you guys hot smoke the bacon ?
Hot smoking is faster and keeps things at a food safe temperature. You have to be a lot more careful with your salt and nitrite concentrations when you are cold smoking since the meat will be "in the danger zone" when you cold smoke it.
Can you tell me the composition of Pink Salt & Sodium Nitrite in percent %
Curing salt number 1 is 6.25% sodium nitrite with the rest as salt. That makes it easier to measure and get the right amount of nitrite.
What is the ratio of salt sugar and water per kilo of belly? Can somebody help me out? Thanks in advance..😊😊😊
Each of the halves were 2kg each. Translating that to kilo would be 1kg belly, 38g salt, 50g sugar, 60ml water.
So can you use just normal salt from your cupboard and get bacon? Also if I didn’t smoke it (the wife doesn’t like smoked bacon) would that matter ?
Smoking plays an important role. It both flavors and helps preserve the meat. If I didn't like smoked bacon, I would add other seasonings and flavorings like maple syrup or black pepper to enhance the flavor. Without the smoke and curing salt, it'll taste like salty pork chops.
Love that you kept it simple. How much curing salt did you add?
It is based on the weight of the meat. .25% or 2.5 grams per 1000 grams of meat.
Don't believe it is Nitrate, but think it is Nitirite, Sodium Nitrite. Thanks.
You are right, curing salt #1 has nitrite and curing salt #2 has both. You'll see bacon labeled both ways.
that’s why my cured meat turns grey/brown cuz I usually use a normal salt
That's right. Ham wouldn't look like ham without nitrites and nitrates!
Your body produces Nitrates naturally. They are natural for you despite the rumors. I understand they can have ill heath effects for you, but if you use them properly you will be just fine. Celery is a naturally occurring source of Nitrates, and people never concern themselves with eating celery. In fact, they feel like they're doing good for their body. The side by side comparison, however, was great to see. Thanks for that.
Thanks, Jim. It's a mixed bag for sure. I ride bikes a lot and see a lot of adverts for beets, which are also high in nitrates.
Anthrax is also naturally produced in dead cows, I'm not sure I would be consuming that, same goes for Asbestos, just because something is naturally produced, doesn't make it safe.
@@MaZEEZaM You're just being ridiculous. When used properly, nitrates will not harm you. I'm sure there are more people who've died from botulism that would have never contaminated their meat if nitrates were used than there are people who've gotten sick from consuming nitrites. The benefits of using nitrates far outweigh the benefits of not using them.
Was that just a joke at the end about botulism or is there a better chance with one kind of cure vs the other?
It was not a joke. Botulism can form in low oxygen environments and curing salts (sodium nitrite) makes the meat less hospitable to bacteria and increases shelf life in the refrigerator. I would be concerned about bacteria if I kept the meat outside of the refrigerator like my grandma did. The belly is kept in the fridge until it is cooked to 145F and then returned to the fridge and finally the freezer. If you are concerned about bacteria, add the pink salt. If you are concerned about nitrites in food, don't add the pink salt. Either way you'll end up with a safe product if you follow standard temperature food safety practices.
If I dry age the bacon and remove the water am I still at risk of botulism storing the meat at room temperature, salt cured No Pink Salt?
Yes.
Not a joke! Botulism is a very real risk. That’s why meets since Roman times have been cured with nitrates (pink salt).
Also, the video is wrong; botulism can grow/reproduce in the refrigerator.
What you can use instead of the pink curing salt? I'm from Trinidad and can't fine that here.
Hmm . . . that is hard. Some veggies like Celery have a lot of nitrates. I've used ground celery seeds in a rub to enhance the smoke ring (effectively curing it). It will give you a pretty strong flavor though.
@@GrillTopExperience thx you
I take it teh pick spot in the non-nitrate bacon wasn't a concern, but did that mean the cure didn't go in that far? If so, how much longer would you cure it to make sure the bacon cures completely?
The nitrates turn the bacon pink and keep it from turning grey. The salt doesn't do that, so the pink you saw was from the nitrates in the smoke and doesn't mean that's how deep the cure went.
The salt concentrations in both are the same, so they'll react similarly. I don't think I would let it cure any longer without the nitrates.
@@GrillTopExperience oh. Okay then.
Using the nonpink salt method, what would you say is the best buy date in the fridge for the bacon after its smoked?
Good question. I would treat it like any other cooked meat. Freeze it if you don't plan to use it in 5-7 days.
@@GrillTopExperienceThanks, have a merry Christmas
Could you add a bit of liquid smoke flavor to the brine?
That's a good idea if you don't plan to hot smoke it later.
hey.... was there is difference in taste.... i heard that the pink salt gives the bacon its typical flavor and taste
I didn't notice a difference in taste between the two, but another viewer said it tasted like pork chops and not bacon. They both were smokey and salty just like bacon should be. I think the health concerns about curing salt are over hyped and wouldn't be concerned about adding it.
Amazing Video! Subscribed
Thanks for the support! This is an old video, but the idea was good.
If you wanted to flavor the bacon, like maple, do you add maple syrup, and when would you add the "flavor" ? During the curing, before smoking? Also would you leave out the sugar if your adding maple syrup?
A lot of people replace some sugar with maple syrup or maple sugar. You would do that during the curing stage so it has a chance to soak in.
I make hickory honey pepper bacon. i use brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, onion flakes, and pink salt in my brine. Then honey and pepper before it goes into the smoker with hickory wood. Flavor explosion.
if I dry age my pork loin in my special refrigerator at 13 celsium degrees and 75% humidity do I need this pink salt or no
If I cured it above about 3C I would use pink salt to reduce the risk of botulism. It doesn't grow at normal refrigerator temperatures, but it certainly could at 13C. You'd probably also want to use more salt to keep it safe. A good reference is "The River Cottage Curing and Smoking Handbook" if you want to cure and ferment meat.
@@GrillTopExperience prosciutto is drying without this nitrat salt and it's 100 % fine. That's why I think braseola and other meats, will not have any issues without this salt
Let's see, on the one hand, to use just salt and sugar for the cure means one doesn't have to use nitrates and the dangers that come with using curing salt. On the other hand, nitrites do add an extra measure of protection against botulism, provided you get the measurements in the right range. I think I'm going with the nitrites, I'll have to get a good digital scale, use the metric system, (you can get things down to the gnat's ass with metric, it's 3 grams of Prague Powder #1 to a kilogram of meat) and just be God-damned careful with the use of nitrites. I fear botulism more than inaccurate measurements and nitrites give meat that characteristic pink color and "hammy" flavor. So that's what I'm going with....
You have to pick which risk you are willing to accept. The pork belly was in the fridge or the smoker during the entire process, which kept it out of the temperature range where botulism likes to grow. Adding nitrates does add extra protection from botulism and other nasties. If I planned to hang it to dry, store it at room temperature, or cold smoked it, I wouldn't take the chance!
What are the dangers of using curing salts?
Nitrites/Nitrates have been found to have zero effect on controlling botulism. The only thing they do is keep the pink color and add flavor.
may I know, why brown sugar instead of white sugar, ty!
The molasses in the brown sugar adds some flavor too.
Clear as mud!!!!!
No tasting?!
I tasted it off camera and that's made more than a few people unhappy. My bad!
Was there a flavor difference?
Neither me or the other taste tester noticed a difference between the two (several commenters disagree with me though). The grey color of the nitrate free meat was more pronounced after it was in the freezer and that was the biggest difference.
I found an old brine recipe and it said to soak in my brine 2 weeks for bacon, 30 to 40 days for my hams. Then cold smoke for 3 days. Just got finished and tried the bacon and it is too salty. I did about 50 lbs of meat and it called for 4 lbs of salt. I also added cloves, 2lbs of brown sugar and 2 oz of saltpeter
I've seen a lot of the old-timey recipes that use a lot more salt. That one has 8% salt by weight and most people shoot for 2-3%. My grandma used to hang her bacon and hams without refrigeration and I've wondered if that explains the saltiness of the recipe.
I'm glad to see you used saltpeter in the recipe. On a cold smoke, it's a must have!
1. Place meat in water
2. bring to a boil
3. remove meat and discard water
4. Cook as you normally would.
This is how my family has been doing it for years. Salt is a good preservative but you must do some additional prep work to use meat preserved with it. With modern refrigeration the volume of salt isn't necessarily required any longer
Thanks for the replies guys. I have been soaking the bacon in water for about 30 mins before I cook it and that seems to work. I leave it wet so it basically boils off before it starts to cook. I got to thinking maybe that’s why they are old timer recipes because without refrigeration that was how they used to have to do it. And not everything they ate had salt in it like today so when you needed salt eating some bacon or ham was a good way to get it back in the day. Thanks for the tips