The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: jarrick on December 18, 2012, 10:28:00 am
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Hi, I'd like to try and establish how long to leave pork soaking in a brine cure for.
There may be variables, such as how salty you like it, but for minimum preserving requirements (so it will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks) there should be a way of calculating it just using the strength of the brine solution (in grams of salt per litre) and the thickness of meat to be cured (in cm/inches).
I'm looking for fairly expert advice here, not just someone's guess, so if anyone knows this information or knows where to find it, please let me know.
Cheers.
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I've looked through my book (Manual of a traditional bacon curer) ;)
I can't find an equation for you :-\ Only refrence to having your brineometer reading 65-70% and to cure middles for a week. We go by sight and feel :innocent: You might need to talk to a butcher who cures their own bacon ?
But if you're worried about it being over salty, you can either add extra sugar to counteract this or soak it for a few hours in clean water after it's cured.
Good luck and let us know if you do find it please, would be handy to know :thumbsup:
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The supplier of your cure should be able to give a method sheet detailing exact brine specifications and timings. If you're using an injection method as most butchers do the curing solution should be 83% water to 17% curing salt. The meat should be injected at various points until an increase in weight of 15% is achieved, then vac pack and cure for 12 days. Immersion method will be similar.