Shayne’s Pork Neck Bacon

Shayne’s Pork Neck Bacon

Here is a recipe I documented about a year ago......

Followed by, the start of a new batch as of today.

I picked up three of the Aldi Pork necks today, two for bacon and the other, might do it S Vide.

For those that are going to try making Bacon with Pork that comes in a supermarket vacuum bag, "DONT" trust what the net weight states on the label, to work out your curing ingredients.

I reweighed the meat once removed and there was a significant reduction from what the label said . The balance was liquid and what ever the absorbent pack soaked up

The Recipe-

For this recipe, I was going the pump/dry rub method.







This recipe calls for Nitrate as well. Luckily I had a few KG’s of Saltpetre hanging around .




Make sure you weigh the piece so you know what you’ve got. The 1790g Neck was later was placed in a net to keep its section size uniform, to assist slicing when finished.






Recipe for the Cure
-49.69 grs Table Salt
-27grs Sugar (I used 50/50 mix of Dextrose and Brown sugar)
-4.61 grs Cure #1
-0.54 grs Potassium Nitrate KN03 (Saltpetre)





Mix the salt sugar and curing salts together.






Now, from that cure mix, split it into two portions. The dry rub, 41.17grs and for the pump, 40.67grs.



Making the brine cure

Now I made a brine to inject into the meat. (40.67 grms of cure) was mixed with 140mls warm-hot water to dissolve. I then added 1tsp Maple Syrup, stirred to mix then sat in the fridge to cool.







Injecting the Brine

I Injected the cure into the meat ensuring I got cure into all parts of it by injecting from all sides. I re-injected any cure that leaked out.






Dry Curing the Meat

Now I rubbed all of the dry mixture I made into the meat.





Now I put the meat, along with any cure that fell off whilst I was rubbing it in, into a ziplock bag and put it in the bottom of my bar fridge. Each day it will be turned and massaged through the bag.


I anticiapted it should have been ready in two weeks



But pushed it further to 19 days.


At the end of curing




At the start of The dry


Pictured is also some Loin Bacon i did at the same time.....


At the end of The dry




Getting my primitive cold smoker at the time ready. Medium, Applewood/Blackbutt.





Cold smoking lasted for 9hrs






Then hot smoked for 3.5hrs with Blackbutt





And done





Nice smell and colour too


It was bagged then placed in the fridge for a few days for the flavours to infuse
The Neck turned out grouse, smokiness right through.

So, this next batch I am doing ATM, will be slightly different.

A touch more Maple syrup added to the injection, and used Maple syrup added to the dry rub.

I am still using Cure#1 as well as Salt Petre (Potassium NitRATe)

Last time, 19 days was the curing time, this I might push it to three weeks.

Smoking will be as I did last time, but using my newer Destructo Cold Smoker.

Might change the smoking medium however. Havent made my mind up on that yet.

I love playing around like this,,,,, curing I mean.

I cant believe I haven't ventured down the home made Salami road yet

Shayne