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Post by shayneh2006 on Jul 24, 2014 17:00:49 GMT 10
Yep, I can hear you all already......
If ya all called me indicted to curing meat, I would understand, in fact, I would probably agree with you
After the recent success of the Blue Berry Maple Belly Bacon, decided to try it on Loin Pork however, a bit different this time, changing from brown/white sugar in the cure mix to DME/Dextrose (what I use for Beer making).
I am thinking the DME will contribute to a lovely flavor.
On the way home today, dropped into my favourite butcher at Cabbra and picked up nearly 9kg of bone in loin.
Great price too at 6 bux a kg. Try getting it for that at WW
Fresh as too, as I watched him cut it from a whole hanging Hog
I boned it out, and was left with 1745gr of bone that will be later used in a soup.
So, I was left with over 7kg of green pork
These days, I don't muck around any more, usually pairing up pieces to a single bag, then, working out my curing ingredients to suit the total combined weight of meat.
IMO, Loin Bacon is more economical than Belly (better meat to fat ratio) but, there is something about belly that keeps me going back......,, could be the taste... dunno!!!!.
Looking forword to seeing how this comes up though
Shayne
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Post by smokey on Jul 24, 2014 17:49:12 GMT 10
Good looking Canadian there, I. Can see a Foo coming ,,,, or taste it. Commercial bacon is made with dextrose so you are on a new path of comparison for sure. Just like in beer it behaves differently. Only reason I know this is I've used and still have a few bags of pre mix cure that has dextrose. Very reliable and does not carry the Popsicle flavour of cane sugar. Ill be interested in what you think as I could not fault it. My bacon came out just like store bought but with a better smoke flavour due to the way I cooked it. Originally, a few years ago I thought I was doing something wrong as my bacon didn't taste artesian enough but as I experimented, My artesian turned out some total crap. Then I ordered some super fancy exy bacon for a comparison to find out if I'm on the mark, I was. My bacon was just as tough and rubbery as the so called best out there. Massive rethink! I went back to basics or rather the science that works. The best I can influence a bacon is in the cooking/smoking and I'm moving away from bubbly sugars. So I've gone in a full circle. I don't have the same sugar problem with ham or fish, I think because it's not refried for eating. Id enjoy your thoughts.
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Post by shayneh2006 on Jul 26, 2014 15:14:42 GMT 10
Yes, I can see how Dextrose would be beneficial however, its the DME that has me more interested. The aroma it gave off, when wet (the syrup) was added to the dry was great. My Bacon usually was a sweet edge to it using conventional W+B Sugars, with Maple syrup which is favourable to all our tastes here.... I am expecting that the DME will positively compound to this. As far as store bought is concerned, the fact that my Bacon tastes totally different to it (not just because of smoke variety take on) is what brings most +appeal. That said too, my favourite general store bought Bacon has been Hans for a long time running, and when I haven't got any of my own stuff in the freezer, Hans is what we eat until I get time to make some more. Oh, Thursday when I was researching Tassie Oak as a smoking medium for my Salmon, I was led to this page www.aoap.com.au/content_common/pr-salmon_petuna-smoked-salmon-sliced.seoAnd that site kept me busy for a decent time when I found this page. www.aoap.com.au/content_common/pc-bacon-and-speck.seoA google search of Shulz Butchers, took me to their home page, and it seems that these guys push out a pretty good Bacon, winning some awards for it. www.schulzbutchers.com.au/index.php?page=productsSooooo, I am cruising woolworths just a little while ago, and I spot this "never to be seen at WW" brand sitting on the shelf. @$32/kg......... Finally, You mention Mick buying some high grade stuff for comparison, well that's what I intend on doing with this stuff. Its going to surely be a morale booster when my loin Bacon runs rings (which I am confident it will) around this stuff, and wins the silent inhouse 2014 Gold Medal.... Shayne
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Post by chrisg on Jul 26, 2014 17:02:34 GMT 10
My folks used to live in Angaston and the entire family now basically only buys that bacon Shayne. It's probably because we grew up on English bacon and have a distinct tendency to liking bacon that can cook well and develop a decent crispy rind without the entire rasher going crispy, which is what it does. We don't eat a lot of bacon and when we do my wife, who is Victorian born, took a while to understand the distinction. Nothing wrong with crispy bacon for crumbling into dishes and nothing wrong with rindless bacon but never really liked bacon that has a rind like a rubber band Cheers
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Post by shayneh2006 on Jul 26, 2014 17:12:48 GMT 10
I have no doubt this Shulz bacon will be good, great and even fantastic to eat. Infact, I am really looking forward to trying it.
The price alone (well, WW as we all know have heavy markup margins)will probably make true the "you get what you pay for" factor...
In no way was I sledging the product, but rather, getting a head high that I reckon I can beat it.
Gotta try it first, which I will when my loin Bacon is done.
Getting excited now
Shayne
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Post by chrisg on Jul 26, 2014 17:50:13 GMT 10
Didn't think you were sledging it at all, bacon is one highly variable product around the globe for a number of reasons, French bacon for example is very different to German preference. Actually the price doesn't look TOO bad, in the Valley you pay around $13/$14 a kilo for it fresh sliced, or did a couple of years ago. But Valley prices are rather disconnected from reality on many things, ask Maggie Beer In WA we are actually seeing tolerable bacon come DOWN in price, my last purchase of some perfectly ok rashers from Farmer Jack was $7 a kilo and it seems to be holding. In the end the most likely thing I'll use it for is a Carbonara, a chicken breast wrap or crumbled over twice baked potatoes so that price, and quality, suits me fine. But if you are looking for a bacon to suit the grossly under-rated Canadian Breakfast I'm going to bet yours will rock Cheers
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Post by shayneh2006 on Jul 26, 2014 18:39:07 GMT 10
Nothing wrong with crispy bacon for crumbling into dishes and nothing wrong with rindless bacon but never really liked bacon that has a rind like a rubber band Cheers Im the opposite to this Chris........
It may just be due to paranoia, but I prefer to under cook my Bacon on a low heat to reduce the risks of (myth or fact) Nitrosamine formation.
Unfortunately, by doing so, the rind tends to be rubbery.
My father on the other hand (he has been other plenty of times when cooking up samples of a new batch) will refuse to eat it if its anything short of resembling a cremated piece of cardboard
Still trying to figure that one out
Shayne
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Post by chrisg on Jul 27, 2014 12:00:48 GMT 10
I admit Shayne I take precious little notice of things like the risk of Nitrosamine but I guess what you describe does highlight the differences I mentioned with bacon. My family seem equally divided over bacon rind, some like me love it, others cut it off and feed it to the birds Cheers
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Post by shayneh2006 on Aug 4, 2014 15:04:09 GMT 10
An update.
Well, I pulled it all from the cure today.
Its been just over 10 days now, and the curing has come along real nice.
Fabulous colour
These will have about 36hrs to bring on a good tacky pellicle before I proceed......
If all goes to plan, I am hoping to have this lot in the cold smoker tomorrow evening for an alnighter
Shayne
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Post by shayneh2006 on Aug 10, 2014 18:23:51 GMT 10
Bring home the Bacon
Done and dusted.
We taste tested this for brekky both yesty and this morning and WOW!!!!!!,,, turned out trumps
15 hours of cold smoke, followed by 5 hours of hot.
The result was a sweet tasting Bacon with HEAPS of smokiness throughout.
After they were done, they were left to cool then wrapped tightly in plastic then fridged for three days for flavor development, then sliced
This lot should keep as going for a while
All worth while when a batch this size gets pulled off to plan
Shayne
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Post by Gus65 on Aug 11, 2014 9:25:02 GMT 10
That's it, I'm giving that a go next. Fine looking short loin and heaps of it. Sure beats my last batch of Scotch Bacon which was nowhere near as good as I the belly bacon I've been doing. You guys have talked me into it. I'll be trying cure#1 on a batch soon.
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Post by smokey on Aug 11, 2014 13:20:23 GMT 10
Good stuff 65 Shayne that is called STOCK, not a batch Time to go shopping, Shayne, Did you use the half half pack DME / Corn sugar or pure DME. ?
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Post by shayneh2006 on Aug 12, 2014 16:59:00 GMT 10
That's it, I'm giving that a go next. Fine looking short loin and heaps of it. Sure beats my last batch of Scotch Bacon which was nowhere near as good as I the belly bacon I've been doing. You guys have talked me into it. I'll be trying cure#1 on a batch soon. Good on ya A65
When I first found the wonderfull resource of BBQ forums in this country, learning along the way, did my fair share of natural cured Bacon towards the beginning.
Nowadays, I don't muck around anymore as I have realized that using cure#1 just gives paramount results over the other.
@ Smokey
as per the OP.....
50/50 blend of DME/Dextrose.
I have made my mind up now that this mix of sugars gives my Bacon the best flavor, and wont go back to the standard white/brown mix.
That said, and as we all know, using just the standard white/brown mix will provide outstanding results, and should never be frowned upon.
I buy my brewing sugars at a really good local price, so using it dosent impact too much on my cost to produce.
The minute increase is well traded off, I can assure you.
I am just wishing I stocked up on the Aldi Blue Berry Maple syrup............. cause it takes the Bacon to a new level.
Hopefully they get it back in the future (as Aldi normally does with their line from time to time)
Thanks for the replies fellas
Shayne
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Post by smokey on Aug 12, 2014 17:14:18 GMT 10
I missed the word Dextrose in the OP. Cool, I'm still waiting on the new injector to arrive and if Aldi does not have blueberry maple syrup I'll just go with standard. The missus always buys their frozen Barry's so that will substitute. I'll just boil them into the brine.
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Post by shayneh2006 on Aug 12, 2014 18:00:24 GMT 10
Also too, optional, but despite many home made bacon tutorials you see on the net, I "DONT" rinse the Pork in water when I pull it from the cure.
It seems a waste to wash away all that sweet tasting goodness
I find that getting it in the fridge for the pellicle dry, with a film of the semi sticky cure helps (smoke adherence being one) in more ways than one for a better end product.
For those worried about excess Nitrite left on the outer, don't be, there's bugger all...... and probably helps to guard against surface bacteria anyway.
I love S Nitrite, as used correctly is as safe as a bank.
I have carried out heaps of research on the stuff and have done the maths, in regards to the amounts I use in my Bacon.
For example, In the USA (I can’t find any Aus standards for this), the max permissible level of S Nitrite in dry cured (or semi wet) is 625 ppm.
In my recipe (the ratios always used) , I have 3509 grs (green weight ) of Loin in bag “A” and have added 8.8 gr of cure @ 6% S Nitrite. Convert that to ppm, my Bacon has finished at 151ppm S Nitrite content "IF", there was a 100% uptake (which is highly unlikely) and well below the USA ‘s Max.
Just to play around, I have, in the past done the maths on recipes found on the net, often seeing cowboys using levels of Cure#1 that were, to be frank, alarmingly high.
There is no need to create unnecessary health risks by using more than is needed to get the job done.
Less is best
Shayne
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