Pork Brine

[mr x]

Here's a brine recipe from the first issue of Beer West. They use it on ham steaks. I shall try it on bacon.

500ml red wine vinegar
500ml water
100g kosher salt (or any salt you like I suppose)
110g packed brown sugar
10 bay leaves
5g juniper berries
10g whole coriander seed
2g whole cloves
5g yellow mustard seed
5g cayenne
1 kg ice added at end (just for chilling after boiling all the ingredients)

Not sure what to make of this one for bacon with the red wine vinegar, but I guess I'll find out....

[NASH]

Test it out and report back ASAP! How long are they suggesting to brine for?

FYI kosher salt is usually only 1/2 - 3/4 weight of table salt depending on the brand. Plus iodized salt sucks.


sent from the hop-phone.

[mr x]

They (Lecosho) recommend 24 hours for ham steaks at 3/4" to 1-1/2" thick.

http://www.lecosho.com/index.html

[whisle pig]

Cut the vinegar in half, switch the sugar to pale malt extract or molasses and replace the water with your favorite beer. Nothing too hoppy or bitter or the brine will take on the bitterness. No need to boil, just heat till all ingredients are incorporated. When still warm, throw in some fresh rosemarry, cool and brine.

24 hrs for 1.5lb of pork is a good start( perferablly with the bone still in!! More flavour when cooked!!)

[mr x]

You think that amount of vinegar is too much for bacon?

[whisle pig]

I'd be worried that there would be too much acid with that much vinegar; especially if you plan to smoke the pork belly after. For pork I perfere a sweet and salty balance, not sour.

[NASH]

I've seen a few recipes using vinegar but I'm not going there, tastes just fine without and doesn't sound like something I want in my bacon imo.

Also - if you sub sugar for a sugar syrup you'll need to compensate for water content in the syrup. Also #2, beer WILL dominate the flavour or your bacon, as will any amount of any other booze, be very careful with the amount of booze you incorporate for curing pork belly or you'll be sorry. Trust me I know

[mr x]

Well, we are going to find out what that tastes like, because I'm going to try the original recipe, but on a smaller piece for sure. That amount of vinegar does stand out.

[whisle pig]

I hope the brine works out
I just put 2 smoked pork hocks in the slow cooker with some chicken broth and a bottle of IPA; got to love the bacony smell!!!!

[NASH]

Right look forward to hearing the results!

I made up a vinegar brine to try on a little piece just for shits and giggles so we'll see

Sent from the hop-phone.

[whisle pig]

Double Smoked Porter Bacon

3.25 C. Brown sugar
2 C. sea salt
.25 C whole blk pepper
4 bay leaves
1/8 C. whole fennel seed
10 C. boiling water
4 C.porter beer
1 C. molasses
* mix till disolved. add ice to bring mix up to 10L vol.

Using this recipies to do 20lb of pork belly today, to smoke next week for bacon; glazing with maple suryup every 15min in the smoker for the total smoking time.(apple wood)
It's a new recipie, so hope it turns out!!

[mr x]

Where are you at, and where are you getting the pork belly (and what's the price)? Also what are your smoking temps and approximate times? Entering this in the H&T bacon comp?

[wortly]

That sounds terrible. I am so glad that I don't live in the valley anymore and I am not forced to eat that terrible food and drink that terrible beer. I can remember one night I was made to eat fois gras drizzled with a sour cherry reduction washed down with a planters, or that time someone brought in a thick chunk of seared monkfish with a grapefruit reduction.
Truro is so much better with a diversity of deep fried food options with at least 3 to 4 olands products on tap in pretty much every establishment.

[whisle pig]

Wortly,
Oh, that sound like the promise Land
I'll let you know the next beer dinner menu, I'll have it done soon. have you heard about the next seasonal?

Mr.X I'm in the Valley, what's this about a bacon contest????

[wortly]

I have heard about the next seasonal. Sounds like it is going to be available sooner than anticipated. Keep me in the loop for the beer dinner.

[NASH]

Smoking some bacon for Bacon-Off 2011 with my secret ingredient

http://tinyurl.com/BaconOff