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10 replies

Butt Bacon Cures/ Need help

FM Former Member
I am not one to go with the "norm". Meaning I do not like to buy "ready made" seasonings and such. I like to "create".

Anyway, that being said has anyone who has made butt bacon (which I want to try) ever cured with apple juice, pineapple juice, beer, wine or borbon?

I see some cures are made wet or dry and is there a favorite here? I also see some are sugar cures and some mainly salt. I am a fan of sweet aka., honey and brown sugar.

Anyway- If you have ever eaten at TGI Fridays they have a Jack Daniels sauce (rib glaze) that is to die for. I have replicated this sauce and would be interested in trying it with the Butt Bacon and will definately use as marinade for the Jerky.

My question is....one of the ingredients is pineapple juice. We all know fruit juices have citric acids which when meat is marinated in them the meat breaks down and becomes more tender (natural tenderizer). I see most wet cure for 7 days and some dry/wet cure for 12 days. Do you think this will damage the meat with using fruit juices and will the pineapple make it that long without spoiling? Pineapple juice doesnt seem to last long before going bad.

Can someone give me some ideas and opinions here? I read one cure where they cured (pork loin)with apple juice, honey and herbs. Then they dried and brushed some honey and sprinkled with cinnamon....and then smoked with apple chips. YUMMY!!

Any help with a wet or dry cure for this is appreciated.

I also have a good recipe for a spicy raspberry sauce and was trying to think how I could cure with this and make Butt Bacon.

Any help will be appreciated......and I will try different things and report back on here to help others....pics and all (maybe even the recipes)!

Al
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FM Former Member
Hi Al,

It seems like your terminology is a little confused.
A "cure" requires nitrate and or nitrite.
This turns meat that pleasing pink color and helps prevent botulism in hams for example.
An exception would be a salt cure such as "salt pork".
Marinades are usually acidic liquids that meat is soaked in.
Rubs are dry seasoning mixtures applied to meats.

Citric is only one of many food acids. The "Tenderizing agent" in pineapple juice could be Papain, a natural enzyme.

Check out the historic posts here for discussions on all of the above.

Hope this helps

Joe
FM Former Member
Thanks-
Maybe I am being a little confusing. I know the differences. I know in cure there are agents that take the "getting sick" factor out of the meat during slow smoke.

Just wondering if I can use a type of "fruit juice marinade ie, apple, pineapple" and add the Quick Cure (nitrates) to this type of fruit marinade so I can get the flavor of the fruit into the meat when smoked. Kind of a combo "marinade/cure"!?

Does this make any sense?
FM Former Member
The tenderizing enzyme in pineapple juice is bromelain, similar to papain. If I remember right, cooking pineapple inactivates the enzyme. That's why you can make jello with canned pineapple but not with fresh pineapple - the bromelain "tenderizes" the gelatin, keeping it liquid.

If you marinate meat in fresh pineapple juice or pulp for longer than a day or so, it'll turn into mushy nothingness. I've tried it.
T tomMember
Mornin'Alan

I'm confused,which is not unusual.

It sounds to me like we are trying to discuss at least three projects/approaches at the same time.

Butt bacon and cures is sorta one thing.

Marinades are another thing.

Flavoring with brines,marinades,rubs,glazes,or injections is another.

If pineapple flavor is the goal,why not just inject it a few hours before cooking.

You can also inject booze in a sugar liquid carrier or use beer as the carrier.

Maple ,or other syrups,can be injected for flavor and sweet.

You can also inject the Tenderquick in pineapple juice.

Many cooks use apple or pineapple juice as the carrier liquid, when they inject meats with the Fab products that Joe Ames carries.

Just a couple of thoughts.
FM Former Member
Thanks-

I know the cure is a solution to kill bacteria in order to smoke at low temps. Is there a way to make a wet cure and at the same time use a flavoring agaent while it sits and cures 12 hours? Or do I flavor it after being cured by injecting and seasoning before I smoke?

Maybe that is less confusing. Trying to build flavor at same time of curing. Make better sense now?

Guess that is where the marinade confusion was coming in. Dont need to tenderize--- I figured the enzymes from pineapple juice would make it mushy.

JFYI: The best meat tenderizing juice I have ever found is Papaya juice. NO flavor and can marinade up to 3 days before it breaks down a steak to nothing. Toughest cuts of meat will be fork tender!
FM Former Member
Why not just get some inexpensive Buckboard Bacon Cure from Hi-Mountain and cure your meat in the fridge for the required 9 days or so then inject with whatever you want and smoke? It is inexpensive, high quality, simple directions, and about the best cure you will find. I doubt you will make a better cure from scratch and the directions make sure it will be cured well. I promise you will like it. A store near you probably carries the brand.

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