Sugar Cure for Pork, Bacon, Ham

Submitted by Taylor in Belgium

"Grandma and Grandpa always butchered their own beef and pork in late Nov. to the middle of Feb. It was a family affair, everyone pitching in to make sausages, head cheese, and wrapping all the meat!"

 

• Ready In: 264hrs
• Ingredients: 6
• Yields: 1 bacon

ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 lbs salt
• 2 gallons water
• 1 ounce saltpeter
• 1 ounce baking soda
• 1 lb brown sugar
• 1 ounce black pepper

directions

1. Double this mix as much as you have meat.
2. Weigh down meat so that it remains covered.
3. Be sure to boil plent of water day before so it is good and cold.
4. Put your meat in wood barrels or vinegar stone crocks.
5. Leave small boned meat chunks submerged for 2 days.
6. Bacon submerged for 4 days.
7. Cut hams and shoulders 14 days.
8. Whole hams 21 days.
9. Storage area must be extremely cold, but not freezing to prevent fermentation.
10. After submersion, run thick thread through corner of meats and hang in smokehouse.