How long will bacon last?

[climberslacker]

Hello!

I am planning for a 6 day backpacking trip and was wondering, if I smoke and salt bacon, how long will it last without refrigeration? Even if it only lasts 2 days it would still be fine. Me, and my friend who i am going with are having a "competition" to see who can eat best of the trip, so any other ideas for food (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) would also be helpful. Thanks!

-CS

 

[Toddy]

Properly 'cured' bacon will last months.
Most of the stuff in supermarkets though is filled with water, and intended to remain chilled until it's used. It's not the same stuff.

There must be a traditional home made sausage and bacon curers supplier where you are.
Like the British sausagemaker.org site.

The advice from them is probably the best you will get.

Best of luck with it

cheers,
Toddy

 

[climberslacker]

I was thinking of making my own from prok belly, so it will last months without refrigeration? Really?

 

[Toddy]

If you do it right, it will.
Bacon was originally a way of preserving (and flavouring) pork.

Honestly, the curers sites are your best bet for good, safe information.

There are a few threads on the forum about making your own though.

chees,
M

 

[climberslacker]

Thanks so very much toddy!

-CS

 

[sparksfly]

I recently bought a pack of shrink wrapped Parma ham from a farm shop. I kept it at unrefrigerated for two weeks then ate it. It was absolutely fine.

 

[HillBill]

If it makes a coughing noise.............not very long.

 

[Colin.W]

Hugh Fernley Whittingsomething did a piece on smoking and curing pork in his river cottage program, he said on there that if it was cured in the traditional manner it used to see the family thhough the winter in the days before refridgeration and for naval personel back in the days of wooden ships it was 1 of the few meats to grace the dinner table when at sea for monthes at a time, that and salt beef

 

[Barney]

If it makes a coughing noise.............not very long.

LOL Very funny Hill Bill

 

[climberslacker]

I looked at the sausagemaker.com site, and i couldn't find any bacon recipeis. so does anyone know of any recipies that will keep? I found one, but it said that it had to be refrigerated. But that was a dry rub and smoke. Would a brine keep? Thanks for puting up with me!

-CS

 

[Barney]

one here I have not tried it though

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/articles/bacon/drycuring/

 

[Toddy]

How about this one.....it even explains the difference between British and American cuts of meat for baconing

http://cruftbox.com/blog/archives/001573.html


Is this the page you found on sausagemaking.org ?
http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/bacon_cures.html
cheers,
Toddy

 

[climberslacker]

Ok one more question:
will pork loin keep better then belly? becasue I am an american (and proud of it). I didn't know there were two types, so will that make a difference? Again many thanks!

-CS

 

[Toddy]

Shouldn't think so; I think so long as the recipe is appropriate it ought to be fine

That smallholding site looks interesting too

cheers,
Toddy

 

[climberslacker]

thanks for all of your help toddy!

 

[Chinkapin]

When I was a kid my mother and father cured bacon and hams. All I remember is that they were rubbed down with salt and pepper (very heavily) and then slow smoked over several days.

They would be placed in a bag to keep insects, mice etc. off of them an then hung on a wire. Thy would keep perfectly well until they were all gone. As Toddy said, months.

Traditionally there is Salt Cured and there is Virginia Cured. Virginia Cured is simply Sugar cured.

Salt removes the water from meat, as does the slow smoking. Without water, bacteria will not grow. Sugar, does not remove the water but instead makes an environment that bacteria and mold cannot live in. Think about a jar of jelly. Jelly is mostly sugar and it can sit in your pantry (after being opened) for months and not spoil.

As has been stated the modern method injects "cure" into the ham. "cure" being mostly water, salt and some flavorings.

 

[Chinkapin]

Here in the U.S, its possible to buy, almost anywhere, what is called "summer sausage." It is used to make sandwiches, and cut of and cooked into various dishes, or simply sliced off and eaten with cheese and crackers.


I don't know if you have such a thing, no doubt under a different name, but it keeps a very long time without refrigeration. Hence the name "summer sausage," it would keep in the hot summer months when there was no refrigeration.

 

[rik_uk3]

Vacuum packed bacon will last a week unopened with ease and a couple of days opened. Take three packs for your 6 day trip.

 

[traderran]

We carry bacon an sausage on our 6 to 9 week hunting trips
never had any go bad on me. We use the old smokehouse bacon an sausage smoked for 5 to 7 days.

 

[Bravo4]

traderran, I get the feeling you do it up right when you travel Horseback? I can't keep a horse, maybe my landlord will let me have a burro.