The curing pork should be stored in a refrigerated place where a constant temperature between 36° F and 42° F is maintained. Bacteria grow rapidly in unsalted meat when the temperature rises above 50° F.
After curing, soaking the meat will improve its quality and appearance. Soak in lukewarm water (not exceeding 70° F) for approximately 2 minutes for each day in cure. Soaking tends to distribute the seasoning more evenly and draws out some of the heavy salt concentration on the meat surface. Hang cuts up to dry for about 3 hours before smoking.
Sweet Pickle Cure
Place chilled, trimmed cut into a clean crock or barrel and cover with a cold pickle solution. The pickle solution is made by dissolving the following ingredients in 4½ gallons of water:
- 8 pounds salt
- 3 pounds sugar
- 1.18 ounce (33.45 grams or two and a half tablespoons) sodium nitrite (see precautions on nitrite).
Weight the meat down to keep it from floating and cover it with curing solution. Keep the meat cold during the curing period (36° to 40° F).
Overhaul the meat about once or twice during the curing period to allow the pickle to reach all parts of the meat. To overhaul, remove all the meat, pour out the pickle, repack the meat, and cover with the same restirred pickle. To the extent possible, the cuts should be repacked so that surfaces that were previously in contact with other cuts are now exposed to the curing solution.
Curing time for hams and shoulders is 3½ to 4 days per pound. Thus a 6-pound shoulder needs 24 days to cure and a 15-pound ham will require 60 days. A 10-pound belly will cure in about 15 days. However, heavier bellies and loins will require 21 days.
During curing the temperature of the pickle should be maintained at around 36° F. At higher temperatures, the brine may become sour or ropy due to the growth of bacteria. Ropy brine looks like partially cooked egg white. If this happens, discard the brine, scrub the meat with hot water, wash and scald the curing container, and repack meat with a new, cold curing solution. If the curing period was half over, make the new solution two-thirds the strength of the original. If three-fourths over, make the new solution one-half the original strength.
After curing, prepare the meat for smoking by soaking (as discussed under dry curing) and drying.