Last several times we have done bacon salt box. Saturday we grabbed 44#’s and started them Sunday afternoon. Last pic shows the moisture pulled out, seems like so far, so good.

I have no idea of what you're doing.  Except contributing to my education.

I have no idea of what you're doing.  Except contributing to my education.

+1

I am curing bacon using the salt box method. We cure it between 7-10 days and then smoke it.

As Terrell Owens said, " Get your popcorn ready "

 What exactly is the salt you are using? Kosher? Is there anything else in the cure?

Kosher salt, coarse ground pepper and Prague #1.

You are just salt curing it?  No sodium nitrite.

I added Prague #1.

Is just a colloquialism?  What distinguishes this from you and me just measuring out the salt, sugar & cure, rubbing it in the belly and letting it sit in zip lock for 7-10 days?

Last several times we have done bacon salt box.

Is just a colloquialism?  What distinguishes this from you and me just measuring out the salt, sugar & cure, rubbing it in the belly and letting it sit in zip lock for 7-10 days?

Last several times we have done bacon salt box.

With salt box you measure the ingredients and as the picture shows just basically dredge them and make sure they are covered on all sides, then knock off the excess. Then into the zip loc bags. P.S. we don’t use sugar, just kosher salt , coarse ground pepper and Prague #1. Then I wait 7-10 days and rinse them very good. Slice a piece and fry (unsmoked) to gauge the saltiness, too salty, rinse again etc. Once we like the taste, start the smoker.

For those that have not cured meats...

Prague #1 --->  aka -  Insta Cure #1, Morton Tender Quick, or Sodium Nitrite (NOT Nitrate)
Morton Tender Quick is probably most common, but all are available online.

Sometimes we use that prague #1 when we make jerky

Sometimes we use that prague #1 when we make jerky

From everything I have read, #1 for smoked meat and #2 for cured, no heat. Probably not explaining it correctly but think #2 for ground meats like a dried salami etc.

Big difference between #1 cure and TQ though.  TQ is 0.5% and #1 is 6.5%.  You need to make sure you use the amounts indicated for each when using!

For those that have not cured meats...

Prague #1 --->  aka -  Insta Cure #1, Morton Tender Quick, or Sodium Nitrite (NOT Nitrate)
Morton Tender Quick is probably most common, but all are available online.