"John Smith" > wrote in message
...
> Hello all
>
> I've searched around, and can't seem to find a definitive answer on the
> subject.
>
> We've just gotten into curing meats, did a pork loin last week that turned
> out pretty good, a bit salty, but one day less next time should fix that.
>
> We have a Tilia foodsaver that we've used for marinating meats and it
> works quite well.
>
> I was wondering if it is OK to use the vacuum canisters to help speed up
> the curing process, or am I inviting trouble (i.e., low oxygen
> environment)? We are wet-curing bacon this time around.
>
> Basically, would using the Tilia substantially increase the chance of
> contamination?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brian
>
>
I think the vacuum devices reduce somewhat the chance of contamination
by removing oxygen from the surface of the meat. Oxidation on the surface of
the meat both drys it out and spoils it. The contamination risk, however as
we all know, is tied to the salt concentration, and the presence/absense of
nitrates in your brine or dry cure.
I think the more important question with a low volume brine/meat ratio is
the way the salted brine gets, or hopefully gets to the center of the meat
you are brining. The less your total brine volume at a given salt
concentratin, the less salt is there available to get into the meat. When I
do something like this, therefore, I use a higher concentration of salt in
the brine. Even then the salt at the center of the meat is going to be less
to a greater degree than with a high volume/lower salt concentration brine.

With something like bacon, thinly sliced pig flank at the start, you can
make a case for dry curing, as Morton's recommends with Tenderquick,
although the scheme you are proposing in my mind would be well worth trying.

The best of Luck, Let us know how this comes out if you try it.

Kent