The initial effect of salt
Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 19:28
An Assumption:
When I start a new slab of bacon the interior is probably nearly sterile but the surface is surely contaminated. When I apply salt, cure#1 and sugar the concentration on the surface is certainly very high. As the salt and sugar and sodium nitrite diffuse into the bulk of the slab the surface concentration is diminished. Continued refrigeration is presumed to be continous during this process. However the growth of the pathogens and spoilage bacteria has been at least delayed enough that when I start the smoking operation and precooking I have a small population (in relative terms) to annihilate.
Is this approximately correct?
When I start a new slab of bacon the interior is probably nearly sterile but the surface is surely contaminated. When I apply salt, cure#1 and sugar the concentration on the surface is certainly very high. As the salt and sugar and sodium nitrite diffuse into the bulk of the slab the surface concentration is diminished. Continued refrigeration is presumed to be continous during this process. However the growth of the pathogens and spoilage bacteria has been at least delayed enough that when I start the smoking operation and precooking I have a small population (in relative terms) to annihilate.
Is this approximately correct?