Q&A for How to Cure Pork

Yes, you can eat uncured pork. You usually cook cured pork, so the process before eating uncured pork would be similar.

The curing agent is the nitrite. When the meat has to be cured for a long time (e.g. more than six months -- some hams are cured for 2 to 3 years), the nitrite is used up but the salt-resistant bacteria will convert the nitrate to nitrite to continue the curing process, thus the reason for the nitrate. Remember that both nitrites and nitrates are toxic at certain levels. Use ONLY the correct doses in your cure.

Yes. You can use regular Morton's iodized salt. Leave it for 12 to 14 days, thoroughly rinse it, and hang it for another two weeks.

The process, including the curing time, will take about 4-5 weeks total.

Smoking meat is used in tandem with marinating. Marinating the meat before smoking it usually gives the best results. All it really boils down to is how you prefer it.

It is not abnormal: for example, I am curing pork belly first time as well but I had 2 5lb bellies and put them in separate bags. One oozed, the other did not. Just keep turning them over, there is juice in there, it needs to distribute evenly. No 2 batches are ever the same while curing, some weepy, some dry but just keep flipping and they should be fine.