Making Bacon

Rain City said:
So can I ask why you chose to smoke so long? Do you find that you like that amount of smoke or is it a curing thing?
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I like stuff ( salmon, pork, scotch etc) quite smoky but definitely not ashtray tasting! Some things I've smoked I think are out of the ballpark perfect taste wise, but my wife finds insultingly smoky ( of course, she's wrong but please don't tell her)! Perhaps I have an insensitive palate! I haven't done a ton of bacon compared to many, but have been experimenting awhile. I split that particular smoke into two 7 hour sessions, letting it rest overnight in between. I also ground pellets in the blender into sawdust and put them in my A-maze-n pellet tray which seemed to make a difference, creating a lighter, better smoke. Vac sealing or just putting it in the fridge after and letting it mellow for at least 4 days makes a big difference. This is hardest part because I just want to fry that fresh-smoked bacon ( after I cured it for at 7- 14 days!) right away and eat it. When I have eaten it right away, it is kind of harsh ashtray tasting.
None of this is very scientific by the way, but just offering what I've done.
I just read about a technique where someone cold smoked the belly initially and then followed up with a warm smoke to bring the belly up to 150F. I think want to try that next as I think it would marry the best of both smoke worlds.
 
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Seasalt said:
I like stuff ( salmon, pork, scotch etc) quite smoky but definitely not ashtray tasting! Some things I've smoked I think are out of the ballpark perfect taste wise, but my wife finds insultingly smoky ( of course, she's wrong but please don't tell her)! Perhaps I have an insensitive palate! I haven't done a ton of bacon compared to many, but have been experimenting awhile. I split that particular smoke into two 7 hour sessions, letting it rest overnight in between. I also ground pellets in the blender into sawdust and put them in my A-maze-n pellet tray which seemed to make a difference, creating a lighter, better smoke. Vac sealing or just putting it in the fridge after and letting it mellow for at least 4 days makes a big difference. This is hardest part because I just want to fry that fresh-smoked bacon ( after I cured it for at 7- 14 days!) right away and eat it. When I have eaten it right away, it is kind of harsh ashtray tasting.
None of this is very scientific by the way, but just offering what I've done.
I just read about a technique where someone cold smoked the belly initially and then followed up with a warm smoke to bring the belly up to 150F. I think want to try that next as I think it would marry the best of both smoke worlds.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I think I'll experiment with the 4 pieces I have. I was considering rinsing one and trying to mellow it out. I kind of want to try one with just salt now to be honest. Start from there and then pump the smoke and sweet up from there. I might hot smoke one and might even just do pepper on one for ***** and giggle berries. Let the obsession begin.
 
Well ive done a ton of pork bellies "leterally" and was trained but some very good chefs As for cure You use cure # 1 as ive stated before no need to experimant . u can vary the "pump rate" if you want (amount of cure ) we use cures now as us as home "chefs" its plain and simple safer as you dont want food born illnesses YOU CANNOT smell or taste these pathagons FYI...
a smoker is a HUGE breeding ground for such things you have the 3 main things to do it... 1: low heat 2 :moisture 3: long periods of time.

I brine for min 5 to 7 days of dry brine then into smoker on heat 135 ish(no smoke) for 5 to 7 hours depends on temp outsdide and humidty. then smoke for a hour or so thats it as as one stated too smoking (wife) chill over night then slice.

Someone asked if you trim fat off the bacon from costco NNNNNOOOOOOOO lol thats what bacon is...

Pepperoni and smokies is a whole differnt game every process is a bit differnt
 
wolf said:
Well ive done a ton of pork bellies "leterally" and was trained but some very good chefs As for cure You use cure # 1 as ive stated before no need to experimant . u can vary the "pump rate" if you want (amount of cure ) we use cures now as us as home "chefs" its plain and simple safer as you dont want food born illnesses YOU CANNOT smell or taste these pathagons FYI...
a smoker is a HUGE breeding ground for such things you have the 3 main things to do it... 1: low heat 2 :moisture 3: long periods of time.

I brine for min 5 to 7 days of dry brine then into smoker on heat 135 ish(no smoke) for 5 to 7 hours depends on temp outsdide and humidty. then smoke for a hour or so thats it as as one stated too smoking (wife) chill over night then slice.

Someone asked if you trim fat off the bacon from costco NNNNNOOOOOOOO lol thats what bacon is...

Pepperoni and smokies is a whole differnt game every process is a bit differnt
Click to expand...
Oh sorry I meant just salt for flavor. Plus cure. The cure doesn't bother me.

I'm currently soaking the bacon in water to try and mellow it out. I realized last night that I did leave the bacon longer than I had intended, and maybe that drew in too much salt? 9 days instead of the target 7. I figured if I did the cure based on wieght it wouldn't matter though. I've also realized that I don't like maple smoke. I went outside this morning and the smell of the smoker was off-putting to me. I normally smoke everything with cherry and find the smoke smell pleasing. I wanted to try the maple to really drive home the MAPLE bacon theme. Unfortunately, Canadian Tire only sold 20lb bags of pellets, so if anyone likes Maple pellets they're yours. I'll trade you for a sample of apple.
 
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wolf said:
it is once its been smoked and trying to carve it off can be a REAL ***** to do .and you do lose some of that great product the fats the best part LOL
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It’s way easier to skin after
Smoking but to each their own Wolf…skin protects the fat. Not sure how you lose anymore skinning pre or post.
 
getbent said:
It’s way easier to skin after
Smoking but to each their own Wolf…skin protects the fat. Not sure how you lose anymore skinning pre or post.
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REALLY well ive done this professionally for coming up 30 years what are you protecting? you want flavor in the fat... and skinning before is way easier ..(if you have to ) ive butchered many a hog in fact 3 more tommorow , but to each there own I guess i should tie my roasts after ive cooked them too ??
ITS bacon this is hard....
 
my bacon turned out great. Learned a few things not to do
1-never start the drying/smoking process at 5:30pm. I fell asleep at 1am and my temp got to 143 internally at 3am

Not really liking the Bradley pucks. They puke out half burnt?

7 days dry brine was the perfect
 

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Rain City said:
Oh sorry I meant just salt for flavor. Plus cure. The cure doesn't bother me.

I'm currently soaking the bacon in water to try and mellow it out. I realized last night that I did leave the bacon longer than I had intended, and maybe that drew in too much salt? 9 days instead of the target 7. I figured if I did the cure based on wieght it wouldn't matter though. I've also realized that I don't like maple smoke. I went outside this morning and the smell of the smoker was off-putting to me. I normally smoke everything with cherry and find the smoke smell pleasing. I wanted to try the maple to really drive home the MAPLE bacon theme. Unfortunately, Canadian Tire only sold 20lb bags of pellets, so if anyone likes Maple pellets they're yours. I'll trade you for a sample of apple.
Click to expand...
The way my buddy explains the cure to me is this, and the reason he does it this way is because of how salty you want it. Since the cures are almost all salt, taste your brine and if it's not salty enough add more cure. But he uses the Morton stuff. He's a guy like wolf, who has a small butcher shop and does tons of things for tons of people. Sure there's many products out there however I'm just a helper in a small shop once and a while so I don't pretend I know better than the master because in reality, I'm learning this craft.


I agree with wolf, why would you want the skin on? The smoke will not penetrate the skin so it's pointless.
 
wolf said:
REALLY well ive done this professionally for coming up 30 years what are you protecting? you want flavor in the fat... and skinning before is way easier ..(if you have to ) ive butchered many a hog in fact 3 more tommorow , but to each there own I guess i should tie my roasts after ive cooked them too ??
ITS bacon this is hard....
Click to expand...
God forbid anyone does anything differently than you. Long live the prophet…what would we do without you!!!!
 
Well ive done this professionally now coming up 38 years but ya know what thought MAYBE after all these years im doing it wrong so last pigs i did ok ill try MRs way , well what a giant pain in the butt that was, and ill tell you why, when I butcher the skin off i can do it so there is little or no fat left on skin as its very plyable and the knife does the work. with it being cured and smoked trying to get that skin of took me forever as I was trying to save as much fat as possible. so in my opnion ill stick to doing it my way and, you do your way ok, Sorry for offending you from someone who does this ALOT and trying to help others ...
good luck wolf
 
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On a lighter note, anyone else remember as kids getting sliced bacon that still had the skin on. I remember us getting it and we used to call it rind and actually liked it. Not sure if it was a local thing or not.
 
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