Smokin-It User Forum!
Recipes => Bacon! => Topic started by: gregbooras on May 19, 2015, 04:47:51 PM
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After reading all the great posts, I have decided to give bacon a shot. My biggest issues was finding the belly. After a lot of looking and a few calls I found a butcher with a 4lb belly about 50 miles away, which I picked up today.
I am using Pork Belly (Brian) and TheSneakyZebra (postings for the bacon).
Here is my plan, please let me know if I am missing something here.
Rub/Cure
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 t #1 cure
Coat belly with rub, in a plastic zip lock add 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup brown sugar and then add the belly. Place in refrigerator and flip every day for 7 days. Remove from refrigerator, rinse and soak for 30 minutes, dry and place on rack and put back in the refrigerator for 1 day.
Remove from refrigerator and place in smoker. Smoke at 180 degrees with 5 oz of wood (mix hickory and maple) until temp hits 150 degrees. Pull let rest and then place in the refrigerator overnight.
Feedback appreciated!
Thanks Greg
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When complete, overnight it to my address. I'll inspect for quality and grade you upon results of consumption test.
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Greg, you've got it correct. You can cold smoke at 100 for several additional hours for more smoke flavor, but that is optional. After however many additional hrs you give it, bump the heat to 180 till it hits 150. You're gonna love doing bellies.
From there do up some loins for Canadian Bacon using SuperDave's method. It's easy and awesome. I did up 3 loins this weekend and experimented with rub coatings. #1 was honey-dijon/Famous Dave's, #2 was French's yellow/pork butt rub, and #3 was French's/pastrami rub. All came out outstanding. Fast and easy and delicious.
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Greg, you've got it correct. You can cold smoke at 100 for several additional hours for more smoke flavor, but that is optional. After however many additional hrs you give it, bump the heat to 180 till it hits 150. You're gonna love doing bellies.
From there do up some loins for Canadian Bacon using SuperDave's method. It's easy and awesome. I did up 3 loins this weekend and experimented with rub coatings. #1 was honey-dijon/Famous Dave's, #2 was French's yellow/pork butt rub, and #3 was French's/pastrami rub. All came out outstanding. Fast and easy and delicious.
Hey Bill,
I really interested to see how the bacon turns out. On the Canadian Bacon front, I did that last month and used Dave's info as my model.
Greg
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Prepped bacon and put it in the refrigerator today. Everyday I will visit my bacon and say "Hello Bacon", then flip :)
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520ready%2520for%2520cure_zpsd0mqsykn.jpg&hash=c7eb3bb3961fb360f3b83310de6a34e6c27a23ea) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20ready%20for%20cure_zpsd0mqsykn.jpg.html)
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520bottom_zpsjihoxioy.jpg&hash=e38523d86664eecd4b42656e49b7edc7591dae02) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20bottom_zpsjihoxioy.jpg.html)
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520cure%2520applied_zpswy2pzkml.jpg&hash=5b6407c5df4a5c67245fccaa577c46d37967f9cd) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20cure%20applied_zpswy2pzkml.jpg.html)
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520ready%2520for%2520refrigerator_zps7jq1ze5f.jpg&hash=c083b187a79bb8e59510fc81deadadb2e73ad9e2) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20ready%20for%20refrigerator_zps7jq1ze5f.jpg.html)
I will post again after smoking!
Greg
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This is day three of my bacon turning and the belly is starting to firm up. While I was surfing the net this morning I ran across a good video on making bacon. The recipe is similar to what folks are using here and the guy is pretty funny!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEki-wnrVCU
Greg
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The bacon is ready for the next step, I rinsed and then soaked the bacon for 30 minutes. Dried of the bacon and placed in a rack in the refrigerator until tomorrow or Friday when I smoke it.
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520going%2520refrigerator_zpsh00ga2bb.jpg&hash=add8067584d4c63b6777b4c866102921bec94339) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20going%20refrigerator_zpsh00ga2bb.jpg.html)
Greg
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You drove 50 miles for this? Wow... that is dedication. How much was a 4lb pork belly if you don't mind me asking? I'm curious if it's worth all the work in the end versus just buying some Sam's club bulk bacon and using that?
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You drove 50 miles for this? Wow... that is dedication. How much was a 4lb pork belly if you don't mind me asking? I'm curious if it's worth all the work in the end versus just buying some Sam's club bulk bacon and using that?
Tony,
Yes I drove 50 miles for this.....
The cost for 4 lbs. was $14.00 so per lb not bad.....
We live in a small town and we like it that way, but some things you would get in a bigger city are hard to find.
My better half, 37 years and still the love of my life said... Don't they sell bacon at the store :)
My reply, really......
Hey this is one of my hobbies and in the next day or so I hope to see if at least it is something I would do again!
Greg
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I'd guess you will. I did buckboard bacon (I love belly bacon, but since I was always trying to find packs with more meat in the store, buckboard is just the ticket for me). Belly bacon still works better for those times when you're wrapping something in bacon, but for breakfast and BLTs...buckboard forever for me.
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I'd guess you will. I did buckboard bacon (I love belly bacon, but since I was always trying to find packs with more meat in the store, buckboard is just the ticket for me). Belly bacon still works better for those times when you're wrapping something in bacon, but for breakfast and BLTs...buckboard forever for me.
I will have to consider the buckboard next time, but it may be hard to find around here :)
Greg
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I'm confused...buckboard bacon is just a deboned boston butt. I buy boneless, but you could also debone yourself while cutting in half (still a bit thicker than belly, but close to the same thickness).
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I'm confused...buckboard bacon is just a deboned boston butt. I buy boneless, but you could also debone yourself while cutting in half (still a bit thicker than belly, but close to the same thickness).
I guess I need to research this a bit, it was something else I didn't know :)
Thanks for sharing.
Greg
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Just put the bacon in the smoker, I went with 3 oz. of apple and 2.5 oz. of wild cherry. I set the smoker to 250 degrees, once smoke started coming out I set the smoker to 100 degrees, opened door until temp of the smoker was 105 degrees. Added a pan that I filled and froze overnight and then added the bacon.
Temp of the bacon was 50 degrees. I plan to follow Pork Belly's recommendation and cold smoke for 2 hours and then crank up the smoker to 200 degrees and pull when it hits 150 degrees.
Greg
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The bacon was ready for the smoker this morning, so I added 3.5 oz. of apple and 2.5 oz. black cherry. I left the door of the smoker cracked and turned up the heat to 250 degrees, once I had some good smoke opened door and set smoker to 100 degrees. Used my infrared temperature gauge to make sure the smoker had cooled off to 100 degrees and then Placed a frozen water pan on the lowest rack. Put the pork on the top shelf and set smoker to 100 degrees. Smoked for for two hours, then increased heat to 200 degrees. Pulled the bacon when it hit 150 degrees (5 hours and 45 minutes)
Trimmed bacon and cooked up two pieces to see how it was. The salt level was just fine, a bit smokey, but my wife said it tasted good. I have placed the bacon back in the refrigerator and will slice tomorrow.
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520ready%2520to%2520trim_zps0yv48n0s.jpg&hash=76e0dbeb0d25587fa100c31c6b09ad2e271dc0bb) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20ready%20to%20trim_zps0yv48n0s.jpg.html)
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520sliced_zps3afcjlse.jpg&hash=f8563ad5216d7276b5a6ae60680942ed73716230) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20sliced_zps3afcjlse.jpg.html)
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520cooked_zps48r8r4ou.jpg&hash=6a594a868eaf2d721d23e0d2af3ee591fdfcab48) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20cooked_zps48r8r4ou.jpg.html)
Greg
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Man, that looks darn good to me Greg.
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Man, that looks darn good to me Greg.
Thanks Arnie,
When I told my wife I was going to make bacon she just looked at me an rolled her eyes :)
She then told me that you can buy bacon in the store.... I thought wow really.
Tomorrow night, may be BLT night if they taste good!
Greg
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You just have to wow her over with the smoking expertise of Greg! She will forget about store bought bacon! ;D
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You just have to wow her over with the smoking expertise of Greg! She will forget about store bought bacon! ;D
The good news is that she said it tasted good:)
Greg
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Great looking bacon, Greg!
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Good job Greg. I've been contemplating doing this myself so I'm still waiting to see your final results and if you believe it was "worth the effort" or if it's something you'd just do on special occasions or never again. It looks mighty fine by these first pictures to me.
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I sliced the bacon this morning, wasn't to bad about 15 minutes or so. In stead of slicing the bacon long way, I cut the belly in half and made smaller slice. The slices ended up just being the right length for a slice of bread.
The beginning weight of the belly was just slightly under 4 lbs., the final weight ended up being slightly over 2 lbs. I thick sliced the bacon and got about 55 slices out of it with a few smaller pieces at the end I will use in pork and beans.
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi375.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo191%2Fgregbooras%2Fbacon%2520final%2520slice_zps1iywj4gc.jpg&hash=967419690f56e81aa360bfdc8cf46575621118f3) (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/gregbooras/media/bacon%20final%20slice_zps1iywj4gc.jpg.html)
Greg
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I'm still waiting to see your final results and if you believe it was "worth the effort" or if it's something you'd just do on special occasions or never again
Bacon is not hard to make or really any effort at all. It is by far the easiest curing project you can attempt.
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I'm still waiting to see your final results and if you believe it was "worth the effort" or if it's something you'd just do on special occasions or never again
Bacon is not hard to make or really any effort at all. It is by far the easiest curing project you can attempt.
I agree with Brian making the bacon was easy, but only because Brian and a few others posted how they did it :)
As I said in my earlier post, my biggest obstacle was finding the belly.
Greg
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Good job Greg. I've been contemplating doing this myself so I'm still waiting to see your final results and if you believe it was "worth the effort" or if it's something you'd just do on special occasions or never again. It looks mighty fine by these first pictures to me.
Tony,
It was really easy I just had two obstacles. Find a belly, 40+ miles away and the be around to flip the darn thing every day, since I travel so much. Smoking the belly was easy and so was cutting it (need a sharp knife).
Is this the best bacon I have ever had... I would probably say no to that, but it is good tasting and I know how it was made.
I will give it another shot later this summer.
Greg
Give it a try, heck you should be able to find some good belly in Iowa.
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Thanks Greg-
I'll likely give it a try sometime. I'd think I should be able to find some good pork around here too but I haven't tried that hard to search for it.
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I gave some of my bacon to my neighbor friend who also smokes and he said the bacon was Awesome. They had it two days in a row....
I guess I am more critical of the stuff I make than others.
Greg
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Once you have had the real thing made at home from scratch, you are ruined. :) There isn't a store brand anything like it.
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Hey Greg, have you tried RD for pork belly? I have been toying with the idea of making this. As I only have 2 packages left of the 15# I purchased at RD in June. I go thru a ton of bacon. But, as most say everything is better with bacon. I might try the buckboard bacon as have never seen pork bellies. Or might ask the butcher at Sam's if they have it or can order it for me.
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Hey Greg, have you tried RD for pork belly? I have been toying with the idea of making this. As I only have 2 packages left of the 15# I purchased at RD in June. I go thru a ton of bacon. But, as most say everything is better with bacon. I might try the buckboard bacon as have never seen pork bellies. Or might ask the butcher at Sam's if they have it or can order it for me.
Hey Bill,
I didn't notice if they had pork belly at RD the last time I was there, I will have to check. I did buy a 5 lb. belly from the butcher last month and was planning on doing it with the grand kids. But we ran out of time, so once I get a week or so off the road, I will give it another try.
Greg
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Last time I was at Costco they had some good looking Pork Bellies, about 5 to 8 pounds each.
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Thanks Brian, I don't have a membership to Costco but might have to get one. There are a couple of those in K.C.
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I might try the buckboard bacon as have never seen pork bellies.
Most Asian stores (or supermarkets) have pork bellies. Buckboard is pretty good, can't go wrong with it (BassPro have the best price)
URL=(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi271.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj138%2FBebe_56%2FBBQ%2Fsb2.jpg&hash=e32e73f198e4468296e248d8d6b7b38c80dffe16)[/URL]
(this was done in a Weber, can't wait to see how will be in a SI)
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I might try the buckboard bacon as have never seen pork bellies.
Most Asian stores (or supermarkets) have pork bellies. Buckboard is pretty good, can't go wrong with it (BassPro have the best price)
URL=(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi271.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj138%2FBebe_56%2FBBQ%2Fsb2.jpg&hash=e32e73f198e4468296e248d8d6b7b38c80dffe16)[/URL]
Very nice Pete!
Greg
(this was done in a Weber, can't wait to see how will be in a SI)
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Hey Pete, this is nice looking bacon. Did not understand about Bass Pro having the best price? I did not know that they sell fresh meat?
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Hey Greg, have you tried RD for pork belly? I have been toying with the idea of making this. As I only have 2 packages left of the 15# I purchased at RD in June. I go thru a ton of bacon. But, as most say everything is better with bacon. I might try the buckboard bacon as have never seen pork bellies. Or might ask the butcher at Sam's if they have it or can order it for me.
Hey Bill,
I didn't notice if they had pork belly at RD the last time I was there, I will have to check. I did buy a 5 lb. belly from the butcher last month and was planning on doing it with the grand kids. But we ran out of time, so once I get a week or so off the road, I will give it another try.
Greg
Hey Greg, That bellie you had was very good looking. I did purchase 2 3# pieces this past weekend. Now waiting on insta cure #1 to arrive. I need to remember next time to tell them I want it same thickness all the way thru. I also have an Asian store close to me and might try them. I paid $4.89 per pound.
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Did not understand about Bass Pro having the best price?
sorry, my fault.... i was referring to Hi Mountain Buckboard Bacon Cure (http://www.basspro.com/Hi-Mountain-Buckboard-Bacon-Cure/product/10216529/)
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Hey Pete, thanks, for clearing that up. I ordered 8 ounces of insta cure #1 so will probably make my own cure at least on the pork bellies. But, may try the high mountain bacon cure on buckboard bacon. As the bellies I purchased was not to my liking, but was in kind of a hurry which is not good when purchasing meat.
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Stupid question. Buckboard bacon........ Just use part of the pork shoulder? Is there a certain way to cut it? Do you trim some fat off or do you wait for it to be smoked?
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Stupid question. Buckboard bacon........ Just use part of the pork shoulder? Is there a certain way to cut it? Do you trim some fat off or do you wait for it to be smoked?
Hey Kevin, you can also use a Boston Butt, just cut around the bone and take it out. Maybe can cut it in half to make maybe 1 1/2 to 2 inch slabs. I would not trim any fat off at all as that is where you will get the flavor.
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When I did it I got a boneless butt and sliced it in thick chunks so the grain of the meat was right for the bacon. That way I got max flavor when I smoked it. My wife actually likes the buckboard better than the belly bacon.
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How thick did you slice your "chunks," Bob?
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Tony, about the width I wanted for a slice of bacon. So about 2".
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Bought everything and will be trying this as soon as the butt defrosts. I bought the High mtn Buckboard Bacon cure at Bass Pro
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Bought everything and will be trying this as soon as the butt defrosts. I bought the High mtn Buckboard Bacon cure at Bass Pro
Hey Kevin, Let me know what you think of the bacon.
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Thanks Bob!
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Tony, the bottom line is you need to think through how you will slice it up so that the grain is right and I make the thickness so it mirrors the thickness of a good pork belly so that you get a similar flavor profile. Tasty stuff and in some places pork butt is lots easier to find than belly.
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Good advice, Bob! I hope to give this a shot pretty soon, so this helps! Never have seen much on how to section a butt for BBB!
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OK Bob & Tony, I never have been able to tell which way the grain is running in meat. Can you give me some help in this area.
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Bill, "with the grain" is slicing lengthwise, in line with the muscle fibers. Against the grain is 90-degrees perpendicular to the grain. If you look at a brisket, the grain is very pronounced, usually diagonal across the flat. That's why you slice brisket at an angle that is 90-degrees off the grain - it makes the slices very tender. When I make beef jerky, I slice with the grain, so it's long fibers the length of the slices. I'll try and find some pics to better illustrate this.
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Thanks Tony, I just had a brain freeze, pictures might help. What is left of it have a great weekend. Today am starting my pork belly cure using Brian's recipe.
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Thanks for posting Greg. That is some incredible looking bacon.
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just saw the results now. gorgeous bacon. nice knife skills.
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Hey Greg, I called the RD here and they told me they do not carry fresh pork bellies. But, was looking at a video the other evening on youtube from Malcom Reed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJv6x6TN1bw and he said he purchased it in frozen packages from RD. Maybe they have it in your area also, next time I am down there will check to see if they have it in boxes in the frozen section.