Author Topic: First bacon!  (Read 7258 times)

sweetride95

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2018, 05:59:35 PM »
From what I understand, cold smoking will help you add quite a bit more smoke flavor. Hot smoking, you have a window of time where the smoke is available. In my case, it might have taken 2hrs to get 145f of temp in then meat. Cold smoking you could stretch that put indefinitely, if your temps were under 100f.

Im not setup to cold smoke currently, so I have no first hand experience. My 2hr hot smoke put a fair amount of hickory flavor in my bacon. If I got a cold smoke setup going, I would tread carefully. I like smoke, but don't like burping it all day.

Let's see if some other chime in for us.
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Walt

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #16 on: June 23, 2018, 06:35:58 PM »
I generally cold smoke for 6 to 8 hours then do a 2 hr hot smoke the following day. I have skipped the cold smoke a time or two. The difference is in depth if flavor. I believe I've seen PorkBelly go substantially longer with cold smoke. I personally would put substantial weight to his opinion if he chimes in again. I'm not sure of how much would be too much or @ what point the improvement begins diminishing. I usually smoke a 15 to 20lb belly every month or so. Alot of requests lately from family & friends, so I'm going to start doing 2 full bellies from now on. Our favorite combination for seasoning is chipolte in adobo sauce, cane syrup & garlic. However, its enjoyable to experiment. Good luck.
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Pork Belly

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2018, 08:51:31 PM »
The reason you would want to cold smoke rather than hot is more flavor. Once you get to 140 it is not sucking up smoke. During cold weather I have gone 24 hours of smoke on bacon. I have also done short six or eight hour sessions resting in the fridge overnight.

My personal taste is bacon and jerky can not have too much smoke.
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sweetride95

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #18 on: June 24, 2018, 08:27:28 AM »
Looks like I need to get a cold smoke setup working. ;D
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Pork Belly

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #19 on: June 25, 2018, 06:26:46 PM »
I cold smoke on my #3, use chips or slivers (pencil size) load smoker, crank heat to 250 with the door open. When you see smoke start, lower the heat to 100 and shut the door.

I use this method in cold or cool weather, no cold plate no ice.
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sweetride95

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #20 on: July 22, 2018, 08:01:54 AM »
Started bacon #2 on friday.
By feel, I dialed the cure back a smidge.
Unlike last time, I added a little maple syrup and fresh garlic rub to the action.
Thought is I didn't add any extra sugar last time, maybe that enhanced my "salty" response. This may help smooth that over.
I report back in week or so.
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sweetride95

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #21 on: August 05, 2018, 08:25:35 AM »
Late update, but belly #2 turned out better that #1.

Firstly, having the right pans, trays, and racks makes a huge difference. Wow, life was way harder than it needed to be. Best $60 I may have ever spent.

I dialed back on the salt a smidge and it seemed to make a difference. I actually had enough mixed up from the first one left over to do the second. So i didn't change any salt ratios.

I was able to get 3hrs of cold smoke on it before going hot. I race RC cars in the winter, so I rigged up a car stand w/fan to help move air through the box. It actually made the AmZn smoke thing work correctly. It was 85F here that day, packed with frozen tupperwares I was able to keep the box below 65F for those 3 hrs. It started rising and my time window was closing so I stopped at the 3 hrs.

Taste and thoughts...
Salt level was better, still firm though. My wife thinks an hour cold soak in water before drying should be standard procedure. #3 we will go this way.
Garlic was a nice touch. Plays with the black pepper nicely.
Maple syrup, I don't pick up on. I may need to add a little more. Not a huge maple guy, so I may keep it modest to just help balance salts
Cold smoke, I am happy I figured out how to get it working. I don't think there's enough on this #2 bacon to tell any difference. It does seem different, but I added garlic, so I may be making things up. When the weather cools off, I look forward to going 8hrs cold smoke to really see the difference. This picture is the box empty on my practice run. It wanted to run into the 90s without the meat and ice packs.


Finally, it's amazing how easy it is to make some really tasty bacon. I figured this last batch at about $3.50/lb, so damn, it even saves some money!
« Last Edit: August 05, 2018, 08:29:37 AM by sweetride95 »
Ben from IN
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Pork Belly

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #22 on: August 05, 2018, 05:15:50 PM »
Quote
I figured this last batch at about $3.50/lb,

Granted I live in a tourist town, but here handcrafted bacon sells for $15 or higher depending on the vendor. And then the is Nueske's they are priced at a whole other level. Personally I like my bacon better than Nueske's. https://www.nueskes.com/store/bacon/
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SconnieQ

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #23 on: August 06, 2018, 02:59:11 AM »
Quote
I figured this last batch at about $3.50/lb,

Granted I live in a tourist town, but here handcrafted bacon sells for $15 or higher depending on the vendor. And then the is Nueske's they are priced at a whole other level. Personally I like my bacon better than Nueske's. https://www.nueskes.com/store/bacon/

I am fortunate to have Nueske's right here in Wisconsin. Most all of the local stores carry their bacon and other products. Nueske's is the standard I try to achieve when making bacon. It's pretty smoky, which I like. I've come pretty close.
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sweetride95

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #24 on: August 06, 2018, 07:59:49 AM »
Quote
I figured this last batch at about $3.50/lb,

Granted I live in a tourist town, but here handcrafted bacon sells for $15 or higher depending on the vendor. And then the is Nueske's they are priced at a whole other level. Personally I like my bacon better than Nueske's. https://www.nueskes.com/store/bacon/

I can't imagine spending that sort of money on bacon.
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SmokedGouda

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #25 on: August 19, 2018, 10:52:07 AM »
Firstly, having the right pans, trays, and racks makes a huge difference. Wow, life was way harder than it needed to be. Best $60 I may have ever spent.

I’m finally ready to do my second attempt at bacon! I just bought a spare fridge so that I have plenty of space for bellies while not taking up all the space we need for everything else haha

What pans, trays and racks did you get? It’s been a while but I remember the first time it being messy and frustrating since I didn’t have many tools to use. I’d love to know what you used to make it easier for yourself.

I went with the salt box method but am probably going to try a measured approach this time. I’ve been using EQ brines for other smokes, and I like the measured approach since it really allows me to repeat results but also make calculated changes. (I have an excel spreadsheet that I use haha) So I’m going to try that with the bacon in a few weeks.

Here’s my first attempt: https://www.smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=5867.0

When I do my next round, I’m going to try to keep the same flavor profile from the first one but just adjust the saltiness. Going to try a spicy batch and also probably some type of garlic and herb batch as well.
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sweetride95

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #26 on: August 20, 2018, 12:02:59 PM »
Firstly, having the right pans, trays, and racks makes a huge difference. Wow, life was way harder than it needed to be. Best $60 I may have ever spent.

I’m finally ready to do my second attempt at bacon! I just bought a spare fridge so that I have plenty of space for bellies while not taking up all the space we need for everything else haha

What pans, trays and racks did you get? It’s been a while but I remember the first time it being messy and frustrating since I didn’t have many tools to use. I’d love to know what you used to make it easier for yourself.

I went with the salt box method but am probably going to try a measured approach this time. I’ve been using EQ brines for other smokes, and I like the measured approach since it really allows me to repeat results but also make calculated changes. (I have an excel spreadsheet that I use haha) So I’m going to try that with the bacon in a few weeks.

Here’s my first attempt: https://www.smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=5867.0

When I do my next round, I’m going to try to keep the same flavor profile from the first one but just adjust the saltiness. Going to try a spicy batch and also probably some type of garlic and herb batch as well.

Containers, I went to my local restaurant supply store and found some large plastic containers. I can't find the exact ones, but something like this is relatively inexpensive and large enough to do some real cuts of meat.
 https://www.atlasrestaurantsupply.com/Cambro/12186P148

Find your local restaurant supply place and you will be in heaven. Pans, trays, tubs, nacho cheese pumps, slicers, ect... Awesome stuff.
Good luck man! bacon is fun to make .
Ben from IN
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BobM

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #27 on: October 01, 2018, 05:54:02 PM »
Last night I smoked my bacon hot to 150 in 4 hours.  Set at around 175 but lowered it to 160 for about an hour.  I don't cure so technically it's not bacon but taste like bacon.  I freeze it all and just break off what I want and cooks up great. I cut the belly in half to better fit my slicer and I prefer the shorter lengths anyway.
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Pork Belly

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #28 on: October 01, 2018, 06:02:28 PM »
Quote
I don't cure so technically it's not bacon
You don't cure, or you didn't cure? Are you medically adverse to the use of cures or just unsure where to start?
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BobM

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Re: First bacon!
« Reply #29 on: October 04, 2018, 06:57:03 PM »
I don't cure, no nitrates and minimum salt. 
-Bob from Huntington Beach CA
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