Pork Belly 1st attempt

[elkins20]

Today I started curing a 2.25 # of pork belly. I used Brian's(Pork Belly's) recipe.
I did cut it in half using 1/2 lb. of kosher salt, 4 oz of sugar and 1 oz of insta cure #1 or pink salt. I mix this together and then added to the meat on both sides and the 4 edges patting and rubbing it into the pork belly. In the zip lock bag I added 1/3 cup of brown sugar and 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup. I coated the inside of the bag then added the pork belly with the cure. I plan on leaving it in the fridge for 8 days turning daily. I have added a couple of photos just before adding to the zip lock bag. I am planning on doing a cold smoke at 80 degrees for about 12 hours and then smoking at 200 degrees to an IT of 150. For the wood will be using just hickory chips and slivers or maybe a mix of hickory and maple or cherry. Not sure about the wood selection but normally like hickory smoked bacon.

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[Bebe]

12 hours with just hickory might be too strong... myself, i like cherry (nice color too) or apple, but that's me.
Don't forget to rinse it really, really good, you don't want it too salty - and leave it in the fridge for another day, uncovered, 'til gets a bit tacky (just like fish 'pellicule')

[elkins20]

Hey Pete, sorry just left that part out. What I am planning on this post is more of a step by step process. But, will follow Pork Belly's  instructions pretty close. As for the smoke just going with maybe 3 oz. of hickory chips and some slivers. And with it running at 80 degrees may not get too much smoke. Will see. But, thanks for your help.

[Bebe]

you'll use the A-maze thingy? I never used it for bacon or in SI yet..

[elkins20]

No just going to put down some foil or make a foil boat and put the chips in it. And some of the chips will soak in warm water first so they will start smoking at a later time. At least that is the plan, but plans get changes also. I was going to get a cold plate for my #3 and found them to be back ordered  But, I can foil a rack and then put a pan of ice on it. But, the weather here has really been cool at night. So will start the smoke around 10:00pm and then in the morning will put the temp. up to 200 degrees and cook until an internal temp. of 150. Will pull it and trim off the skin. Then let it come to room temp. and then in the fridge for 24 hours on a rack and slice and package. I will also do a some samples pictures to come during each step.

[Bebe]

I was going to get a cold plate for my #3 and found them to be back ordered 
Steve said they'll be back in stock in 3-4 weeks (as of last week)...
 Will pull it and trim off the skin.
That will be a challenge Will be more like a metal sheet! Keep it, that skin (and pull pork leftovers, if any) makes the best beans there is!

[elkins20]

Hey Pete, I have another post where I show a video on how to trim full slabs of spare ribs turning them into St. Louis style ribs. I take that meat and have a large zip lock freezer package when it gets full I smoke it and use that meat for my beans. I will also use this bellie skin to make some fried pork skins. Since it is smoke it should be really good. 3 weeks, that is just special to wait for the cold plate. I may see what Brian(pork belly) does as he said he does not use or have the cold plate. I think and aluminum pan full of ice will keep the smoker on the cool side. So are you in the path of the hurricane Joaquin? I hope you all will be safe also send me some of the rain. Have not had any rain since early Sept. things are really dry here.

[Bebe]

maan, for the past few days was a really crappy weather! Rain, cold, wind and more wind! Today, all of the sudden, the sun came out.. go figure!
Hopefully by the end of next month i'll do a few slabs... Always, before Christmas, i do lots of bacon and sausages to last me 'til spring.. However, i'll need some practice for sure, SI is not WSM, doesn't quite like to play by the same rules

[TexasSMK]

Can't wait to see the result.  I need to try this one of these days...

[elkins20]

Hey Dale, So far the hardest part for me was getting the insta cure #1 or pink salt. Could not find it locally and finally broke down and purchased it online. I guess I could have used Tender Quick but was not sure and did not want to get anything from meat that was not cured properly. But, I am following Brian's (Pork Belly) recipe and instructions: (http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1797.0). Also others have used it with great success. Just changed one thing so far and that was I added 1/3 cup of brown sugar and maple syrup to the ziplock bag rather than 1/4 cup. The SI does have it's own set of rules but once you get the hang of it, is pretty simple. If the wind died down and the sun popped out almost sounds like the eye passed over you or the storm headed out to sea. This past week we have been in the mid 60's during the day and into the low 50's at night with some of the surrounding areas into the 40's. I love the way ribs come out of the SI's juicy and fall off the bone tender. For your bacon Pete do you use pork bellies? Also with the SI you can smoke in the winter months.

[FunkedOut]

go get'em!  I need to try this on a belly myself.  keep us posted.

not sure about cold smoking without the cold plate.  I've seen superdave use ceramic tiles as insulation.  I guess it depends on your ambient temp.  this weekend, it cooled off quite a bit around here to the high 70's.  even with a cold plate and a bath of ice up top, I couldn't get a good cold smoke to last more than an hour or so (temp rose above 100F).
try it and get that process down before you get your meat in there.

no cold plate, leave the element off and use a pellet tray works well.
I ordered mine the same day I started my buckboard bacon, and it got here in time.  the big one just fits next to the chip tray/box on a number 3.

good luck.

[elkins20]

Thanks for the info, later this week it is supposed to warm up with next Mon. & Tues. in the 80's but the night temps. will still be in the 50's. My plan would be to start it around 10pm with a box temp. around 90 degrees. But, first might do maybe 30 min. of a high temp. to get the smoke rolling. then back it off. Since I have the auber this should not be a problem. Also did see someone wants to do a trade on the large tube for a 12" tube. May check that out, as this is just my second day in the fridge doing the cure phase.  Also for the last part of the cook in the smoker will up the box temp. to 200 degrees and stop at an IT of 150 pull it and pat it dry with paper towel, remove the skin and then into the fridge for 24 hours b/4 slicing.

[DivotMaker]

Hey Bill, can't wait to see your results!  Sounds like you're onto a good plan!

[Pork Belly]

Looking pretty good but I wanted to make a couple of points.
*You could had made the full batch of cure, it keeps fine in an air-tight container.
*Did you use ALL of that half batch on the belly, It looks just a little heavy.
* As the belly is in the picture I would have picked it up and shook off the excess.
* Do NOT cure it for 8 days, it will be too salty, MAX 7 days. But you could likley do less
   with a thin belly, you want the met to be very firm.
* I agree straight hickory might not be the tastiest bacon, fruit wood is always good for     
   breakfast meat.

Your off to a good start.

[elkins20]

Hey Brian, No only used about half of the cure, I did think about shaking the belly off but was afraid that it would not have enough cure. After rinsing I can put the belly in a container of cold water and let it set for an hour or two. I also may go with sweet maple wood or cherry for the smoke. How do you do your cold smoke without a cold smoke plate? Since Steve has the cold smoke plates on back order, I may just do a couple of hours of smoke and then move the temp. to 200 and wait for an IT of 150 degrees. But, really wanted to smoke at 80 degrees around 12 hrs using chips and some pencil size bits of wood. Here the night ambient temp. is around 65 and below. So could put the belly on around 10:00 pm and let it go thru the night. Was thinking about one of those tube things but will probably just use a aluminum boat for the wood chips and slivers.