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Bacon is "Whats for breakfast?"

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2Fategghead
2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
This morning we get to try out the Hi Mountain Buck Board Bacon cure we used on a 5 pound raw bacon slab.

Cindy fried up a few slices of home made bacon complements of High Mountain and the BGE.

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Cindy had plenty of bacon grease after frying up 6 slices. Then she made some nice gravy for our biscuits and hash browns. :P

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Hi Mountain

The bacon had great flavor. It fried up great and became nice and crispy. The bacon was a little on the salty side. If I had to do it over again I would make some more and try and figure out how to reduce the amount of saltiness in the bacon. Perhaps a longer soak out and replace the water every so often. This bacon produced a lot of grease in the skillet after frying.

Tender Quick

The bacon we ate from the Tender Quick recipe was very good. It fried up great but, with all the dark brown sugar in the recipe you have to fry it slowly or it will burn up easily. The bacon also got nice and crispy and chewed up nice. We will definitely do it again. I think it was a little salty but, doable again for sure. This bacon produced a lot of grease in the skillet after frying.



Comparing the bacon we made using Hi Mountain cure versus the Tender Quick in a recipe I would go with the Tender Quick and add and subtract to the recipe Michael Ruhlman lined out to add and subtract flavors as well as curing and smoking technique.

I still need to try pink salt to cure bacon.

To see the write up in it's entirety go here.

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1051901&catid=1
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Comments

  • pci
    pci Posts: 249
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    Good post thanks
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Thanks pci. :) Try it if you can find some belly. ;)
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  • ranger ray
    ranger ray Posts: 812
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    try going to a local meat purveyor...( a big wholesale meat kinda place)..... i buy my bacon at a local enterprise.... they will sell you a whole pork belly at a really low price( they did not smoke it yet)..... it's cured and ready to go the minute you get it home.... the wood you choose to smoke the meat with is the big factor in flavor...( i use a mix of apple/ cherry and sassafras.. i have been doing it for years.... it saves all the time you spend curing it.... just bring it home and smoke it...( sounds like the 70's!) lol....rr
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
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    Thanks Tim,
    Like i said the other day, I have a boneless butt curing in Hi-Mountain as we speak. It will be ready to come out Monday.
    I have never used Tenderquick, only Hi-Mountain and have done tenderloins and loins for Canadian type bacon. This will be only my second butt. I have never had a problem with over saltiness with the Hi-Mountain and only soak the loins about four hours. I do rinse them well before soaking and change the water once or twice. I plan to soak this butt longer and do an overnite equalization before cooking, so it is going to be around Wednesday before this little piggy is ready for the EGG.
    I did add some BGE Gourmet Rub to this butt and will put on some more prior to smoking. I have only used salt-free Dizzy Dust in the past, so we will see.
    I will post and let you and everyone else know how it works out.
    Thanks for your post, they are very informative. :)
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  • ranger ray
    ranger ray Posts: 812
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    i did not mean "belly" specifically... i meant, just ask em if they have cured.... but not yet smoked bacon....... rr
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  • usc1321
    usc1321 Posts: 627
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    Looks great. Well Done! ;)B)
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Thanks ranger ray. :) I am 40 to 60 min's from a big city but, I will check around and see what I can find. Last I checked here in town this other butcher could get me bellies already cured for $2.50 a pound. If I do that I may as well buy store bought already sliced bacon.
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  • Ricklesss
    Ricklesss Posts: 391
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    Today is the 8th day for my Tenderquick cured bacon in the fridge. One day too long, I know.
    I do wonder "how long is too long", and "what would it actually be like"?
    It seems's like the 2 most commonly read things here concerning home cured bacon, (including the last time I did it) is, "it's too salty".
    This time (later today) I plan on changing that soak out water a LOT!
    Last time I soaked it a long time, but didn't change it all that often. (once or twice)
    Anyhow, not meaning to hijack the thread!!
    Look's good!! and I appreciate the help, last week! :)
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Thanks. I need to cure a loin. I love canuck bacon. Unless they are too short of course. :laugh: I will be watching for your post Capt.Frank. ;)
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Copy that rr. ;)
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Thanks Jeff. :)
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Hey Rick thanks, This is a bacon post for the most part. If you did hijack my thread it may make for better reading. I'm thinking one week per inch thick of meat and consider that meaning to the center of the meat. So, 2 inch is one week because after all the meat is curing from all sides. I did a soak out but I never changed the water so that may help. ;)
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  • Ricklesss
    Ricklesss Posts: 391
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    Yeah, your right on that last post, about the "to the center"; something to remember. I think grandpa grub mentioned that recently, but I neglected to add that allowance this time around, duh.
    My slab is definitely "over cured" me thinks.
    And maybe part of the reason my last slab was a bit too salty as well, in addition to the not changing the water enough.
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    :laugh: You'll be al right. :lol:
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    Tim if Cindy will let you eat like that she is a KEEPER...
    good looking food as well
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    She cooked it Mickey! :P We eat cereal during the week. Lots of fiber. :blink:

    Your right she is a keeper. Thanks ;)
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    I appreciate all the time and effort you put into this series of posts.I have not been able to locate whole fresh pork bellies so far.When I get a couple I'll be sendin you an email to pick your brain a little. ;)
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  • Egglectic
    Egglectic Posts: 95
    edited August 2011
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    n/m
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Thanks Hoss. Pick away any time. I'll be glad to hep you in any way I can. ;)
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Thanks Egglectic. :)

    Like Mickey said she's a keeper. ;)
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