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Makin Bacon Problem

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Buckeye Fan
Buckeye Fan Posts: 50
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I about 3 weeks ago I tried to make my first batch of bacon from a about a 4 pound belly. I covered it with kosher salt, brown sugar and a little maple syrup. Turned it every day for 7 days did a couple of 2 hour soaks thought I was doing everything right. I then smoked on the egg till it was about 180 degrees with apple wood. Cooled it, sliced it, fried it up and is was like rubber! No matter what I did or how long I fried it it was chewyyyy really bummed me me out. The wife says just by it from the store and be done with it. Well now that was just an all out challenge to me! Any ideas guys of what I did wrong??

Stike help me man
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  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
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    Did you use any curing agents, nitrates, nitrites, pink salt, tender quick or the like? I pull mine around 150F.
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  • Buckeye Fan
    Buckeye Fan Posts: 50
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    No I didn't the recipe came from the Food Network. Once I found out it was too late to add any Tenderquick. Think that is part of the problem?
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  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
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    Buckeye Fan: Curing agents would have helped with the texture, and flavor, but what comes to mind first is, are you sure you sliced it against the grain, and not with the grain? Also 180* was high, so the bacon was essentially already cooked through. I generally smoke heavy at the beginning, and go a lot be appearance and smokey smell. 140* would be the tops I would take it. Try another slice cutting from the different direction. It's worth a shot.
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  • Florida Grillin Girl
    Florida Grillin Girl Posts: 4,973
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    I smoke to 140-150 degrees.

    Read up on this site, it has everything you need to know about makin bacon:

    http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/10/buckboard-bacon.html
    Happily egging on my original large BGE since 1996... now the owner of 5 eggs. Call me crazy, everyone else does!
     
    3 Large, 1 Small, 1 well-used Mini
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  • Buckeye Fan
    Buckeye Fan Posts: 50
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    Little Chief, the 180 was a typo I did smoke till 150 sorry bout that. Yes I sliced it against the grain I just don't get why it was so chewy?
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  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
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    How thick was the original belly before curing? How 'hard' was the belly after the cure, before smoking? Perhaps over cured??? I would still try a slice from the other direction just for grins. It will never taste like the bacon you buy without the use of nitrates in some form (Prague powder, pink salts, tenderquick, etc), but it certainly should have been edible. Possible it was just an old hog.
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  • Buckeye Fan
    Buckeye Fan Posts: 50
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    Chef, Unfortunately I cut it all using my handy meat slicer. I wish I had a piece to try your idea. By the way I have never seen anywhere even on the forum about which direction to slice the bacon. Could it really have been just that simple as a cutting issue? It was very firm on the 7th day maybe I did let it brine to long. Is there a site that would show me about the slicing procedure?
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  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
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    It absolutely could have been as simple as a cutting issue. I always examine my first slice just to make sure I didn't goof. If you are able to see the indentations left from where it was trimmed from the ribs, cut with them lenthwise. If you can't, then carefully check that first slice. Pork belly is one of the easiest IMO to get the grain wrong.
    Oh, and ps...Once you nail this, the wife will quickly change her tune! ;) Home made bacon is awesome!
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  • Buckeye Fan
    Buckeye Fan Posts: 50
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    Thanks Chef, Now for my own curiosity I am going to have to try again.
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  • Doug in Eggmonton
    Doug in Eggmonton Posts: 1,999
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    On thing not mentioned yet is that if you are going for from the store texture you need to cold smoke it. I've had good luck cold smoking with apple chips in a tin can with some air holes cut in it and a hole that a soldering iron pokes through. Also definitely use nitrites in the cure.

    Good luck next time

    Doug
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  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
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    The belly batch I did a few weeks ago, I cut half with the grain and half the other way and saw no difference with taste or texture.
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  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
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    Doug: I agree with you that the 'front end' texture is different than the fully raw bacon from the store, but have never had an issue with the texture after cooking it. Never felt the need to cold smoke it. Do you really find a discernable difference? If I still had my Bradley perhaps I would compare, but I've never been displeased with the texture.
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  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
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    Please verify the validity of your recipe before you proceed on another. The wrong ratio of salt to sugar can derail your attempt right off the bat, as well.
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  • ranger ray
    ranger ray Posts: 812
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    don't get disappointed..... sometimes you get a "wild " piece of meat..... you might have gotten an old boar..... just try it again.... see how ya make out... it if bad again....it might be you......or try another meat purveyor ....where you buy you meat locally can make a major significance.... i get my bacon pre injected/ cured by my the local meat wholesaler..... and simply ..... smoke it at home..... always comes out very nice......i'm a single guy so i don't use a whole lot of bacon.... i suck and seal it with my cabela's cg 15 and always have a ready source of small batches of nice home smoked bacon......(any body out there with a nice hobart or berkel slicer for sale)....... thanks! and good luck, ranger ray......
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  • jimi1234
    jimi1234 Posts: 101
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    I make my own bacon as well. I have used Michael Ruhlman's maple bacon recipe a few times (I'm Canadian - have to have maple) and another savory one but I can't remember the author of that recipe.

    The first time I ate it, I found it a bit tough or chewy. I started frying the slices at a much lower heat than I do with store bought packaged bacon and found this made a huge difference in the texture.

    My only issue with both recipes is I find it too salty. When I finish smoking my bacon, I cut it into 1/4 lb chunks and freeze them. Before I slice and fry, I soak the chunk for about 20 minutes and it's perfect.

    Jimi
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    8_View_of_inside_bacon_slab_New_1AA6-5-11.jpg

    If you left the rind on, that would make the edge chewey, but not the main part. Was it overly fatty? And did you use any curing agents?

    I have a new belly bacon tutorial on my cookin' site. It's a step-by-step instructional with loads of photo's. The cure uses Tenderquick which is the most common curing agent for home curing.

    Breakfast Bacon
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • Doug in Eggmonton
    Doug in Eggmonton Posts: 1,999
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    I wasn't happy with my warm smoked bacon compared to the cold smoked. That might be just the cook though :blink:.

    Doug
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  • nuynai
    nuynai Posts: 101
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    Hey 3rd eye. Is your slab a specific cut, as mine has nowhere as much meat to fat. Thanks in advance.
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