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Pork Belly - What should I buy?

QDude
QDude Posts: 1,052
in EggHead Forum
I want to try cold smoking a pork belly and making it into bacon.  I really don't know what to ask the butcher for though.  Is there a specific portion of the belly that is better than another for this?  Thanks for your advice!

Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

XL BGE and a KBQ.

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Comments

  • Conneggticut_Yankee
    Conneggticut_Yankee Posts: 132
    Just ask for pork belly and tell them what you are doing. That's what I did. Usually it comes in halves and frozen, at least around here anyway. I smoke 2 halves stacked on my large. I'll never buy store bacon again.  

    image
    Madison, CT
    LBGE June 2013. 

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  • EggerInCharlotte
    EggerInCharlotte Posts: 76
    I read plenty about cold smoking pork belly / bacon.  But, it looks like you are low-n-slow cooking this (with, I assume, a heap of smoke.)  What temp do you cook this to?  And, later, do you just re-heat in a skillet to crisp-up?
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  • Conneggticut_Yankee
    Conneggticut_Yankee Posts: 132
    I smoke at 200 till belly reaches 150 per Ruhlman. I toss in a chunk of hickory. I've never tried cold smoking my bacon. For whatever reason all the recipes I've seen have called for hot smoking. 

    Once it's done let it cool and refrigerate. From there you just slice and cook as you would normal bacon. 
    Madison, CT
    LBGE June 2013. 

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