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Starting my first bacon cure

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Cookinbob
Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
edited January 2014 in EggHead Forum
I was tempted to call this post "Makin bacon" but thought it was too cliche'.

My son picked up about a 12 lb pork belly. Today we broke it down and started the cure.  Using Ruhlman's basic cure with the addition of ground bay leaves, black pepper, thyme, and garlic.  It is now bagged and in the refrigerator where it will stay for 7-10 days.  When it is ready, I will hickory smoke it in the Egg.  Had help from a guy who has done this before, he recommends trying to hold the temp at 180 for the smoke.  I think I can do it as it is only for a couple of hours and it is grate rather than dome temp.  

Hope it turns out well, more pics will follow.  My next attempt will be shoulder or buckboard bacon.  I now have all the stuff, and a container full of ready mixed basic cure.
XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
Rochester, NY
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  • Chris_Wang
    Chris_Wang Posts: 1,254
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    Awesome... Store bought bacon is so expensive. I told my wife yesterday that we should start doing our own. Looking forward to the post in 7-10 days.

    Ball Ground, GA

    ATL Sports Homer

     

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  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
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    Chris_Wang said:
    Awesome... Store bought bacon is so expensive. I told my wife yesterday that we should start doing our own. Looking forward to the post in 7-10 days.
    I know that store bought bacon is expensive bit I'm not sure that doing bacon myself is going to be any cheaper.  The pork bellies cost $2.89 a pound.  Curing salt was a few bucks and the real maple syrup was $10+.  Given that I'm going to lose probably 20% of the pork belly due to shrinkage, I think that I will probably be in the $4.50 per pound range.  I hope that it will taste a lot better though than store bought!

    I just started my first cure yesterday on 28 pounds of pork belly.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    My son bought this one, so don't know the price. So far I am seeing $3.99/lb for bellies, so no savings there. Looking to do shoulder bacon which should be cheaper-hope I like it. I do have all the spices, so no further investment needed. Fingers crossed!
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • fletcherfam
    fletcherfam Posts: 935
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    If you want savings make cottage bacon (or called buckboard bacon) you use the port shoulder instead, huge Savings there. Just finished mine up and slicing tonight
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    My bacon has been curing for 5 days now.  Followed the Ruhlman recipe which has also been posted elsewhere on the site.  I have been under the impression that as it cures, the belly should give up some liquid, get firmer, and change appearance.  Mine looks about the same as it did on Sunday when I rubbed the cure on it.  Should I be concerned?
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
    edited January 2014
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    7 days now, and my earlier concerns seem unfounded.  Bacon is out of the cure, rinsed and now drying for a couple of days in the fridge.  I sliced off and fried a small piece, really impressed how the spices (Pepper, Thyme, Bay Leaf) came through.  This is going to be excellent!

    Here's a pic just before going into the fridge
    image

    Plan to cold smoke it (A Maze N Smoker) in the egg, then cook in the oven at 180 to 140 IT.  I am concerned about holding only 180 in the egg, I do not want to render the fat.
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Charlesmaneri
    Charlesmaneri Posts: 1,295
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    Cookinbob I'v done several bellies that I cured the same way as you but I cold smoked them and they came out awesome I don't think you need to go at 180 I did mine with the A-Maze-N_smoker at like 22 degrees outside air temp the thermometer in my egg didn't even move and the bacon was by far the best I have ever eaten 
    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Charlesmaneri said:
    Cookinbob I'v done several bellies that I cured the same way as you but I cold smoked them and they came out awesome I don't think you need to go at 180 I did mine with the A-Maze-N_smoker at like 22 degrees outside air temp the thermometer in my egg didn't even move and the bacon was by far the best I have ever eaten 
    Thanks Charles, that is what I wanted to hear.  I am told that all commercial bacon is only cold smoked.

    Now, how long did you cold smoke them?
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Charlesmaneri
    Charlesmaneri Posts: 1,295
    edited January 2014
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    Cookinbob    I fill the A-Maze-N-Smoker with the pellets and light it and just let it burn untill it's done if I had to guess I would say maybe 11 to 12 hours but I'm just guessing on that every belly that I cold smoked I have done the same way light the pellets and just let it burn until it's done smoking  
    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Mine went out overnight and I probably got half of Charles's smoke time. It was still awesome.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
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    Question; can you only cold smoke in the Winter, (in the northern hemisphere, due the cold keeping the belly cold, or is the cure preventing the nastys from invading,
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    500 said:
    Question; can you only cold smoke in the Winter, (in the northern hemisphere, due the cold keeping the belly cold, or is the cure preventing the nastys from invading,
    I believe it is just below "the danger zone" 140* f. I don't think it matters with bacon because it is cured. Don't know if I would do it over 90* or so but fortunately for me that might be three days a year. I wouldn't do anything uncured (meaning non-nitrite/nitrate cured) like salmon or sausages in hot weather.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    I have read to keep the the temp between 35 and 80 F, definitely under 100 F as fat will begin to render. Should be able to do it year round, maybe at night in summer heat. Might be tough in the south!
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Charlesmaneri
    Charlesmaneri Posts: 1,295
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    Cookinbob   I agree but this time of the year it's very easy to cold smoke I guess it can be bone in warmer weather as well however I have never tried 
    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
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