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Shoulder bacon is smoking on the small

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Cookinbob
Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
in EggHead Forum
I decided to try my hand at curing a boneless piece of shoulder into bacon.  The pork bellies I am finding are thin, and kind of pricey, so giving this a try.  I am using Ruhlmans basic cure with a little extra sugar.  It cured for 9 days in the fridge.  Following that, I rinsed and gave it 2 days uncovered to develop a good pellicle.  I threw it on the small early this morning and have been holding sub 200 temps for 3-1/2 hours now with maple for smoke. Here is a pic at the start.

IT is now 129, I am headed to 140.  I will post another pic when it comes off.  I plan to cool and ultimately slice over the weekend.
image
XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
Rochester, NY
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  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
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    Oh.... this one is going to be good! I can't wait to see your final results. 
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
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  • SeahawksEGGHead
    SeahawksEGGHead Posts: 289
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    makin' bacon.  I'm very interested in this...
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Here is the finished pic.  It got lots of smoke time, and I can tell it is really smoky.  I wrapped in plastic wrap and will let it sit and mellow in the fridge for a couple of days before I slice it.  I wish it was bigger!  I cut the bone end off a butt to make this, would like to find a boneless shoulder, though I will wait till I slice this to decide on the next one.
    image
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    That's interesting

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    Did you cheat a little bit?

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    paqman said:
    Did you cheat a little bit?
    Cheat in what way?
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    Cookinbob said:


    paqman said:

    Did you cheat a little bit?

    Cheat in what way?

    Try a slice or two?

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,729
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    paqman said:
    paqman said:
    Did you cheat a little bit?
    Cheat in what way?
    Try a slice or two?

    I sure would have!,
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Actually I did not! 

    Believe it or not I am working today and fairly busy (home office).  Wife just got the place cleaned up from a breakfast party she hosted, I don't have time to fry up a slice right now (though I can screw around on this forum - go figure).

    You make me feel guilty!  I may fry up a couple slices at dinner time as I will be egging again tonight and plan to use the steel "flat top" for some zucchini pancakes.
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
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    Cookinbob said:
    Actually I did not! 

    Believe it or not I am working today and fairly busy (home office).  Wife just got the place cleaned up from a breakfast party she hosted, I don't have time to fry up a slice right now (though I can screw around on this forum - go figure).

    You make me feel guilty!  I may fry up a couple slices at dinner time as I will be egging again tonight and plan to use the steel "flat top" for some zucchini pancakes.
    Fry them up FOR dinner. 
    Dunedin, FL
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  • Hawg Fan
    Hawg Fan Posts: 1,517
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    Don't know how it's gonna taste, but it looks awesome.

    Any road will take you there if you don't know where you're going.

    Terry

    Rockwall, TX
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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,654
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    I can't wait to see sliced pics and hear how it turned out!

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
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    C'mon @Cookinbob, we all think you need a night snack. Fry some up!
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    OK, Here is the money shot.  I'll be cooking some up for breakfast. Will post one more plated pic.
     Also off topic, but walking the dog this AM I saw the biggest Great Blue Heron I have ever seen.  

    I even saw him catch a fish which was pretty cool
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,729
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    Dude, that looks awesome!
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,527
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    Looks amazing indeed!
    canuckland
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Wow are these big slices!  one was enough for this B.E.L.T sandwich, but I used two.  Great bacon, but the smoke needs to mellow for a few days IMO.  This stuff won't last long, I need to start another one!imageimage
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
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    Fantastic! While it was made from shoulder, does it still have the same kind of texture as tradition bacon from the belly? I would assume so but thought I should ask.
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    minniemoh said:
    Fantastic! While it was made from shoulder, does it still have the same kind of texture as tradition bacon from the belly? I would assume so but thought I should ask.
    This is my first shoulder bacon, but based on a couple of slices, I say yes!  The lean to fat ratio is a bit higher, and these hand cut slices were thicker than I will get from my slicer, but make no mistake, this is bacon!

    I will do it again for sure (soon), and will choose the fattiest shoulder I can find.  I think you should go for it!  It is so easy and so good you will wonder why you waited.  Let me know if you need any tips!
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,729
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    I bet this is what Australian bacon is made of. When I went to Australia I couldn't figure out for the life of me why their bacon was so different. Looks just like that slice.

    I have a berkshire butt I was going to make pulled pork out of.. but now I think I want to do this instead!!  It is bone in though. How do you think that will affect the curing process.
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    What can I say? Beautiful!

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Thatgrimguy said:
    I bet this is what Australian bacon is made of. When I went to Australia I couldn't figure out for the life of me why their bacon was so different. Looks just like that slice.

    I have a berkshire butt I was going to make pulled pork out of.. but now I think I want to do this instead!!  It is bone in though. How do you think that will affect the curing process.
    I would not expect the bone to affect the cure, but it will be tough to get slices from the bone end.  I would separate the butt close to the bone, cure the boneless end (that is what this is) and do a small pulled pork with the bone end.  It's a win-win!  For the cure, I use 17 g of Ruhlmans basic cure per lb.  Worked perfectly.
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    paqman said:
    What can I say? Beautiful!
    Thanks Man!
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,729
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    @cookinbob  you have my mouth watering!!  I'm doing this!
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Thatgrimguy said:
    @cookinbob  you have my mouth watering!!  I'm doing this!
    Post pics!
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    I'm doing this too.
    NOLA
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  • SeahawksEGGHead
    SeahawksEGGHead Posts: 289
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    +1 gonna do this myself.  So the way I understand it, I'm taking your standard 10lb boston butt, cut it in half, use the bone-in half for pulled pork, and the boneless half for bacon?  Do I have that right?
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Yep.  that is what I did.
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
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    @Cookinbob - My local Costco sells boneless pork shoulders. If I were try it with one of those, would you recommend cutting it in half prior to the cure to make for more even smoking/curing?

    Also, my wife got me the A-mazin-smoker for my birthday but the air temps have been too high to do a cold smoke with my BGE in direct sunlight so I thought I would have to wait until Fall to have a cool night to give it a try. My understanding is that hot smoking provides a much firmer texture when the smoking process is done. Is that right?
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
    edited August 2014
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    Wow.  If I had a boneless shoulder, I would do the whole thing.  I plan to look for one this weekend.   It should cure completely if you give it time, thickness means more than weight from what I read, 9 days should be enough, followed by a day or two uncovered in the fridge


     As for hot versus cold smoking, I would say it is a bit firmer with the hot smoke, but good either way. The best conventional bacon I have done (of three) was the one I hot smoked.  I was concerned about the fat rendering, but that was not an issue at all, I had about a teaspoon in my drip pan after yesterdays smoke.  Once the bacon is cured, you can do almost anything with it.  If you were making Pancetta for example, you would not cook or smoke it, just let it rest for a couple of weeks at about 65 degrees.   There is no reason not to smoke it with your AmazN Smoker, even if the temp goes above 100 deg in the egg (which it probably will).  If it was cheese, that would be a different story, but bacon should be fine.

    BTW, some folks talk about smoking bacon all day or longer, I find it is really smoky after 3-4 hours, that is long enough for me
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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