Best bacon method?

TheToast

I'm sure this gets asked ALL THE TIME, but I couldn't find it in the archives so I thought I'd ask: what's the best method for bacon? 

(I'll be making back bacon rather than streaky, because that's my preference but I imagine the method stays the same).

THANK YOU!

Darby_Crenshaw

cooking or curing?

tarheelmatt

TheToast said:

I'm sure this gets asked ALL THE TIME, but I couldn't find it in the archives so I thought I'd ask: what's the best method for bacon? 

(I'll be making back bacon rather than streaky, because that's my preference but I imagine the method stays the same).

THANK YOU!

There's more threads on this forum about bacon that you can shake a stick at, but using Google for searching is far better.  Type in "bacon egghead forum" in Google, and get your reading on.  

fishlessman

google search canadian bacon which is all loin here, theres not much on english bacon here. the dizzy pig site has a good recipe from scratch, it would work for an english style bacon. heres a link, cowlic is a steak rub
http://dizzypigbbq.com/portfolio/dizzy-pig-cow-lick-canadian-bacon-ii/

TheToast

@Darby_Crenshaw Curing. 

@tarheelmatt I did that and there's so much conflict of opinion that's why I thought I'd try and ask this question on a new thread. 

@fishlessman Thanks! I'll have a read 

Darby_Crenshaw

back bacon is a simply brine cure for a few days. Not a lot of conflict that i know of. A three day cure. Then air dry and hot smoke. 

Fishless's link is a good one

fishlessman

@TheToast

if you dont have the dizzy pig rub, this would be a good substitute, its a montreal steak seasoning rub, pretty popular here

• 4 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion, dehydrated
• 1⁄2 tablespoon garlic, dehydrated
• 1⁄2 tablespoon red pepper, crushed
• 1⁄2 tablespoon thyme, dried
• 1⁄2 tablespoon rosemary, dried
• 1⁄2 tablespoon coriander, dried

buzd504

TheToast said:

@Darby_Crenshaw Curing. 

@tarheelmatt I did that and there's so much conflict of opinion that's why I thought I'd try and ask this question on a new thread. 

@fishlessman Thanks! I'll have a read 

This recipe works well:

http://ruhlman.com/2010/10/home-cured-bacon-2/

Darby_Crenshaw

that ruhlman/polcyn recipe is a nice straight forward cure. can't go wrong with that.

dougcrann

Simple...cure, I like Morton Tenderquick/brown sugar. After the required time remove it from what ever you cured it in. I normally use a 2 gallon ziplock bag. Rinse well.....take a few slices and test fry...to salty? Soak in cold water, changing after 30 minutes. Test fry after an hour. If not to salty inro the fridge to get it "tacky". In a hurry, put it in front of a fan....hit it with whatever seasonings...we like Tony Chacere's Creole seasong. Fill the AMNPS with pellets, we like Apple. Put the AMNPS under the fire grate of a clean Egg. Arrange meat however need be. Shut lid, DW off. People lid open half an inch...to avoid any condensation from "cold smoking". After 8 hours remove meat. Repeat smoke process as many days as it takes to get good color...we went 5 days. Let meat set for a couple days in the fridge. Put meat in freezer to firm it up, an hour or so works for us. Set the Chef mate slicer to 4 and have at it. 
Cure recipe...for belly bacon...1 tablespoon of Tenderquick, 1-3 teaspoons brown sugar per pound. I have been using 1 tablespoon per pound of each. Have done Canadian bacon as well.  Buck board bacon I use a brine...and inject. Tried a dry cure, after 21 days meat had not cured all the way thru. 
Good simple brine...just Google "Pops Brine". There are 2 versions that I know of...one of them has a reduced sodium content for those folks who can't consume a lot of sodium. 
Neff rambling...you folks have a good day...

TheToast

@dougcrann @Darby_Crens @buzd504 @fishlessman Thank you! I'm gonna try it in a couple of weeks. I'll post the results