Thick Cut bacon on XL BGE, help on cook / advice...

nutshellml

I have the XL BGE w/ the AR.  I have been having some trouble cooking my 1/2" thick bacon.  Wanted to know how you guys recommend doing it.  Also, any tips on making it a little less salty?  I usually brush mine w/ Maple Syrup and then little black pepper.  I welcome any advice... 

THX

bgebrent

More details brother.  1/2" thick bacon sounds like half a pork belly.  Are you curing?   More details bro.

nutshellml

lol.. sorry.. no not curing... just getting it cut at local market extra thick... I know, it's 101, but for some reason i keep jackin it up on the egg.. .either not cooked enough or toast...  In the oven i had it coming out fine at 400 for 20min... on egg no...

bgebrent

Then keep with your oven.

nutshellml

ha thanks

bgebrent

It's all about the timing man. Time and temp.  Keep on.

Elijah

The thicker it is, the more salty and ham like in my opinion. It's also harder to get it to crisp up how most people are used to. Half inch would be too much for me. I'd rather cube it or something. Are you checking the egg a good bit in those 20 minutes? Maybe it's temperature fluctuations? 

Foghorn

I've cooked a lot of storebought bacon on my XL BGE.  It may not translate to what you are cooking, but 300-325 seems to be the sweet spot. At that temp it is actively cooking, but it cooks slowly enough that I have good control and can move it around/flip as needed to get s good result. 

onedbguru

1/2" thick is more like bacon lardons.  typically cut into cubes.  You can rinse the salt off or soak it in water for 1-24hrs depending on how less salty you want it to be.  Traditional cured bacon is always a bit salty as that is how it was preserved pre-refrigeration.  This is similar to a Virginia "Country Ham", prosciutto or other salt-cured meats.  They are brined or packed in salt and cured for long periods of time. 

I cure my own pork belly with just salt, br sugar and lots of fresh cracked pepper.  After curing 14-21 days, I will rinse most of that off and then re-coat with br sugar/pepper/less salt before smoking it 3-5hrs and letting the egg get no hotter that ~170-ish. This way produces that "less salty" bacon.

SmokeyPitt

Just set the egg up for an indirect cook and then it will be just like cooking in the oven

SmokeyPitt

Aslo check this out:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/pigcandy.htm

J-dubya

SmokeyPitt said:

Just set the egg up for an indirect cook and then it will be just like cooking in the oven

This is the easiest thing to do. However, cooked bacon (as opposed to cured bacon being smoked) can be nasty cook on the egg due to all the grease. 

Another option is SV - that's how I cook any store bought bacon.

tarheelmatt

Go indirect.

CtTOPGUN

 I buy some slab bacon that is a bit too salty for my tastes. I do soak it a few hours changing water once or twice to reduce the salt levels. 

 As for cooking thick slices? I would do it over a drip pan at 400*. This will act exactly like your oven does if your oven thermostat and your dome thermometer are calibrated correctly.

nutshellml

Thanks all.. .i'll give it a try.. .also the naked whiz pig candy, he hasn't steered me wrong with the other cooks.