Bacon — 1st Attempt

HendersonTRKing

Maple cure for 9 days. Rinsed for a long while, patted dry, repeppered, fridge sat for 5 or 6 hours, cold smoked with hickory and apple for 5.5 hours. Came out pretty good — not overly salty, not over smoked. Room to improve the cure with something to better offset the sweetness of the maple. Also may have to pull the trigger on a deli slicer. Definitely going to do this again! 

Eggscuses

Looks mighty tasty.  But is that a mailbox for your cold smoker?

HendersonTRKing

Eggscuses said:

Looks mighty tasty.  But is that a mailbox for your cold smoker?

Yup. Way over-engineered of course. Works great. Have been doing lots of nova lox, some cheese and nuts. Now bacon’s on the list!

Eggscuses

That's a great set up.

nolaegghead

Looks good.  Sugars make the edges of your bacon blacken....don't know if that's what happened to yours, but i like it.  Adds character.

HendersonTRKing

nolaegghead said:

Looks good.  Sugars make the edges of your bacon blacken....don't know if that's what happened to yours, but i like it.  Adds character.

Where would we be w/o a little charring and scarring?

onedbguru

I may have to try a cold smoke.  I generally just do indirect with maybe a double-handful of lump (red hot) then add a couple of large chunks of hickory, maple and/or applewood. That will generate a lot of smoke and the heat gets to no more than ~165.  That will smoke that way for 4-6hrs.