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Makin Bacon - YUM!!!! (pic heavy)

Retired RailRoader
Retired RailRoader Posts: 974
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I finally got my hands on a 4 pound pork belly last week. I have been wanting to try my hand at making bacon for awhile but until recently I could not find any pork bellies. I could get them at my local Restaurant Depot but I had no need for 25 plus lbs. of pork bellies. I cured the meat with a Maple syrup, Brown Sugar cure that I found in Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn. This is a great book on the craft of Curing, Salting and Smoking meats.

Here is the pork belly all slathered with the cure. I left the skin on as per the books instructions.

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In a Ziplock back for a nice 7 day rest in the fridge.
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Fast Forward 7 days later and after a thorough rinsing a cured pork belly.

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Get the egg to 200 degrees for a hot smoke and put in 3 nice pieces of Apple chunks for smoke. Three 3 hours later the meat was pulled with a internal temp of 150 degrees.

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Sliced off the skin.

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Here is the finished product sliced and packaged.

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I have to admit that this bacon was some of the best I have had in a long time. The bacon was not salty like you get in the package store brands and it had a nicer flavor and a aroma then the bacon we buy at a butcher. Both my wife and daughter loved it and they are looking forward to making some BLT's later this week.
Everyday is Saturday and tomorrow is always Sunday.

Comments

  • bobbyb
    bobbyb Posts: 1,349
    Man that looks good. Might have to give this a go one of these days.
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    That is a fantastic job on the photo essay, nice color too.

    Charcuterie is a wonderful book, I guess they have a second one due out soon. The one thing I have noticed with this recipe and other similar ones is the lack of a soak-out step prior to the rest (equalization step) (#4 in this recipe). I still think a soak-out mellows the bacon. Just curious, how long of a rest did you use?
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • Thirdeye, I did a 1/2 hr. soak after I rinsed off the cure. I then put the meat uncovered in the fridge uncovered for 24 hrs. After the bacon was smoked I let it cool and I wrapped the bacon in plastic wrap for a day prior to slicing and packing it. I hope this answers your question.
    Everyday is Saturday and tomorrow is always Sunday.
  • FLbobecu
    FLbobecu Posts: 309
    RRR -

    Approx how many pounds is that belly, so I kinda have an idea what to look for when I get around to makin bacon here. :laugh:



    Thanks!
  • Hawg Fan
    Hawg Fan Posts: 1,517
    Great post and pictures. Thanks for sharing your techniques.

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

    Terry

    Rockwall, TX
  • I'll swear that you want to make as much as will fit on the egg. It freezes great, and it is sooooooo good. It's very nice to go down to the freezer and take out tomorrrows bacon.

    Doug
  • The pork belly I used was 4 pounds. The next time I make it I will look for a 8 pounder just so I do not have to make it so often.
    Everyday is Saturday and tomorrow is always Sunday.
  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    Nice job!! I took my first belly to the Texasfest and the people went nuts for it! Think I'll try it again. Thanks for the pics.
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • loco_engr
    loco_engr Posts: 5,759
    RR:

    You're making my mouth water!
    Very good looking bacon!
    aka marysvilleksegghead
    Lrg 2008
    mini 2009
    XL 2021 (sold 8/24/23)
    Henny Youngman:
    I said to my wife, 'Where do you want to go for our anniversary?' She said, 'I want to go somewhere I've never been before.' I said, 'Try the kitchen.'
    Bob Hope: When I wake up in the morning, I don’t feel anything until noon, and then it’s time for my nap
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    Excellent job, RR, a perfect-looking end product.
  • baychilla
    baychilla Posts: 387
    I've used the same recipe but opted to cold smoke the belly. Is there much difference in the flavor between cold and hot smoking?
    Near San Francisco in California
  • one is cooked, one is not.

    i cold smoked mine also. haven't done a hot smoke to test the difference. i just always understood that bacon was(traditionally, in general) cold smoked. might be wrong.
  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    Very nice indeed.
    At what point did you remove the skin?
  • The skin was removed about 1 1/2 hr. after I took it off the egg. Just cool enough to handle.
    Everyday is Saturday and tomorrow is always Sunday.
  • I have not cold smoked a belly before but the hot smoke worked really good!!
    Everyday is Saturday and tomorrow is always Sunday.
  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    So the skin seperated from the fat, leaving it intact? I have only done one belly and it was skinless. I know most procedures call for skin on though.


    Thanks!