First cut at curing bacon

Just finished curing and smoking my first slab of bacon yesterday.  It's too salty, and Ruhlman says to blanch it, so that's what I'll do today.  Also, it was the only pork belly I could find, and it has too much fat.  However, I've found much better bellies at my favorite Asian supermarket, so the next batch should be better.  Overall, I'm real pleased with the curing.  I got the recipe at:

Village Idiot said:

Just finished curing and smoking my first slab of bacon yesterday.  It's too salty, and Ruhlman says to blanch it, so that's what I'll do today.  Also, it was the only pork belly I could find, and it has too much fat.  However, I've found much better bellies at my favorite Asian supermarket, so the next batch should be better.  Overall, I'm real pleased with the curing.  I got the recipe at:

Recipe here.

@VI, forgot to ask, did you cold smoke with AMS? Curious how you like it.

Village Idiot said:

@Chubbs Yes, I did cold smoke it with the Amaz-N-Smoker.  It works OK, but I want more smoke.  I just received yesterday a Cold Smoker 3 and I'm anxious to see how it does.  I like the fact that I can use regular wood chips, small wood chunks, and pellets.  I'll probably use chips.

Assuming you got the pellets and not the dust from AMS? Want more smoke....I guess the saying everything bigger in Texas is true

Village Idiot  Gary, how long did you smoke it? I clicked on that Cold Smoker 3, looks a lot better than my dryer vent pipe set up. Do you light the wood inside that cannister? I guess you just cost me some more money ) Looks like a good slicer might be in your future purchases. )

Village Idiot Let me know how it works out for you. Since I've been smoking for 8 to 10 hours, it means I would need to fill it 3 times to do the same smoke. I was looking at the same slicer you got, but I came across a restaurant that was closing and picked up a Hobart 1612 12" slicer. It's older, but built like a tank, in great shape and runs well. It's way more than I need , but for $300, I couldn't pass it up. I'll post some pics with my next batch of bacon.

billyray said:

Village Idiot Let me know how it works out for you. Since I've been smoking for 8 to 10 hours, it means I would need to fill it 3 times to do the same smoke. I was looking at the same slicer you got, but I came across a restaurant that was closing and picked up a Hobart 1612 12" slicer. It's older, but built like a tank, in great shape and runs well. It's way more than I need , but for $300, I couldn't pass it up. I'll post some pics with my next batch of bacon.

Awesome find. I am planning on hitting up some auctions next week. I found a site that manages restaurant closings and I have seen Hobarts going for 300-400 bucks on a 1600-2k machines. If anyone has 9k laying around, you can pick up a walk-in cooler that will let you regulate the humidity and temp for dry aging and preserving meats.

jimi1234 said:

VI - I also found the bacon to be very salty when I first tried it. Now when the cure is finished, I rinse the belly off then soak it in water for about 2 hours before smoking, changing the water a few times during the period. Big improvement.

Thanks, Jimi.  That's what I need to do.

Village Idiot said:

Just finished curing and smoking my first slab of bacon yesterday.  It's too salty, and Ruhlman says to blanch it, so that's what I'll do today.  Also, it was the only pork belly I could find, and it has too much fat.  However, I've found much better bellies at my favorite Asian supermarket, so the next batch should be better.  Overall, I'm real pleased with the curing.  I got the recipe at:

Recipe here.

Thanks VI, just ordered my pink salt. I am inspired!

Next time you order check out the link below, their price is like $3.50/lb., not sure what the difference in the freight charges are.

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=706427c7ece19dc180869adf3ede0af6&keyword=pink+salt

nolaegghead said:

That's a nice slicer,  billyray.  I used to have a Hobart slicer, wish I kept it. 

VI - some of the most coveted bellies have more fat than average.  Not a bad thing - you want fat that renders at a lower temp.

Which model did you have nola?  Found a 12" Model #512 with two blades and stainless tray for $450.  What do you think?  Guy removed, cleaned, and lubricated all moving parts.

Been searching for a Hobart, Globe, Berkel for awhile.   

What size bellies do you guys generally use when making bacon?

Focker said:

nolaegghead said:

That's a nice slicer,  billyray.  I used to have a Hobart slicer, wish I kept it. 

VI - some of the most coveted bellies have more fat than average.  Not a bad thing - you want fat that renders at a lower temp.

Which model did you have nola?  Found a 12" Model #512 with two blades and stainless tray for $450.  What do you think?  Guy removed, cleaned, and lubricated all moving parts.

Been searching for a Hobart, Globe, Berkel for awhile.   

I don't know what model I used to have....Me and a friend cleared out an old grocery/deli that had been closed for years and the slicer was one of the spoils.  We cleaned it up and sold it - I wasn't into charcuterie back then (this was 15 years ago).

Now I have the Chef's Choice 615.

Chubbs said:

billyray said:

Next time you order check out the link below, their price is like $3.50/lb., not sure what the difference in the freight charges are.

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=706427c7ece19dc180869adf3ede0af6&keyword=pink+salt

I paid $10 shipping to SC

I paid $7.50 shipping from butcher & packer for 1 lb @ $3.50, $11.00 total

Thanks!

Ok I'm getting in on this bacon game just picked up a 12lb belly for $2.99 a lb