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Homemade Bacon - What to avoid?

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TN_Sister_State
TN_Sister_State Posts: 1,130
in EggHead Forum
Just ordered a nice tamworth belly and I am looking for any advice or "what to avoid" advice for curing and smoking my first belly to make delicious bacon. Ive been reading through past post and garnered some good info but wanted to hear of any pitfalls or mistakes others have made to hopefully avoid them. I will be using the Michael Ruhlmans cure from the book Charcuterie.

http://ruhlman.com/2010/10/home-cured-bacon-2/
Franklin, Tn
LBGE - Cast Iron Grate - Flameboss 300 - BGEtisserie

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  • Nsdexter
    Nsdexter Posts: 195
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    depends on the style of bacon, if you just want plain old bacon its a decent start, i prefer mine to be sweeter with more heat so I do his maple bacon but  I add maple syrup, also instead of using regular sugar i use maple sugar, and I add pepper before I smoke it over maple and apple wood.
    HFX NS
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  • TylerA
    TylerA Posts: 85
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    test a slice before you smoke it.  My first batch was way too salty, it needed a water soak.  
    LBGE
    Huffman, TX
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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
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    I did the Ruhlman recipe for the first go and it was good, not blow my mind but it was good.
    As long as you get he cure ratios correct for the weight of the meat the rest is up to you to do as far as flavorings go.
    Ive done Honey Sriracha, Garlic and Black Pepper, just a plain double smoke, Chinese style bacon.


    I jut made sure I read all I could to avoid any such pitfalls.
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  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    I haven't done it yet, but have cured a pork butt like a ham and it came out great.  The pink curing salt is important and it depends on how much you use and for how long to get the flavor you want.  The recipe you posted looks like a good start, but I too like a sweeter bacon and would use maple syrup and maple sugar if you want it sweet.  Adding pepper sounds good too.  What kind of would are you going to use, Hickory?
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    My first batch was way too smokey for my taste. Start with less and add on next batch if it's not enough
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  • TN_Sister_State
    TN_Sister_State Posts: 1,130
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    @Ladeback69 I was planning on using a mix of apple and pecan. I love the flavor on my pork ribs and butts.
    Franklin, Tn
    LBGE - Cast Iron Grate - Flameboss 300 - BGEtisserie

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