Making bacon

Follow a recipe.  The first several have worked well. The second is from Carcuterie by Ruhlman.  After curing I soak my bellies 45 minutes rather than just rinsing to bring down the salt content.  Have fun!

I agree with what was said above. If you have access to maple sugar grated into flakes or maple sugar flakes they are a terrific addition. I find the syrup doesn't draw in as well.

Darby_Crenshaw said:

That second one (second image) is absent any flavorants. Ruhlman refers to that as a basic cure, a base for many variants, but it usually requires other ingredients

i would suggest one of the two more expanded recipes in that book, either the sweet or savory bacon cures. Both really good. 

Totally agree, it's the base of a cure.  I've added all kinds of stuff to it.  Favorites have been brown sugar and maple syrup, and most favorite, garlic and rosemary.  Experiment and have fun, but comprehend the recipe.

Homebrewguy said:

@Darby_Crenshaw - Do you hot smoke your bacon as suggested by Ruhlman and Polcyn or do you cold smoke it?

I will let Darby answer the question that you directed at him personally. However I would like to offer this one tad bit of advice just to help you out a little if you should chose to cold smoke. Cured bacon will start to render out at 82F. Why is this important when cold smoking? If you run at 82 or higher for days, you stand a strong chance of having leather. However if your smoke time will be in the 6-24 hour range, you can disregard what I said above. I mentioned this because I sometimes cold smoke for days or weeks, not hours. 

Thecoiman said:

@bgebrent - sorry if I missed it but what is the name of the book your pics are from 

Michael ruhlman - charcuterie 

great book

I tend to hot smoke now just out of convenience. When i 'cook' it later, to eat, i ease up a bit and just go hot and short. Heat through, caramelize some sugar, keep ot a little more moist

i prefer cold smoking, but usually do that now only with a ham, since it will be also later be cooked to 140 or so. I don't want any cooking of the ham during the first smoke

Little Steven said:

I agree with what was said above. If you have access to maple sugar grated into flakes or maple sugar flakes they are a terrific addition. I find the syrup doesn't draw in as well.

My god, you sound like buddy the elf. We get it, you are Canadian. You like maple sugar. Jesus. 

Nitrites in that celery salad.

SGH said:

bgebrent said:

Nitrites in that celery salad.

This is why I don't eat greenery. I much prefer to get my nitrites from meat

I promise Scottie, I don't cure or serve my bacon with celery.  I have been known to serve it on toast with lettuce, tomato and mayo.  One of my favorites.

@Thecoiman
One last minor point before I stand down. More often than not, hot smoking is more practical and easier achieved for the home chef/curist. Most everyone already has all the tools needed to do a great job of hot smoking. Cold smoking on the other hand requires a cold smoke set up of some sort or a old time smokehouse. Between the two methods, if time permits and weather conditions are right, I feel that cold smoking yields dare I say a slightly superior end product. Now I realize that this is a personal choice and matter of individual taste, but there is no denying the texture difference and the overall smoke base that the two methods produce. 

bgebrent said:

Hog anus?  I'll take calimari.

It's one and the same

Darby_Crenshaw said:

He also tosses a mean salad

You raved about the "dressing"

SGH said:

Little Steven said:

Darby_Crenshaw said:

He also tosses a mean salad

You raved about the "dressing"

You and Darby must be pretty good friends. Some of the things y'all say to each other would normally start a fist fight. But that "dressing" comment was a good one. Got to give you that my friend. 

I hear they actually hate each other...

como se dice....bump?