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Bacon Time of Year Again

Chubbs
Chubbs Posts: 6,929
in EggHead Forum
Getting cool now and freezer getting low. Some of you may have seen my post yesterday about finding a fresh- not frozen- whole pork belly. Divided it up into 3 portions and squared them off. Ended up with 5.5lbs maple, 4 lbs of basic and 3.5 of savory pre-cure. Starting the 7+ day cure time today. Will post as I go. Pics in whatever order forum wants 
Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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Comments

  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    I have a hankering for bacon suddenly. 
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  • Killit_and_Grillit
    Killit_and_Grillit Posts: 4,326
    theyolksonyou said:
    I have a hankering for bacon suddenly. 
    Amen. For some reason bacon tastes better when it comes from the store with the nipples still on. 

    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

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  • Tinyfish
    Tinyfish Posts: 1,755
    Will be delicious. 
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    I have always removed my skin prior to curing for maximum penetration for cure. This morning I was reviewing Charcuterie and Ruhlman mentioned removing the skin after cure. That said, this time I left the skin (and nipples @Killit_and_Grillit =)) on during cure. 
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929

    Tinyfish said:
    Will be delicious. 
    For sure. I believe this round of 12 or so pounds will put me over the 100lb Mark for amount home cured. Lots given away but lots consumed too.  B)
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Here is a batch of pepper bacon
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 6,134
    Looking good Chubbs. Do you cold smoke or hot smoke?

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    shtgunal3 said:
    Looking good Chubbs. Do you cold smoke or hot smoke?
    Cold always. Best texture IMO
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 6,134
    Are you using the a-maze- n smoker? If so do you use pellets or dust? My results with the a-maze-n have been up and down. I've never tried the dust before. I don't have a problem keeping it lit, it just seems like I can never get "clean" smoke with the pellets. The smoke I get with pellets always seems to have a dirty taste to it.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    Man that looks good. Ha.....was by by Jack Olivers Pool & Spa (on way to Morganilli's) earlier today. The Regional BGE manager and cooking team were there  doing some cooking demo's. I chatted it up a bit and did a few samples....then moved on.....later was thinking I should have talked up the Butt Blast. I am a dummy.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Chubbs said:
    shtgunal3 said:
    Looking good Chubbs. Do you cold smoke or hot smoke?
    Cold always. Best texture IMO
    What internal was it after cold smoking?
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • Zmokin
    Zmokin Posts: 1,938
    edited February 2016
    Looks good, but I thought all year long was the bacon time of year. :smiley: 
    Large BGE in a Sole' Gourmet Table
    Using the Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter,
     and a BBQ Guru temp controller.

    Medium BGE in custom modified off-road nest.
    Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter, and a Party-Q temp controller.

    Location: somewhere West of the Mason-Dixon Line
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  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,535
    Nice.  This has been on my to do list long enough.  Looks awesome.  
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    cazzy said:
    Chubbs said:
    shtgunal3 said:
    Looking good Chubbs. Do you cold smoke or hot smoke?
    Cold always. Best texture IMO
    What internal was it after cold smoking?
    Approx raw degrees. Haha not sure. Egg never got above 80 and it was prob 36IT when I put it in. Smoked for 6 hours with both sides of AMS lit
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Dyal_SC said:
    Nice.  This has been on my to do list long enough.  Looks awesome.  
    That is one of three slabs. So worth the trouble. Wayyyyyyy better than store bought. 
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    shtgunal3 said:
    Are you using the a-maze- n smoker? If so do you use pellets or dust? My results with the a-maze-n have been up and down. I've never tried the dust before. I don't have a problem keeping it lit, it just seems like I can never get "clean" smoke with the pellets. The smoke I get with pellets always seems to have a dirty taste to it.
    I use pellets. Have used theirs and a few kinds from various stores and never noticed a dirty taste. Have used the Ams for bacon, salmon, nuts, salt, cheese and ketchup and never noticed anything bad tasting
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Zmokin said:
    Looks good, but I thought all year long was the bacon time of year. :smiley: 
    No cold smoke when it is 110 with 80% humidity in Columbia SC. Hot smoke year round not cold
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    Love the homemade bacon.  sometime i'll have to try cold smoking, maybe next winter.  

    I also cut my belly into pieces, like yours.  For one piece, I left out the pink salt to see what truly nitrite-free would be like.  Has anyone else tried this?  @darby_crenshaw ?  It's in the fridge, getting hot smoked, and then fried up, which should keep the botulism at bay.
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    blind99 said:
    Love the homemade bacon.  sometime i'll have to try cold smoking, maybe next winter.  

    I also cut my belly into pieces, like yours.  For one piece, I left out the pink salt to see what truly nitrite-free would be like.  Has anyone else tried this?  @darby_crenshaw ?  It's in the fridge, getting hot smoked, and then fried up, which should keep the botulism at bay.
    Never tried it. Guess the pink salt let's me sleep at night knowing my family and friends aren't sick. Let me know what it's like. Tried hot smoking then cold smoking second. Haven't gone back to hot smoking for the last 100 lbs No comparison in my opinion. You'll love it 
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    northGAcock said:
    Man that looks good. Ha.....was by by Jack Olivers Pool & Spa (on way to Morganilli's) earlier today. The Regional BGE manager and cooking team were there  doing some cooking demo's. I chatted it up a bit and did a few samples....then moved on.....later was thinking I should have talked up the Butt Blast. I am a dummy.
    Have they beefed the egg section up any at JO? Haven't been in a while. Need to go order a mini carrier. 
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    yeah i'm guessing it will be gray and lack the tangy snap flavor of the real thing.  but i figure it's cheap to try, unless i get botulism of course :)
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    blind99 said:
    yeah i'm guessing it will be gray and lack the tangy snap flavor of the real thing.  but i figure it's cheap to try, unless i get botulism of course :)
    Let's hope not. Good luck :lol: 
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Bacon is on my list of things I must learn to make. Yours looks killer. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    @SciAggie if you like bacon, do it!  It's super easy and the payoff is huge
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    SciAggie said:
    Bacon is on my list of things I must learn to make. Yours looks killer. 
    If you can make a plate like you did last night you can make bacon. Just requires patience
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    Chubbs said:
    northGAcock said:
    Man that looks good. Ha.....was by by Jack Olivers Pool & Spa (on way to Morganilli's) earlier today. The Regional BGE manager and cooking team were there  doing some cooking demo's. I chatted it up a bit and did a few samples....then moved on.....later was thinking I should have talked up the Butt Blast. I am a dummy.
    Have they beefed the egg section up any at JO? Haven't been in a while. Need to go order a mini carrier. 
    Not really.....I believe they have the mini carrier in stock.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Great looking bacon brother Chubbs!!
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    edited February 2016
    Nitrite isn't keeping your family from getting sick. Got nuthin to do with safety

    not anymore, with fridges and so forth 

    pink salts alter the meat, give it that crystalline snap or crispness when cooked, and add a piquancy that salt doesn't 

    might not notice much of a difference, but without it, it is salt-pork basically. 

    The organic "no nitrite added" stuff at whole foods, which people have tricked themselves into believing is nitrite free, has as much nitrite as oscar myers 

    And your spinach salad has more than a pack of hot dogs

    if the rationale is that nitrite free is 'healthier', it's based on wishful thinking

    You can't make pork fat and salt "healthy" anyway.  

    But to reiterate, nitrite in the form of salt petre was used historically for curing so that food could be stored a long time. Your bacon has been refrigerated since slaughter. No spoiling worries there. We use nitrite in bacon now not for safety, but simply because it isn't bacon without it. 
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    edited February 2016
    It shouldn't be too grey. Might not be as super pink though 

    botulism? Not unless you ground it up to make air dried sausage at room temp and skipped nitrite/nitrate. There's no clostridium botulinum bacteria IN meat. Just potentially on it

    This stuff is pretty straightforward.  It is odd that the same questions keep popping up over and over. 

    Remember too, prosciutto is salt-only, and hung at room temp for a couple years. 

    A whole lot has to go wrong with your bacon to kill your self with it. 


    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • chrisc133
    chrisc133 Posts: 501
    @Chubbs I just picked up a pork belly to make bacon with...and want to make it exactly like this...cold smoked, etc.

    Can you please point me to a resource you use to get started?
    Augusta, GA
    #BGETEAMGREEN member
    MiniMax, Large, XL BGE
    Featured on Man Fire Food Season 7
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