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I made bacon and it was good.

ryantt
ryantt Posts: 2,558
in EggHead Forum
Well we bought 1/2 a pig again this year and I decided to take the plunge and make my own cured meats.  7days ago my daughter and I started the process by trimming down a little bit of the fat and prepping the cure. We used a mix of tender quick and some additional seasonings (maple, honey pepper).  Well on day 3 I was getting a little nervous about how it was going so I reached out to @SGH to see if I were on track. Within a few minutes of sending the message he got right back to me and shared his wealth of knowledge ( he's a heck of a guy).  Well ladies and gents it's ready and was smoked today for a few hours with hickory and  cherrywood.  I have now sliced it thinish and cooked up a few samples.  We love it and it was much simpler than I expected.  Now what do I do with all of the bacon 8lbs. Here are a few pics! 

XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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Comments

  • Eggscuses
    Eggscuses Posts: 406
    Pack 6 lbs up and send it to me.. nice job
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Me first! Enjoy!
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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    8 lbs of deliciousness. Nice work. You'll never want store bought again!
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • NorthPilot06
    NorthPilot06 Posts: 1,179
    Looks great - nothing quite like homemade bacon!  It appears as though you even have some of the remnants of the rib meat on your pork belly.  I just made an 8.5 lb belly this past weekend, brought in about 4 lbs. for the coworkers - quick way to make quite a few friends :)  Of course, this picture isn't all 4 lbs., just a portion.


    DFW - 1 LGBE & Happy to Adopt More...
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  • NorthPilot06
    NorthPilot06 Posts: 1,179
    Question for all of you experts out there - I use Prague Powder #1...has anyone made bacon with multiple types of cures (e.g. Prague #1, Tender Quick, Saltpeter [probably not]) and how do they affect the final product?
    DFW - 1 LGBE & Happy to Adopt More...
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Nice!  Hard to beat brother!
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    @ryantt
    Brother I'm so glad to hear that it turned out good. I was really worried because everything that I told you I made up ;)
    On a serious note, outstanding job my friend. For a job well done:

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • ryantt
    ryantt Posts: 2,558
    @NorthPilot06 there is a little of the rib meat on the belly, good eye.  
    @blind99 you are 100% correct never agai. Will we be getting store bought bacon.  
    @Eggscuses if your local my friend swing on by and grab a pond or 5 

    @SGH I thought I detected a little bs in your email...all kidding aside thanks for your help/ reassurance on the cure.  Now if you could help me out with a new cooking rig I'd appreciate  
    XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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  • ryantt
    ryantt Posts: 2,558
    One thing I've discovered is slicing they much bacon by hand sucks. 
    XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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  • ryantt
    ryantt Posts: 2,558
    bgebrent said:
    Nice!  Hard to beat brother!
    Thanks Brent appreciate the kind words. 
    XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    NorthPilot06 said:
    Question for all of you experts out there - I use Prague Powder #1...has anyone made bacon with multiple types of cures (e.g. Prague #1, Tender Quick, Saltpeter [probably not]) and how do they affect the final product?
    salt peter is not really used any more.

    all other quick cures have the same primary ingredient.  some require you to add sugars, some, like Tenderquick, have sugar in them.

    you should not make a bacon with multiple tyoes of cure in it.  i'm not sure if that's what you meant, but that's what it seems like.

    if you mean, do these different cures turn out different types of bacon, the answer is (sort of) no.

    it's like, does using a cake mix produce a different cake than if you made it from scratch.

    if your made from scratch cake mix (or cure) has the same ingredients as the premixed stuff, no.

    see, tenderquick has the nitrite (and nitrate) premixed with white sugar and salt.  you don't need to add anything (like maple sugar), but you can.

    prague#1 and 'pink salts' are just sodium nitrite premixed with salt.  you need to add sugar and more salt.  there's no nitrate, because this is used for one type of cure, the quick cure (brining or dry).

    if you ONLY used Prague#1 to cure, your bacon would be horrible, because it still would need salt and sugar.

    tenderquick just adds it in already.


    [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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  • ryantt
    ryantt Posts: 2,558
    Hey @Darby_Crenshaw did adding the pepper  maple and honey to tender quick do anything for my bacon. I assumed it would add additional sweetness to the finished product, but if it didn't help then I'll skip it.  
    XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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  • onedbguru
    onedbguru Posts: 1,648
    edited August 2016
    I like to keep it simple.   Salt, Br Sugar (or raw sugar in a pinch) and Fresh cracked pepper. Been dyn-o-mite so far!!!  I will be smoking ~10lbs tomorrow.

    @ryantt; what temp/wood? 
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  • ryantt
    ryantt Posts: 2,558
    edited August 2016
    @onedbguru I used a mix of Cherry and Hickory. I smoked it at 200 degrees give or take until 150-ish degrees 
    XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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  • onedbguru
    onedbguru Posts: 1,648
    edited August 2016
    ahhh.... When I did mine, I didn't worry about internal temp, I just did 3-4hrs at 190-ish with lots of smoke.  pics of my smoke tomorrow to follow.
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  • bgeaddikt
    bgeaddikt Posts: 503
    So if i buy a belly, cure it, low n slow smoke it, slice it, & throw it in the pan, i have home made bacon?? 
    Austin, Tx
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    bgeaddikt said:
    So if i buy a belly, cure it, low n slow smoke it, slice it, & throw it in the pan, i have home made bacon?? 
    Yes.  Search the forum and net for recipes.  Consult the text Charcuterie by Ruhlman, then have at it.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • ryantt
    ryantt Posts: 2,558
    bgeaddikt said:
    So if i buy a belly, cure it, low n slow smoke it, slice it, & throw it in the pan, i have home made bacon?? 
    Yes you do. It was a great project for my daughter and I. She had so much fun, it was hard to believe.  It also gave me something to do on week 5 off of work, had a 3rd back surgery. 
    XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932
    Killed it!
    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    bgeaddikt said:
    So if i buy a belly, cure it, low n slow smoke it, slice it, & throw it in the pan, i have home made bacon?? 
    Is this an actual question?
    [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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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Darby_Crenshaw said:
    bgeaddikt said:
    So if i buy a belly, cure it, low n slow smoke it, slice it, & throw it in the pan, i have home made bacon?? 
    Is this an actual question?
    I bit, damn it.  Us southerners are far more forgiving.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    bgeaddikt said:
    So if i buy a belly, cure it, low n slow smoke it, slice it, & throw it in the pan, i have home made bacon?? 
    Indeed you do my friend. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    SGH said:
    bgeaddikt said:
    So if i buy a belly, cure it, low n slow smoke it, slice it, & throw it in the pan, i have home made bacon?? 
    Indeed you do my friend. 
    if i buy an egg, crack it into a hot pan, and cook it by following a recipe for scrambled eggs, have i made scrambled eggs??

    [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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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    Darby_Crenshaw said:
    if i buy an egg, crack it into a hot pan, and cook it by following a recipe for scrambled eggs, have i made scrambled eggs??

    Darby, it that a trick question ;)
    But to be perfectly honest, I'm not 100% sure as I absolutely hate eggs so I know nothing about them other than they smell like a hot turd when cooking. I would rather look upon Hillarys nakedness than eat an egg. No kidding.  

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • ryantt
    ryantt Posts: 2,558
    SGH said:
    Darby, it that a trick question ;)

    I would rather look upon Hillarys nakedness than eat an egg. No kidding

    wow that's hard to believe.  
    XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 


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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    Methinks he doth protest too much. 
    [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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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Darby_Crenshaw said:
    Methinks he doth protest too much. 
    Yup.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • JohnH12
    JohnH12 Posts: 213
    SGH you seriously need some professional help! :o
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