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kwarw · Sep 6, 2011

Hi I have been reading quite a bit on how to make bacon. However the more I learn the more confused I become. I have learned about the brine/rub thing. I had planned on brine but I am seeing that most are doing the rub. I am seeing some folks saying don't get over 100 and others saying 150 internal. I work hard to get a setup that will maintain 100 and purchased a smoke generator. I would have trouble maintaining 150+ steady.I am doing bellys not BBB. My questions are:

1 What temp do I need to shoot for?

2 Where do I buy the brine mix, what brand etc?

3 How long do I smoke it and at what temp?

I will doing small batches as I doubt I will hit the nail on the head my first time. I just need a good starting point. I have both Hickory and Apple.

I appreciate any advice. Thanks in advice.

pineywoods · Sep 6, 2011

I know some people say 150 but I very much disagree with them if doing bellies temps that high will render fat. Keep the smoker at 100 or less and lower if you can.

You will need to cure the bacon and you will need either Instacure #1 or Tender Quick I'm partial to the Instacure #1 personally or another thing I quite often use is Hi Mountain Buckboard Bacon Cure yea I use it on bellies too. Some people say the Hi Mountain is too salty but I don't find it to be for my tastes. Some people will also say the Tender Quick is too salty.

When doing belly bacon you are not looking at "cooking" it while smoking you'll do that before serving. What your looking for is the right amount of smoke and the proper color. Different people will smoke for different lengths of time depending on their personal tastes. If I'm doing skin on bellies I smoke for 12-15 hours and if doing skin off bacon then it's usually 9-11 hours usually I use a mix of hickory and cherry when I do bacon

pineywoods · Sep 6, 2011

Here's a couple places to buy from

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=237_12

http://shop.himtnjerky.com/online/product.php?productid=25&cat=251&page=1

http://www.mortonsalt.com/products/meatcuring/index.html

kwarw · Sep 6, 2011

Thanks for your reply. I went to the Morton site. I think I am going to try the sugar/plain one for my first go round. I would not think I would need the smoke flavor. And Thanks Again

SmokinAl · Sep 7, 2011

Pineywoods said:
I know some people say 150 but I very much disagree with them if doing bellies temps that high will render fat. Keep the smoker at 100 or less and lower if you can.

You will need to cure the bacon and you will need either Instacure #1 or Tender Quick I'm partial to the Instacure #1 personally or another thing I quite often use is Hi Mountain Buckboard Bacon Cure yea I use it on bellies too. Some people say the Hi Mountain is too salty but I don't find it to be for my tastes. Some people will also say the Tender Quick is too salty.

When doing belly bacon you are not looking at "cooking" it while smoking you'll do that before serving. What your looking for is the right amount of smoke and the proper color. Different people will smoke for different lengths of time depending on their personal tastes. If I'm doing skin on bellies I smoke for 12-15 hours and if doing skin off bacon then it's usually 9-11 hours usually I use a mix of hickory and cherry when I do bacon

Jerry,

Are you using an AMNS for cold smoking bellies & are you doing it in your GOSM.

Al

eman · Sep 7, 2011

Al, Jerry has a smokehouse at the farm. Looks like it will hold at least 150lbs a bacon.

Bearcarver · Sep 7, 2011

My replies in Red:

kwarw said:
Hi I have been reading quite a bit on how to make bacon. However the more I learn the more confused I become. I have learned about the brine/rub thing. I had planned on brine but I am seeing that most are doing the rub. I am seeing some folks saying don't get over 100 and others saying 150 internal. I work hard to get a setup that will maintain 100 and purchased a smoke generator. I would have trouble maintaining 150+ steady.I am doing bellys not BBB. My questions are:

1 What temp do I need to shoot for? Everybody has differing opinions on this. Many like it cold smoked, and many like it the way I do it which is at about 120˚ smoker temp, and bring it to anywhere from 110˚ to 120˚ internal. It's all great, but I think it takes a lot longer to get good color & flavor when cold smoking. You can still get it, if you want to spend the extra few hours. As for the 150˚ internal you mentioned, I can't remember seeing anyone doing Belly Bacon like that, but if you do Buckboard Bacon or Canadian Bacon that way, you don't have to bring it to 145˚ or 150˚ later, before you eat it. Also, I have never noticed any fat being rendered from my Bacons at temps below 120˚ IT (No drips in the bottom of my smoker, and no drips from top pieces onto the bottom pieces). Try it different ways & see what you like the best. You can always look at my step by step instructions, in the signature, at the bottom of any of my posts. I like the "Extra Smoky" one much better than the other one.

2 Where do I buy the brine mix, what brand etc? I get TQ from a grocery store. You can get it on line, but the shipping is expensive. Someone else can tell you where to get one of the Cure #1 cures---I have not used it as of yet. It would help to know where you are from to get someone from that area to tell you where to get stuff.

3 How long do I smoke it and at what temp? All kinds of ways of smoking Bacon. My step by step only tells you how I do it.

I will doing small batches as I doubt I will hit the nail on the head my first time. I just need a good starting point. I have both Hickory and Apple.

I appreciate any advice. Thanks in advice. Find an easy to follow instruction. If you want to try mine, it is guaranteed not to fail, if you follow my directions.

Bear

On edit: I think I should mention---When I make Belly Bacon, Internal temp is never my target. Nice Reddish Brown color is my target, and good smoky flavor seems to come along with good color. You don't even need to know what the internal temp is. The only reason I probe my Belly Bacon is because I take copious notes for my step by step instructions.

Also, I don't claim to be an expert. I just have done Bacon in many different ways, took a lot of notes, and report what has worked best for me.

SmokinAl · Sep 7, 2011

eman said:
Al, Jerry has a smokehouse at the farm. Looks like it will hold at least 150lbs a bacon.

I should have known it would be something special like that.

biggeorge50 · Sep 7, 2011

It would be pretty hard to go wrong using Pops' recipe for brining. That's how I do all of my bacon and everyone loves it. I also cold smoke all of mine.

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Need help getting started

kwarw

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pineywoods

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

pineywoods

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kwarw

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SmokinAl

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

eman

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Bearcarver

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SmokinAl

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biggeorge50

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