Bacon Questions/concerns

[Bearcarver]

 
Well, I gave the bacon a try and it was "just fine". It didn't cook up real red and didn't have a ton of taste. The smoke definitely didn't jump out at me. What would you do? I only sliced one piece. Would you smoke more? It's been in the fridge since Monday. Thanks.

If I'm reading what you're saying right, you cold smoked for 10 hours, and you got very little color & not much flavor.

I agree with David about giving it more smoke, and if you look what I said in my post #7, I gave you two methods to get good color & good flavor. You chose to cold smoke, so you should have given it at least 24 hours of cold smoke. The only way you can get great flavor & color in 10 hours would be with a little heat. IMHO

Bear

 

[jc03]

Thanks everyone. I'll throw it back on tonight and try and get some pics. I had 2 full bellies so I may try both hot and cold.

 

[jc03]

Do you think it would be safe if I cold smoke from 6-10 pm tonight by lighting both ends of the AMZN then refill and light just one end when I go to bed to hope it makes it most of the night?

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Thanks everyone. I'll throw it back on tonight and try and get some pics. I had 2 full bellies so I may try both hot and cold.

Not Hot !!!-----Warm!!

If you can't stay below 140* smoker temp, don't use any heat. Above 140* will render fat for sure!!

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Do you think it would be safe if I cold smoke from 6-10 pm tonight by lighting both ends of the AMZN then refill and light just one end when I go to bed to hope it makes it most of the night?

You don't need to light both ends. It's not the heavy smoke you want, it's the length of time you want if you're cold smoking.

Bear

 

[jc03]

Ok warm. I'm between a bit of a rock and hardplace on warm smoking. My Cookshack Smokette only goes down to 140* but doesn't really produce smoke until you hit around 170*. How do you feel about setting the temperature higher and leaving the door cracked?

 

[daveomak]

Ok warm. I'm between a bit of a rock and hardplace on warm smoking. My Cookshack Smokette only goes down to 140* but doesn't really produce smoke until you hit around 170*. How do you feel about setting the temperature higher and leaving the door cracked?

Light the AMNPS and DO NOT turn on the smoker....

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Ok warm. I'm between a bit of a rock and hardplace on warm smoking. My Cookshack Smokette only goes down to 140* but doesn't really produce smoke until you hit around 170*. How do you feel about setting the temperature higher and leaving the door cracked?

I don't like that.

If you can't get between 100* and 140*, you're stuck with cold smoking.

Then your best way to get good color & flavor with cold smoking, would be like Dave said above, however you should do that for at least 24 hours, like I said before. You could do that all at once, or like was mentioned earlier, I think by Case (DirtSailor)-----Smoke it for 8 or 10 hours---Put it in the fridge----Smoke it the next day again----Put it in fridge, etc, etc, until you have the color you want. Should be at least 24 hrs, but no more than 60 hrs. Somewhere in between.

Bear

 

[rgautheir20420]

I'm watching this thread to see your results. I've got an MES30 G1 sitting at home waiting for me to put it together and an AMNPS (5x8). A friend and I are planning to give bacon a shot. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I'm watching this thread to see your results. I've got an MES30 G1 sitting at home waiting for me to put it together and an AMNPS (5x8). A friend and I are planning to give bacon a shot. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

With your MES 30 G#1, you don't have trouble getting temps between 100* and 130*, so a lot of the problems above don't pertain to you.

All you need is to follow something like this:

Bacon (Extra Smoky)

Bear

 

[daveomak]

I'm watching this thread to see your results. I've got an MES30 G1 sitting at home waiting for me to put it together and an AMNPS (5x8). A friend and I are planning to give bacon a shot. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

RG.... If you are ambitious, you could do a mod similar to this......

AMNPS and Mailbox mod.jpg

• daveomak
• Aug 21, 2014

burning pellets.jpg

• daveomak
• Aug 21, 2014

inside mailbox.jpg

• daveomak
• Aug 21, 2014

outside mailbox.jpg

• daveomak
• Aug 21, 2014

I place an extension on the pipe to move the smoke to the center of the smoker....

Inside MES wchip tray.JPG

• daveomak
• Aug 21, 2014

 

[themule69]

As said above. Don't turn the smoker on. Turning it on and leaving the door open won't work. It is going to keep the heating element on all the time. Just use your AMNPS and be patient. If it takes a couple of nigths no big deal.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[jc03]

Worst case scenario here. I got home from work and took the bacon out of the fridge to throw it on the smoker. I noticed some maggots on one piece. What can I do? It was never left out when it wasn't smoking. I have 20#! I feel terrible!

 

[Bearcarver]

Worst case scenario here. I got home from work and took the bacon out of the fridge to throw it on the smoker. I noticed some maggots on one piece. What can I do? It was never left out when it wasn't smoking. I have 20#! I feel terrible!

Holy @#$% !!!

What temp is it inside your fridge???

Maggots???  Never heard anything like that.

Bear

 

[jc03]

It's about 36

image.jpg

• jc03
• Aug 21, 2014

 

[jc03]

Didn't mean to advertise the naturals thwre

 

[Bearcarver]

Wow!!!

I've never seen a Maggot in the Winter or in a working Fridge.

If you really have maggots on your Bacon, that would scare me away from it, but it might be that I have a weak stomach when it comes to those disgusting critters.

Bear

 

[foamheart]

 
I find that if you want that beautiful smoke color on your bacon you are going to have to use real pieces of wood in a long cold smoke and you do not want your bacon sitting right down on top to the smoke..a smoke house is best..

I totally agree. I did some experimenting with pecan shells verses pecan pellets The pellets and the shells were both the same type meat, the same cooking conditions, the same smoker. The pellets smoked very slowly, TBS. The shells were a heartier smoke, not white but not as clear as the pellets.

I think the pellets, although a great smoke, are much the same as the electrics smokers are to a real fire breather. They are a way we have to be able to enjoy smoke more often. We give up a little quality for convience. Its OK, I get to smoke more often and that is a good thing.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

:icon_eek:




~Martin

 

[daveomak]

Maggots.... they are pure protein.... won't hurt you.... But...... I wouldn't eat it...

Are you sure they are maggots..... I'm confused about what's going on....