Costco bellies.... THANKS for the lead on that..... Dry brined bacon Aug. 2015... 8/23 money update

[oregon smoker]

Blender..... whip them up to a dust..... might have to blend 1/4 cup at one time..... When in dust form, they smolder, if they are dry.... drying the pellets and dust is important for a good smolder....

Dave Thanks, do you use the powder just like you would the pellets inside the mes? i see that the dust is used by some in the mes.

Tom

 

[daveomak]

Tom, afternoon...

Dust replaces the pellets in the AMNPS or can be put in the AMNS..... burns slower for thinner smoke is my guess.... Mr. T is leaning me in the direction of longer, less intense smoke sessions... Should improve the flavor, especially when you alternate the smoke period with no smoke... for at least the same length of time if not 2X the smoke time... penetration and maturing is very important in the smoke application process... Here's an example.... Kentucky Whiskey or Scotch..... The longer it sits in a charred oak barrel, the smoother the taste, the fewer the headaches and the more you can charge for it.....

Now, that being said, there are folks that like green whiskey, which is fine with me..... but.... I prefer mellow and aged....

 

[mr t 59874]

Tom, afternoon...

Dust replaces the pellets in the AMNPS or can be put in the AMNS..... burns slower for thinner smoke is my guess.... Mr. T is leaning me in the direction of longer, less intense smoke sessions... Should improve the flavor, especially when you alternate the smoke period with no smoke... for at least the same length of time if not 2X the smoke time... penetration and maturing is very important in the smoke application process... Here's an example.... Kentucky Whiskey or Scotch..... The longer it sits in a charred oak barrel, the smoother the taste, the fewer the headaches and the more you can charge for it.....

Now, that being said, there are folks that like green whiskey, which is fine with me..... but.... I prefer mellow and aged....

Cheers.

T

 

[oregon smoker]

 
Cheers.

T

Mr T and Dave Good Morning,

Makes Sense, aged is always best... so for sake of discussion would you smoke at 7hrs (then rest how long ?) then second smoke another 7hrs ? or longer periods of time each time ?  i have always smoke for the duration straight thru, i must admit i am one of those that "thought" once the smoke layer is created multiple smokes would just create layers on the surface and not continue to penetrate. your above clarification was eye opening (from cold to warm)

Thanks,

Tom

 

[daveomak]

Original cold smoking, way back when, smoke was usually applied from a small fire in the smokehouse.. usually sawdust or small branches... when it burned out, it was left out for a day... then repeated for up to 30 days..... the smoke from a small fire in a 8x8 building was pretty thin.... this was also a drying process to preserve the meat so no refrigeration was required.... between the drying and the salt, the bacon was good for a long time.....

I have done 6 hour smokes each day for 6 days... I liked it very much..... Bride not so much... So, she liked this batch very much..... sooo I think this is my new method.... except for using pellet dust....
Breaks in smoke are supposed to help with penetration and homogenous flavor.... I'm sure, resting in the refer for a week or three, after the smoke cycles does the same thing, but that is a WAG..... (wild a$$ guess).......

 

[mr t 59874]

 
Mr T and Dave Good Morning,

Makes Sense, aged is always best... so for sake of discussion would you smoke at 7hrs (then rest how long ?) then second smoke another 7hrs ? or longer periods of time each time ?  i have always smoke for the duration straight thru, i must admit i am one of those that "thought" once the smoke layer is created multiple smokes would just create layers on the surface and not continue to penetrate. your above clarification was eye opening (from cold to warm)

Thanks,

Tom

 Using a hickory powder I normally smoke bacon to the desired color and at my convenience.  At times it may be smoked continuously, at other times when the days are warm and the nights are cool, I will smoke for 12 - 15 hours overnight then place the bacon in the cooler until the next smoke.

 The smoker used for bacon will allow me to keep the internal smoker temp at or below ambient temperature not to exceed 60° - 65°. Using an AMNPS and hickory powder, a very thin, light, whitish blue smoke is being used.  It starts in a cast iron stove and then passes through a three-inch pipe for approximately 8 feet to the 23 cf. smoker.  This cools the smoke and condenses most of the creosote before it reaches the smoker itself providing, what I call, a cool smooth smoke. The bacon that I am curing now has taken me five days to apply 53 hours of smoke, it should be done after another 15 or 20 hours of smoke.

You will most likely find your own way of doing it.  The main thing to keep in mind as Dave has quoted, take your time and don't try to rush it, you will be rewarded.

Hopefully, this has answered your question.

Tom

 

[oregon smoker]

 
 Using a hickory powder I normally smoke bacon to the desired color and at my convenience.  At times it may be smoked continuously, at other times when the days are warm and the nights are cool, I will smoke for 12 - 15 hours overnight then place the bacon in the cooler until the next smoke.

 The smoker used for bacon will allow me to keep the internal smoker temp at or below ambient temperature not to exceed 60° - 65°. Using an AMNPS and hickory powder, a very thin, light, whitish blue smoke is being used.  It starts in a cast iron stove and then passes through a three-inch pipe for approximately 8 feet to the 23 cf. smoker.  This cools the smoke and condenses most of the creosote before it reaches the smoker itself providing, what I call, a cool smooth smoke. The bacon that I am curing now has taken me five days to apply 53 hours of smoke, it should be done after another 15 or 20 hours of smoke.

You will most likely find your own way of doing it.  The main thing to keep in mind as Dave has quoted, take your time and don't try to rush it, you will be rewarded.

Hopefully, this has answered your question.

Tom

Thanks Mr T

one thing I do not do is rush things. it will all work out. having both of Todd's smokers has always given me the choice of dust or pellets but this pulverizing the pellets is very intriguing, will be doing some testing with that method.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[zombiekitty]

Costco bellies were $2.79/lb here in Michigan last week. Waiting for my hooks and AMNPS to get here before I start my first bacon cold smoke. Definitely lots of great info in this thread. Thanks!

 

[daveomak]

 

[pipelinegypsy]

Hey guys great bacon thread! Can someone clarify a few things on the on/off method of cold smoking bacon... for the "off" period do you remove the bacon from the smoker and put it in the ice box to rest or leave it in the smoker? I'm guessing it might depend on ambient temps? I don't have any cold smoking mods for my MES yet so I struggle to keep my smoker <100*, would I still be able to do the on/off method or would it be too hot? I don't know why I am so curious because I have not been able to find bellies anywhere. When I ask people if they have them or can get them I only get blank stares like they have never heard of such a thing. The last place I asked was at Sam's in Douglasville GA. Anyway, I do hope this post is not considered hijacking, but if it is please smack me. Thanks!

 

[ndkoze]

For just a few bucks, you could have an A-MAZE-N smoker to your door by the time your bacon is done curing which would solve your cold smoking dilemma.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/category_s/12.htm

 

[pipelinegypsy]

 
For just a few bucks, you could have an A-MAZE-N smoker to your door by the time your bacon is done curing which would solve your cold smoking dilemma.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/category_s/12.htm

Oh I have the AMNPS and I am using it right now. But even with the smoker off (I only turn it on to preheat and get things moving) I still have to put some ice in to keep the temps down. 

 

[ndkoze]

Gotcha.

I use frozen 2-Liter Soda Bottles and it really helps, plus does not add condensation to the smoker from melting ice.

 

[daveomak]

 

 
For just a few bucks, you could have an A-MAZE-N smoker to your door by the time your bacon is done curing which would solve your cold smoking dilemma.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/category_s/12.htm

Oh I have the AMNPS and I am using it right now. But even with the smoker off (I only turn it on to preheat and get things moving) I still have to put some ice in to keep the temps down. 

Smoke at night....  use a mailbox modification to keep the heat out of the smoker...  pull the chip chute out and have the exhaust wide open for more air flow...

DSCF2019.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

..

mailbox ext..jpg

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

MB MOD 001.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

..

PelletsinMB mod.jpg

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

Turkey 2-2016 001.JPG

• daveomak
• Mar 28, 2016

 

[mneeley490]

Or do Bearcarver's "warm smoke" method. That way you don't have to worry about keeping the temp under 100°.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/108099/bacon-extra-smoky

 

[daveomak]

If you have never had cold smoked bacon, you are missing a treat....  Bacon "used" to be cold smoked all the time when I was a kid...   It beats warm smoked bacon hands down...  IMO...

 

[torp3t3d0]

Dave and Mr. T:

have learnt a lot about bacon from ya.....everytime I read one of your posts I keep asking myself, "why don't you do that"?....Never had luck with the "dry" cure....first couple of time I made "salt" pork....so I went with Pop's Brine and have had good luck.....

Want to try the cold  smoke and dry cure method that you talked about in these 5 pages.......I'm not retired and have to work for a living...but I don't work every Friday and Monday so I guess I can use those days for the smoking.....

Will let you know how it goes......also using the UMAI dry materials and making all type of salami and pancetta.....

Thanks again for the info.....keep sharing

Pete

 

[daveomak]

 
Dave and Mr. T:

have learnt a lot about bacon from ya.....everytime I read one of your posts I keep asking myself, "why don't you do that"?....Never had luck with the "dry" cure....first couple of time I made "salt" pork....so I went with Pop's Brine and have had good luck.....

Want to try the cold  smoke and dry cure method that you talked about in these 5 pages.......I'm not retired and have to work for a living...but I don't work every Friday and Monday so I guess I can use those days for the smoking.....

Will let you know how it goes......also using the UMAI dry materials and making all type of salami and pancetta.....

Thanks again for the info.....keep sharing

Pete

Hey torp, morning....   are you using cure #1 or Morton's TQ....  If using TQ, switch to cure #1....   You can adjust all the parameters to your liking....

 

[torp3t3d0]

#1.    My Dad was a sausage maker (for fun) and left me 5# of the stuff....I have enough pink salt to satisfy all of northern va.....

 

[daveomak]