First Smoked Bacon (finally)

[Bearcarver]

Okay Gang,
I finally got that 11 pounds of pork belly completed. Here is what I have to report, with lot's of Qview. I'm posting this in two stages because we couldn't get photobucket to work properly. Had to go to "tinypic.com"---Link & directions posted by "teacup13", back in March. Hope this works right:


This is why they call me "Bearcarver":

My set-up is on the front porch, under the flag. Look through the railing pickets:

11 Pounds of green pork belly:

My smoking set-up:

My cold smoker:

A lot of smoke:

Here's a sneak peek (can't see smoke in this pic, but it was there):

Bearcarver

 

[chefrob]

looks good.....awsome bears!

 

[pops6927]

Did you cure the bellies first?

 

[Bearcarver]

Here are the final pics of my first bacon (11 pound belly). I couldn't have done it without many of you guys. Your comments over the last week or two were a HUGE help !



Finished (9 hours of smoke total) 126* internal temp. Apple sawdust & chips----Cherry chunks:

Slicing complete:

Buku Bacon:

All packed, ready for freezer:

I'm ready:

My Breakfast:

All Gone----Sniff-sniff

Thanks,
Bearcarver

 

[chefrob]

that does look great!

 

[Bearcarver]

Yes Pops,
11 TBS of TQ
cup of brown sugar
about 6 ounces of maple syrup

12 days in fridge at 36/38 degrees.
Tested for salt after that. Didn't taste too salty, but soaked for one hour anyway.


Bearcarver

 

[beer-b-q]

Great Looking Bacon...

 

[irishteabear]

Nice! Looks delicious.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks Dawn, Paul, ChefRob, and Pops!
Now if I can just keep the Pennsylvania Grizzlies away from my fridge, I'll be in good shape.
I still have three NY salmon fillets in the deep freeze----might be my next victims!

Bearcarver

 

[bb53chevpro]

Looks great. Love bacon. Nothing like home made stuff.

 

[mballi3011]

Now that is some really good looking bacon there Bear.

for sure on your bacon my onlt recommandation is you such sent some if it to all the people here. Then we will know how good it really is. Hint Hint. Your bears look great to. I take it you carve bears daaa look at the name dummey. Iknow but it sounded good. Great job and keep it up.

 

[t-bone tim]

great looking bacon Bearcarver , nice color ... nothin better than homemade bacon , good job !

 

[downstatesmoker]

That looks amazing!

What was the temperature you smoked at?

Do you have any threads on how you made that cold smoker?

 

[scarbelly]

Now that is what I call some great looking bacon. Had to clean the drool off the keyboard. Great job

 

[Bearcarver]

I just played around basicly with the temperature. Outside temp stayed between 49* & 52* ALL day:
I put it in the cold smoker with no heat for 1 1/2 hours.
Then went to about 85* for another 1 1/2 hours.
Then moved to about 100* for another hour.
Then I moved it to the MES, set for 100*, which is actually 130* in real life, for another hour.
Then to 140* "actual" for two hours.
Then finished it at 150* "actual" for two more hours.
When I killed the switch, the MES said 124*, the Maverick said the smoker temp was 155*, and the Maverick said the internal meat Temp was 126*.

The Maverick is right. The MES shows anywhere from 30 to 35 degrees low all of the time. The MES is like a woman----I love it, but I can't believe a word it says.

I had heavy smoke most of the time from my Big Kahuna in the cold smoker, but I kept the lid about an inch or so opened. Then I had TBS the whole time with my MES.

The bacon wasn't as smokey as I would like, but I like it real smokey. Next time I might try Hickory, instead of Apple & Cherry.

 

[Bearcarver]

There really wasn't much to do with the cold smoker:
My son builds towers, so there are thousands of 3/4" dia. bolts, nuts & washers handy to me----all lengths.
I drilled 6 holes for bolts about 12" down from the top of the trash can, and 6 holes about 5" down. I can set round "Weber" grills on those bolts. I got a hot plate at K'Mart, taped an extension (1" dowel) to the control, and cut a hole for that control to stick through the bottom of the can. Then I cut another hole at the bottom, on the other side, for the plug & wire to fit through. I put that split wire protector (like you find around your intake manifold in your pick-up truck) over the power cord to protect it from the heat & sharp edges from the hole I cut in the can.
I attached my Big Kahuna "SmokeDaddy" to the same side as the control.
I drilled a couple little holes in the lid. I was going to drill some bigger ones, but I decided to just open the lid part way instead. This way it's easy & quick to adjust.

That's about it.

Bearcarver

 

[downstatesmoker]

Cool. Looks great!

 

[blackened]

 

[isutroutbum]

Looks great!! Thanks for the post!

 

[azrocker]

Looks good. I am about due another round. My freezer is getting empty. BTW try baking the bacon. Really like it!