Here's my easy to make bacon step by step!!!

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

fpnmf

Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
Jul 19, 2010
7,283
82
Fl
I call it easy because it is quite easy and safe.

When I first joined here I was interested in making sausage and bacon.

Never made or attempted any before.

I read and used the handy dandy search tool a lot.

My first bacon was made using Bears step by step and turned out great.

I used this recipe quite a few times...alway came out great.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/96761/smoked-bacon-step-by-step-with-qview  

He was very generous with his help.

Pops6927 is a lifelong friend of mine and his family had a store and his Dads bacon,smoked hams and such were famous.

Pops posted the way his family made bacon and it has a lot less work to it.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927-s-wet-curing-brine  

I liked the idea of less work so I gave it a try and now it is my go to for bacon.

I went to the grocery store and asked for a food grade bucket from the bakery.

They gave me a 15 pound icing bucket..perfect.

Here it is with some if the ingredients..

I use the gallon jug for mixing..then into the bucket.

4b13dfda_makinbaon001.jpg


I found a small store here that I get bellies from..not as cheap as the Asian store in Atlanta ..but at least they can be found here.

First I mix the brine up as desrcibed in Pops url up there ^^^.

2 gallons does one bellie perfectly in my bucket.

I also add lots of ground pepper corns and granulated garlic.

2d47b860_makinbaon006.jpg


I usually cut the bellie into 3 chunks and into the brine they go.

I leave the skin on.. It comes off real easy when it comes out of the smoker.

fd773bd1_makinbaon010.jpg


8dc5d099_makinbaon011.jpg


Then into the well mixed brine.

Ziplock filled with water to keep things submerged.

985f1020_makinbaon012.jpg


Date the lid and into the fridge for 10 days.

6f9bf385_makinbaon013.jpg


Once the ten days pass I rinse them off and cover with Pepper onion and garlic.

Then into the fridge for a few days.

909a6f4a_bacon003.jpg


I use the MES for smoking this..

On smoking day I turn it on to 100 and leave it there for the entire time.

I use what ever I have handy for smoke...usually pecan in my AMS.

Smoke it least 10 hours til it has a nice color.

9abd3535_bacon005.jpg


Using a very sharp fillet knife I cut the skin off and freeze it.

Getting the skin off can be a pain..but it gets easier as you do more.

Then back into the fridge for a day or two.

I was very lucky to fall on a deal for a commercial slicer..

Slicing was always the hard part..now it is easy.

On slicing day I put the bacon in the freezer for an hour...makes it much easier.

0bce01fe_bacon005.jpg


Then vac packed and into the freezer.

969536f1_bacon007.jpg


There you have it!!!

There is nothing hard or mysterious about making bacon and the way I do it is not the only way.

Follow the rules about safety and cleanliness and there will be no problems.

MMMMMMMMMMMM Bacon!!!

043cbb81_bacon009.jpg


Have a great day!!!!

Many thanks to Pops,Bear and the rest of the crew here.

I have learned much in the past year!!

  Craig
 
Last edited:
Great Job Craig!

This should be a WIKI, then we could refer it when necessary

Todd
 
Fine looking bacon, Craig.  You've inspired me.

I just phoned my, "connection" and bellies will be ready tomorrow morning.

A good excuse to test out the new AMNPS, too.
 
Great Job Craig. I copied this to a Wiki and called it Wet Curing Bacon. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
 
Great job on the bacon, Craig. Excellent tutorial as well. Glad it's a WIKI so I can access it easily. I know I'll be using it for reference. Thanks much.

ShortEnd
 
Great Job Craig. I copied this to a Wiki and called it Wet Curing Bacon. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
A WIKI!! I am honored!!

  Thanks for all the nice words folks..

  Have a great day!!

   Craig
 
Congrats on the WIKI...Bacon looks awesome!...JJ
 
Great Job on the Tutorial!  And thank you for the recognition, I am so glad for this forum that we could be able to share this process and bring it to others to enjoy also!  You never thought when we were 12 sneaking out back to the playhouse to share a smoke that 48 years later we'd be sharing a smoke out back at our own houses again, huh?  lol!  I also requested to have the brine recipe made into a Wiki too so everyone could easily locate both together, which has been done!  
 
I am planning on doing a side-by-side comparison using the wet cyre method and a dry cure method (which I have used every time I have done belly bacon).  I will post the results!

Another question....can this method be used for canadian bacon?  If so, what anount of brine should be used?
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Clicky