Ok, my belly has been in the brine for 7 days now. I stirred it around Thanksgiving morning and it was looking and feeling good. I have a few questions though.
I want to hang it in the smokehouse tomorrow morning for a 9-12 hour cold smoke.
Should I;
(a) Do my fresh water soaks today and leave it in fresh water overnight.
(b) Do my fresh water soaks today and leave out to dry in the fridge overnight.
(c) Just do my soaks in the morning then go into the smoke right away.
Also, I'm planning on using some plum wood for the smoke. Anyone ever use this for bacon? I used it for something else but I can't remember what it was or how long I smoked it. If the plum is a bad idea, I can always use hickory.
I want to hang it in the smokehouse tomorrow morning for a 9-12 hour cold smoke.
Should I;
(a) Do my fresh water soaks today and leave it in fresh water overnight.
(b) Do my fresh water soaks today and leave out to dry in the fridge overnight.
(c) Just do my soaks in the morning then go into the smoke right away.
Also, I'm planning on using some plum wood for the smoke. Anyone ever use this for bacon? I used it for something else but I can't remember what it was or how long I smoked it. If the plum is a bad idea, I can always use hickory.