1st Time making bacon
- Thread starter dreegle1
- Start date
-
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.
5 hrs later, with a dash of Jeffs rib rub, and the results are almost baconish...Tastes great, except the rind, a cross between boot leather and dunlop tyres, texture wise...
Almost looks like ham...Still, since I started, I may as well finish the dry cure, and see how that turns out...but if the wife hadn't bought me a beef rump, it would be going in the smoker tomorrow :D
Once again, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah (although, if you were Jewish, I have no idea why you would be reading a thread about making bacon), Happy Holidays...and if none of the above are applicable, Enjoy your Sunday :D
Almost looks like ham...Still, since I started, I may as well finish the dry cure, and see how that turns out...but if the wife hadn't bought me a beef rump, it would be going in the smoker tomorrow :D
Once again, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah (although, if you were Jewish, I have no idea why you would be reading a thread about making bacon), Happy Holidays...and if none of the above are applicable, Enjoy your Sunday :D
Last edited:
Ok, I am having a problem with the dry cure...I put the final cure on 3 days ago, last night I switched bags, and coated the pieces with brown sugar...this morning there was a lot of liquid in the bag...enough to turn the brown sugar to liquid....
Is this normal? What is the best way to find out if the cure has worked, or the "bacon to be" has gone rancid? There is an unusual smell...but it isn't quite the decomposition smell...I will play it safe, and toss the stuff, if there is even the slightest risk of my family becoming sick...and next time, I will allow the pork to drain while curing...but is this what it is meant to do?
Is this normal? What is the best way to find out if the cure has worked, or the "bacon to be" has gone rancid? There is an unusual smell...but it isn't quite the decomposition smell...I will play it safe, and toss the stuff, if there is even the slightest risk of my family becoming sick...and next time, I will allow the pork to drain while curing...but is this what it is meant to do?
the sugar will draw a lot of moisture, Thats why I cure on racks in a large tub to allow the liquid to drain off. Just add more sugar and let it dry out for you. If the cure was applied properly and absorbed by the bacon it has done it's work. In three days in the presence of moisture there is probably very little Nitrite left in the meat
Thanks Al, I was surprised, because the applications of the cure yielded about 1 Tbs of liquid over three days, put the sugar in, and I got about 1 cup, overnight. The flesh is much darker than the wet brine...I will smoke it tomorrow, depending on how much liquid the sugar draws out tonight. Fingers crossed.
You can let it go a couple of days with the sugar on it. I like the bacon to be firm before smoking. Just discard the liquid, let hang for a couple of hours to develop a pelicle and then smoke
The bacon is very firm and dark coloured, so I am going to smoke it today...The little smoker I use, really does generate too much heat with the burner on, so today, I have filled the smoker box with small twigs at the bottom, with larger chunks on top. I am going to use the burner to get the box smoking, then turn it off. I am also going to fill the water container with ice...fingers crossed it will keep the temps below 37 degrees C (about 100F)...I will post pics when the jobs done...
farsideb
Newbie
Considering the carbon tax doesn't come into effect until July 2012 someone is telling porkies to you mate.
farsideb
Newbie
I've heard with the Coolabah smoker (rebadged Hark) that if you put a couple of heatbeads in the bottom (in a tray) and put your smoker chips on top you can do a cold smoke. Some people even say if you turn the gas down at the bottle, but have the gauge on the smoker on high you can maintain a temp lower than 200f.
Why not place some chips in an old pot, cover with aluminum foil, punch a couple of holes in the foil Place the chip pan on a hot plate in a cardboard box, All you want is smoke not heat
Last edited:
Done, and done. 1 heat bead in smoker tray, no gas, temperature sitting on 95 F (35 C). Thanks for the advice :D
farsideb
Newbie
Ok...The pics...makeshift hooks hanging my new best friends
O
I only smoked them for 6 hrs...and I have to tell you, regulating the temperature was difficult...once the ice thawed, the temperature would steadily rise, and once I was out of ice, I had to use random frozen things from the freezer, point of note, is that frozen peas worked a treat...when those ran out, I had to keep opening the door, and replacing water to keep the temp below 100F
After 6 hours, I figured that the majority of instructions I had read here related to full bellies, not the little pieces I was using, so out of the smoker it came
A close up of the marbling
I know I am meant to wait a couple of days, to improve the flavour...but hey, I had two pieces, so one can wait, one for now...It tasted like bacon, so overall a success (pending food poisoning symptoms over the next couple of hours.)
Things I need to improve:
1) Whilst curing, I need to make sure that the bacon can adequately drain.
2) Get an amnps...over here they retail at about $75, and the company doesn't ship to Australia...so I may just make one, unless I can get my hands on one cheaply on ebay, or somewhere, failing that, make sure I have about 50lbs of ice on hand.
3)Wait before cooking it.
Incidently, since I cold smoked...I threw some cheese in there two...I'll let you know how that went in about a week or so :D
4)
O
I only smoked them for 6 hrs...and I have to tell you, regulating the temperature was difficult...once the ice thawed, the temperature would steadily rise, and once I was out of ice, I had to use random frozen things from the freezer, point of note, is that frozen peas worked a treat...when those ran out, I had to keep opening the door, and replacing water to keep the temp below 100F
After 6 hours, I figured that the majority of instructions I had read here related to full bellies, not the little pieces I was using, so out of the smoker it came
A close up of the marbling
I know I am meant to wait a couple of days, to improve the flavour...but hey, I had two pieces, so one can wait, one for now...It tasted like bacon, so overall a success (pending food poisoning symptoms over the next couple of hours.)
Things I need to improve:
1) Whilst curing, I need to make sure that the bacon can adequately drain.
2) Get an amnps...over here they retail at about $75, and the company doesn't ship to Australia...so I may just make one, unless I can get my hands on one cheaply on ebay, or somewhere, failing that, make sure I have about 50lbs of ice on hand.
3)Wait before cooking it.
Incidently, since I cold smoked...I threw some cheese in there two...I'll let you know how that went in about a week or so :D
4)
Looks good! Nice work, I'm glad it all worked out for you.
Check out this, less then $75, but not a lot.
http://www.thesmokehouse.co.nz/smok...page=flypage.tpl&product_id=94&category_id=20
Check out this, less then $75, but not a lot.
http://www.thesmokehouse.co.nz/smok...page=flypage.tpl&product_id=94&category_id=20
Glad it turned out for you. I think the points you made are important and they are part of learning. I would like to add that if you can get a longer cold smoke in you will see much different results. Once cured I have no problem at all going 24-36 hours in smoke as long as the temps stay reasonable
Looking forward to your next try at it.
Looking forward to your next try at it.
The tax doesn't come in until 2012, but the speculation on the tax pushed pork prices up, as soon as the meat industry realised that they were serious.At the beginning of the year shoulders (butts/boston butts) were going for around $4.50 a kilo ($2.05/ lb), now it is closer to $10, because the porcine abattoirs are "stocking up" on CO2, before the price effectively doubles. Another expense that pig processors are facing, is upgrading their CO2 reclamation infrastructure. Any abattoirs that can't reclaim their carbon dioxide, will be out of business within a year. Around July next year, the prices could drop a little, as the $26 per tonne of CO2 price is implemented...I say could, because, have you ever seen anything drop in price, when people are willing to pay current rates? Seriously...Look at the scrap that I am smoking? Too low quality/small to be sold for commercial bacon production... $10.45 KG! ($4.75 per lb).
That looks interesting, but with freight charges (to Australia) added on, is much the same price. I think I will just get my hands on some of that stainless steel with holes in, and make my own...although it would be nice to be lazy and buy one. I might contact A-Maze-N and see what sort of deal they can give me on freight, for 10 or 15 of them, then sell the extras on e-bay, to soak up the freight charges...
farsideb
Newbie
Try Misty Gully in Australia for your Amaze N Smoker or the Big Kahuna
http://www.mistygully.com.au/mbwhere.htm
There are a number of suppliers in NSW, I'm sure one will post to you.
http://www.mistygully.com.au/mbwhere.htm
There are a number of suppliers in NSW, I'm sure one will post to you.
Check with Todd (TJohnson). He has a link on his site to Misty Gully, so maybe they do carry his unit
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Similar threads
Hot Threads
-
Our Second piece of Heaven, Little piece on the Atlantic Ocean
- Started by DRKsmoking
- Replies: 56
- General Discussion
-
How Do I Get Rid of These Armadillos?!!
- Started by seenred
- Replies: 41
- Blowing Smoke Around the Smoker.
-
Non fat dried milk
- Started by hog warden
- Replies: 37
- Sausage
-
Featured A couple thick strips please!
-
Getting to the bottom of what happens to cure in smoked sausage
- Started by hog warden
- Replies: 31
- Food Safety
