Bacon

backyard bbq · Dec 18, 2012

Ok prolly a dumb question but here she blows. Ok I understand that you can cold smoke for flavor only and you can smoke to an internal temp where the bacon is actually "cooked". It seems like most recipes are for cooking the bacon and then storing by vacuum sealing. So the question that I have I guess is since its already cooked, is the bacon just then reheated prior to being eaten? Another words it's not raw like you would buy in stores? Like I said prolly a dumb question =).

diggingdogfarm · Dec 18, 2012

backyard bbq said:
So the question that I have I guess is since its already cooked, is the bacon just then reheated prior to being eaten?

Depends on how one likes his bacon finished, it could be reheated, or eaten cold for that matter, or fried until crispy, whatever.

I'm a cold smoke kind of guy, hot smoking bacon has never made any sense to me.

~Martin

backyard bbq · Dec 18, 2012

Thanks Martin. That's kind of what I was thinking. I guess I can try it both ways and see how I like it. Do you care to share a recipe and procedure for your cold smoked version? Thanks again!

diggingdogfarm · Dec 18, 2012

I do belly bacon two different ways, true dry-cured, where the bacon is hung for several weeks or a short-term cure, both are cold smoked.

Short-term cured bacon is pretty simple, apply salt, cure, etc, and cure for 7 days per inch of total thickness.
After curing, in order to prevent condensation in the smoker, bring the bellies up to whatever the operating temperature of the smoker will be, preferably 70 degrees or less and then dry the surface.
I smoke with light cold smoke for no more than 24 hours total with a few breaks, usually 8 hours a day for 3 days,
After smoking, the bellies go in the fridge for 5-7 days to mellow out.

~Martin

backyard bbq · Dec 18, 2012

Right on. So those are options for smoke flavor only? Kind of like you buy in stores but obviously superior in flav. I think I like this option too but I will try both. Thanks for your time!

fpnmf · Dec 18, 2012

I run my smoker at 100 for a few hours to dry it up some ..then cold smoke til I like the color...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/124885/bacon-made-the-easy-way

diggingdogfarm · Dec 18, 2012

There are a few advantages to cold smoking (70 degrees F or less), cold smoke penetrates the meat better, the flavor is better and it preserves longer.

meat-smoking-cold.gif

diggingdogfarm
Dec 18, 2012

"Cold smoking allows us total smoke penetration inside of the meat. Very little hardening of the outside surface of the meat or casing occurs and smoke penetrates the meat easily."

meat-smoking-hot.gif

diggingdogfarm
Dec 18, 2012

"Hot smoking dries out the surface of the meat creating a barrier for smoke penetration."

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/meat-smoking/cold-smoking

~Martin

fpnmf · Dec 18, 2012

DiggingDogFarm said:
I do belly bacon two different ways, true dry-cured, where the bacon is hung for several weeks.....
~Martin

Do you have your procedure some where for this???

Craig

diggingdogfarm · Dec 18, 2012

It's the same as what I posted above except that a bit more salt and nitrite are used (2.5% salt and 200ppm nitrite), a bit more smoke is applied and it's dried for a few weeks at no more than 50 degrees F and 75-79% humidity.
The flavor is more concentrated and pronounced.

~Martin

brican · Dec 18, 2012

fpnmf said:
Do you have your procedure some where for this???

Craig

Craig I do not know if the following might be of some help, I have also been asked to put something together on traditional dry curing (UK) for the forum. Due to my work loads and time of year it has been put on hold until the New Year.

This is one of eight that I produce each week

http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=9058&highlight=bacon

fpnmf · Dec 18, 2012

Brican said:
Craig I do not know if the following might be of some help, I have also been asked to put something together on traditional dry curing (UK) for the forum. Due to my work loads and time of year it has been put on hold until the New Year.

This is one of eight that I produce each week

http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=9058&highlight=bacon

I have seen this before...

Yeah thats what I am looking for ...thanks!!

I wandered in to a small, out in the country butcher shop and they were just pulling a cart outa the cooler with lots of bacon hanging...

It was dry cured and quite tasty..

I usually brine the bellies,but would like to try a dry cure..but I am kinda wanting to read a how to..

Thanks again...

Craig

diggingdogfarm · Dec 18, 2012

I do mine a bit differently, as I said above, smoking before drying, but with the same goal in mind as in the following video.....cold-smoked dry-cured country bacon.

Benton's Country Bacon......

Short, but sweet.

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

~Martin

shannon127 · Dec 19, 2012

I second Martin's proceedure

joseph039 · Dec 19, 2012

Christmas bump

Bacon

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