I have noticed that my cure solution is getting lighter in color. Do I need to stir it at some point or is this normal?
BACON!!! Bacon, bacon, bacon!!!!!
- Thread starter wes w
- Start date
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kingfishcam
Smoking Fanatic
Thanks Craig. Just wanted to make sure. I pulled a slab out to look at it today. Can't wait to put it in the smoker.
Thanks King.
Thanks King.
Took a night off from darts to take care of my pork belly. Well, I guess its bacon now.
Took it out and rinsed it well with cold water. Did a test fry. Nice flavor. Slices were kinda big but its the best I could do. Brother-in-law said I could use his slicer when I got ready for it.
I used Pops brine. I used 3/4 cup salt and used dark brown sugar and cut it in half. I also added some pepper and garlic. No flavor of pepper or garlic but a hint of sweet and the salt level was perfect. I took my sample off the thickest slab.
Here are the results. I plan to smoke one day this week-end. Looking like Sunday. An old friend of mine wants to play golf Friday and I need to cut some more wood (hickory) Sat. My planned smoke is 12 hours.
Three slices off the end
Test fry and a fatty end
Course ground pepper and gran. garlic. Into the frig.
Question: How do you know if the cure is all the way through?
Hope everyone has a great evening!
Update after there smoked
Took it out and rinsed it well with cold water. Did a test fry. Nice flavor. Slices were kinda big but its the best I could do. Brother-in-law said I could use his slicer when I got ready for it.
I used Pops brine. I used 3/4 cup salt and used dark brown sugar and cut it in half. I also added some pepper and garlic. No flavor of pepper or garlic but a hint of sweet and the salt level was perfect. I took my sample off the thickest slab.
Here are the results. I plan to smoke one day this week-end. Looking like Sunday. An old friend of mine wants to play golf Friday and I need to cut some more wood (hickory) Sat. My planned smoke is 12 hours.
Three slices off the end
Test fry and a fatty end
Course ground pepper and gran. garlic. Into the frig.
Question: How do you know if the cure is all the way through?
Hope everyone has a great evening!
Update after there smoked
Last edited:
Bacon is looking great Wes! I found the same thing with adding other flavorings with the brine. They don't do much for the flavor. Last batch I did I put the seasonings on after the rinse and before forming the pellicle. The Seasonings then came thru in the finished product.
kingfishcam
Smoking Fanatic
I am curious on opinions on the cure getting all the way through also. My bacon, on the thicker end looked the same way. I asked the same question but did not get any answers. So I did not keep the dark red sections.
If part of the belly doesn't cure it looks like raw pork. From your picture it looks like it has cured very nicely.
Being the first run a bacon, I tried to keep it simple. A little pepper. Not sure what the garlic will do to it, but I like garlic. Thanks DS
Thanks Kat. I think I got my cold smoke figured out. I ask Dave for advice on cold smoking. He said cold smoking over fire is like snow skiing in Florida... It just doesn't work. :-)
I can't wait to see how the smoke changes the flavor.
KF, I'm don't know the colors yet either. I followed Pops wet cure to a tee as far as the cure part. 1/4in. per day plus 4 day. 8 days would have probably been enough, but I went 10. With the amount of salt I added the salt content was perfect.
Thanks Wood. It was a bright red in the center. I was pretty sure I had succeeded, but wanted to make sure I had got it right.
pjnla
Smoke Blower
You can go to the bakery in your grocery store and ask for buckets they are food grade I get them free..Tom
pjnla
Smoke Blower
I tinkered and toyed with my cure and came out with something good. Not as much salt, but lots of spices and brown sugar. Let it cure for about 10 days in the outside fridge. Turning each day.
Ready for the smoke!
Ready for the smoke!
Last edited:
yance
Fire Starter
Bacon's lookin' good Wes!!! You up around Boone?
Another angle on "food safe" plastic are Rubbermaid's line of "Take Along" containers. Nice snap on lids and stackable in the fridge. I don't have a dedicated fridge to hold 5 gallon buckets. One of their "large rectangle" size was perfect for a 5+ lb half loin (cut in half) and 3 quarts of Pop's Brine.
Another angle on "food safe" plastic are Rubbermaid's line of "Take Along" containers. Nice snap on lids and stackable in the fridge. I don't have a dedicated fridge to hold 5 gallon buckets. One of their "large rectangle" size was perfect for a 5+ lb half loin (cut in half) and 3 quarts of Pop's Brine.
Hey Yance. Yeah, about 20 miles north of Boone. Hadn't thought about those containers. Great idea.
I had to freeze my bacon before I got it done. We had a family tragedy and it didn't get finished. I got about 4 hours of smoke into it and into the freezer. I'll probably just slice it up and eat as is. I still have a half belly in the freezer to try again.
I had to freeze my bacon before I got it done. We had a family tragedy and it didn't get finished. I got about 4 hours of smoke into it and into the freezer. I'll probably just slice it up and eat as is. I still have a half belly in the freezer to try again.
pjnla
Smoke Blower
This is after the smoke. I love the deep color and flavor. I let it sit for a couple days before slicing and freezing.
drakin
Fire Starter
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