First bacon... Not so good

ctonello · Sep 7, 2014

I just smoked my first bacon overnight last night using the amnps in my mes. I used a full tray of apple pellets so it burned about 12 hours whike I slept. I tried some for breakfast this morning and that is some of the some worst tasting bacon ever. It tastes like im eating an old fire pit, an absolute unbearable smoke taste.

Here is some background info:
I used a 2 lb piece of side pork skin on
Cured 11 days in pops brine
24 hours in the fridge to form pellicle
Smoked 12 hours with amnps and apple pellets

I had the same problem with cheese, I smoked it for 2 hours 6 weeks ago and it is still the same campfire taste, unedible really.

So what's going on? I need to figure this out before I waste anything else.

themule69 · Sep 7, 2014

The rest after the smoke is very important. You need to let the cheese rest of at least 2 weeks before you slice even a small piece. The bacon also needs the rest for it to mellow.

Happy smoken.

David

ctonello · Sep 7, 2014

I have heard that about the cheese it has been 6 weeks since it was smoked and still tastes the same as my 2 week test.

mdboatbum · Sep 7, 2014

As David said, the rest period is very important. Though you said the cheese still tastes bad after 6 weeks, so it's possible it was over smoked. Make sure you have GOOD air flow in your smoker. Ideally you want the smoke to just kiss the food on its way out the vent. If it's swirling around or trapped in the smoker that's no good. Get all vents open as wide as they'll go.
The other possibility is that you just don't care for smoked food. Smoke, like garlic or cayenne pepper is essentially a spice. Some like it, some don't. Commercially smoked foods are marketed to the masses, so they're much less smoky than what you can make at home. Try less smoke next time. I'm kinda stumped as the amazn pellet smoker should give perfect smoke, and apple is among the milder smoke woods.

themule69 · Sep 7, 2014

CTonello said:
I have heard that about the cheese it has been 6 weeks since it was smoked and still tastes the same as my 2 week test.

i have done a bunch of cheese in several different smokers. I have never has a problem. What is the smoker temp? is it raining inside of your smoker?

Happy smoken.

David

ctonello · Sep 7, 2014

Perhaps it is the airflow, I am using a masterbuilt analog model it does not have vents just a small hole in the bottom and one at the top on the back. I thought that if it had poor airflow then the amnps would go out though. As for not liking smoked foods, everything I have hot smoked has been delicious this has only been an issue with cold smokes with the amnps.

ctonello · Sep 7, 2014

themule69 said:
i have done a bunch of cheese in several different smokers. I have never has a problem. What is the smoker temp? is it raining inside of your smoker?
Happy smoken.
David

The smoker stays cold I am in Canada and the nights are getting cool I didn't have the temp probe in but I am certain it was well below 100. Not sure what you mean by raining in the smoker.

themule69 · Sep 7, 2014

CTonello said:
The smoker stays cold I am in Canada and the nights are getting cool I didn't have the temp probe in but I am certain it was well below 100. Not sure what you mean by raining in the smoker.

That is where moisture forms on the top then drips down on the food. It will leave black drops.

ctonello · Sep 7, 2014

themule69 said:
That is where moisture forms on the top then drips down on the food. It will leave black drops.

There were no black spots so I don't think so.

daveomak · Sep 7, 2014

CT, morning..... One thing that needs to be done is, the meat and cheese needs to be absolutely dry on the surface... From your description, sounds like the surface was wet...

Let the meat and cheese come up to ambient temp before adding smoke.... Place them in the smoker and turn on the heat at a low temp... Gas fired smokers will not work for that warming step... gas burning gives off moisture... moisture is a product of combustion... in that event, place the meat and cheese on a wire rack in front of a fan for several hours to warm and dry, and form the pellicle.... I have found, a pellicle will not form properly in a refer... only in front of a fan, or in an electric smoker at slightly elevated temps with dampers wide open to allow for really good air flow....
After drying and warming, (cold meat/cheese will allow for moisture to condense on the surface) light, thin blue smoke application for good flavor...

The brined bacon should have been rinsed thoroughly and dried with paper towels then dried in front of a fan...
Smoke will condense on a wet surface and, in my opinion, form something similar to acid rain... acrid, sour tasting film...

The picture below is of pork spare ribs I did last weekend.... The pellicle was formed and the surface is dry and shines... then smoke applied... that is a proper pellicle... the pellicle also seals the meat to retain moisture.... Never use a water pan... the moisture "might/will" dissolve the pellicle ....

DSCF1688.JPG

daveomak
Sep 7, 2014

themule69 · Sep 7, 2014

It is going to take someone smarter than me. I have never had a problem like that. My last bacon was over 40 hours of cold smoke. I smoke my cheese 3 or 4 hours. Do you have any pictures of the cheese and bacon? Does it look over smoked?

David

ctonello · Sep 7, 2014

DaveOmak said:
CT, morning..... One thing that needs to be done is, the meat and cheese needs to be absolutely dry on the surface... From your description, sounds like the surface was wet...

Let the meat and cheese come up to ambient temp before adding smoke.... Place them in the smoker and turn on the heat at a low temp... Gas fired smokers will not work for that warming step... gas burning gives off moisture... moisture is a product of combustion... in that event, place the meat and cheese on a wire rack in front of a fan for several hours to warm and dry, and form the pellicle.... I have found, a pellicle will not form properly in a refer... only in front of a fan, or in an electric smoker at slightly elevated temps with dampers wide open to allow for really good air flow....
After drying and warming, (cold meat/cheese will allow for moisture to condense on the surface) light, thin blue smoke application for good flavor...

The brined bacon should have been rinsed thoroughly and dried with paper towels then dried in front of a fan...
Smoke will condense on a wet surface and, in my opinion, form something similar to acid rain... acrid, sour tasting film...

The picture below is of pork spare ribs I did last weekend.... The pellicle was formed and the surface is dry and shines... then smoke applied... that is a proper pellicle... the pellicle also seals the meat to retain moisture.... Never use a water pan... the moisture "might/will" dissolve the pellicle ....

DSCF1688.JPG

daveomak

Sep 7, 2014

Thanks Dave this could be the problem. When I did the cheese it was right out of the fridge and I recall it did sweat a bit in the smoker so there were droplets on top of the cheese. The bacon was also out of the fridge, it was too dark to see if it was sweating but there is probably a good chance that it did.

ctonello · Sep 7, 2014

themule69 said:
It is going to take someone smarter than me. I have never had a problem like that. My last bacon was over 40 hours of cold smoke. I smoke my cheese 3 or 4 hours. Do you have any pictures of the cheese and bacon? Does it look over smoked?
David

I don't have pictures of either but neither looked over smoked, the cheese barely looked different afterwards and the bacon seemed to be a nice brownish colour.

daveomak · Sep 7, 2014

I have had moisture on meats and sausage when in the smoker.... It is usually a dark color.... I removed it, rinsed with hot water to remove the "acrid stuff", dried and put back in the smoker.... Worked for me... Smoked meats and other stuff should have a light color to it.... like a clear mahogany, "see through" coating....

themule69 · Sep 7, 2014

Try what DaveOmak said above.

20140226_105547.jpg

themule69
Feb 26, 2014

20140226_105606.jpg

themule69
Feb 26, 2014

bacon a 12.JPG

themule69
Aug 27, 2013

bacon a 9.JPG

themule69
Aug 25, 2013

I smoke by color. Never had a problem.

Happy smoken.

David

dirtsailor2003 · Sep 7, 2014

As Dave said for the bacon you need the pellicle to form prior to smoking. I have a feeling though the main problem is your lack of air flow. The lack if airflow will create acrid smoke.

With bacon I smoke it 6-8 hours then I rest it overnight in the fridge. Then smoke 6-8 hours again. Rest overnight in the fridge. I'll do this until I get the color I like. Usually around 18 hours total smoke. Then I put it in a paper bag in the fridge for 2-3 days before slicing and vac packing for the freezer.

daveomak · Sep 7, 2014

themule69 said:
Try what DaveOmak said above.

bacon a 12.JPG

themule69

Aug 27, 2013

I smoke by color. Never had a problem.
Happy smoken.
David

Nice color on the bacon......

dirtsailor2003 said:
As Dave said for the bacon you need the pellicle to form prior to smoking. I have a feeling though the main problem is your lack of air flow. The lack if airflow will create acrid smoke.

With bacon I smoke it 6-8 hours then I rest it overnight in the fridge. Then smoke 6-8 hours again. Rest overnight in the fridge. I'll do this until I get the color I like. Usually around 18 hours total smoke. Then I put it in a paper bag in the fridge for 2-3 days before slicing and vac packing for the freezer.

Dirt picked up my fumble.... LOTS of air flow..... Thanks Dirt

ctonello · Sep 7, 2014

Here is what the rest of the bacon looks like. As you can see the colour doesn't look too bad. The inside meat is a lot lighter of a colour and it is the outside that has the bad taste. If I cut the outside off it didnt taste bad. I just rinsed it under warm water and now my whole kitchen smells like camp fire.

mark66 · Sep 7, 2014

I hot smoked by bacon till internal temp is 155 and then let it rest in a fridge overnight.

daveomak · Sep 7, 2014

Mark66 said:
I hot smoked by bacon till internal temp is 155 and then let it rest in a fridge overnight.

Try cold smoking below 70 ish degrees... see how you like it.....

First bacon... Not so good

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