Bacon on the WSM

timstalltaletav · Dec 27, 2014

It's a beautiful cold day day here in PA. Seems like a perfect day to smoke some bacon.

Back on 12/13, I mixed up a batch (1 gallon) of pop's brine/cure and added some CBP (1T) to the mix. In went a chunk of belly that I had just picked up. This is one piece out of 30#'s I picked up. At $2.48/lb I couldn't pass up getting a lot.

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

Fast forward to today... An early 5:30am start. Set the AMNPS up on the WSM and get things rolling.

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

Lightning up the AMNPS

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

The future bacon after an overnight nap on a rack in fridge for a pellicle to form. I rubbed it lightly with maple syrup as I waited on the AMNPS

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

AMNPS going strong, moved it onto the charcoal rack in the WSM. Blew it out and put everything back together.

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

Bacon on the top rack. Figure 12 hours of smoke is going to do it.

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

Stay tuned!

bear55 · Dec 27, 2014

Watching, looks great so far.

timstalltaletav · Dec 27, 2014

I have to say I'm still amazed (pun intended) of the consistency of the AMNPS smoke. The smoke is basically invisible unless you're looking into the sun.

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

timstalltaletav · Dec 27, 2014

Pic of the smoke coming out of the vent.

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timstalltaletav
Dec 27, 2014

chewmeister · Dec 27, 2014

Looks good. My question is, where are you getting bellies for $2.48/lb? Last time I bought from local market I paid $4.19/lb.

timstalltaletav · Jan 2, 2015

The bellies came from a butcher shop in Minersville PA.

Here some Q-View of the finished product. I had the full piece wrapped on plastic wrap in the fridge since last Saturday. I wanted to slice it earlier but life happens...

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timstalltaletav
Jan 2, 2015

Building a nice pile... it was a project with this crappy slicer from Cabela's. Ended up ripping some of the pieces but who cares.... it's BACON!

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timstalltaletav
Jan 2, 2015

I vac packed about 4.5#'s and have a nice ziplock bag with about a pound in it for breakfast tomorrow.

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timstalltaletav
Jan 2, 2015

The overall verdict... I think it turned out excellent. Maybe a bit too sweet. I'll cut back on the sugar next batch. But the true test... the better half thought the pieces I took off the ends were too smokey, but the middle slices were and I quote, "damn that's good!"

I'm calling this batch a success!

chewmeister · Jan 4, 2015

tjs231 said:
The bellies came from a butcher shop in Minersville PA.

Here some Q-View of the finished product. I had the full piece wrapped on plastic wrap in the fridge since last Saturday. I wanted to slice it earlier but life happens...

20150102_172247.jpg

timstalltaletav

Jan 2, 2015

Building a nice pile... it was a project with this crappy slicer from Cabela's. Ended up ripping some of the pieces but who cares.... it's BACON!

20150102_173926.jpg

timstalltaletav

Jan 2, 2015

I vac packed about 4.5#'s and have a nice ziplock bag with about a pound in it for breakfast tomorrow.

20150102_175039.jpg

timstalltaletav

Jan 2, 2015

The overall verdict... I think it turned out excellent. Maybe a bit too sweet. I'll cut back on the sugar next batch. But the true test... the better half thought the pieces I took off the ends were too smokey, but the middle slices were and I quote, "damn that's good!"

I'm calling this batch a success!

Hmm. The misses has family just south of Pottsville. May have to go on a road trip to check it out.

timstalltaletav · Jan 4, 2015

chewmeister said:
Hmm. The misses has family just south of Pottsville. May have to go on a road trip to check it out.

Tony's Meat Market. I'm going to order about 50# tomorrow. This homemade bacon is addictive! I'll order them and let you guys know the price.

b-one · Jan 4, 2015

Try freezing the bacon before slicing if you didn't. What temp does the AMNPS bring your smoker up to and what's the outside temp? Maybe cut the maple syrup if it was to sweet. Nice looking bacon!!

worktogthr · Jan 4, 2015

Looks great!!! My first bacon is in pops brine as I type this. Still have to wait two weeks but this post is getting me pumped. A local supermarket around here had thin pieces of bacon with the spare ribs and skin attached for 2.99. I asked if they had a whole belly and he gave it to me for 2.59. Best price I've found anywhere. Of course that includes a lot of skin and the ribs but I'll find something to do with the skin and I have a nice rack of spare ribs to smoke. For that price that you get is it trimmed or whole like the one I described? Again, great looking bacon.

timstalltaletav · Jan 11, 2015

b-one said:
Try freezing the bacon before slicing if you didn't. What temp does the AMNPS bring your smoker up to and what's the outside temp? Maybe cut the maple syrup if it was to sweet. Nice looking bacon!!

Sorry just saw this question. The outside temp was in the low 30's, with the AMNPS running the smoker temp never got above 52°.

If I would have done some smoking this past week I think I could have smoked and froze the bacon at the same time. Today feels like a heat wave out there at 18°... lol!

timstalltaletav · Jan 11, 2015

worktogthr said:
Looks great!!! My first bacon is in pops brine as I type this. Still have to wait two weeks but this post is getting me pumped. A local supermarket around here had thin pieces of bacon with the spare ribs and skin attached for 2.99. I asked if they had a whole belly and he gave it to me for 2.59. Best price I've found anywhere. Of course that includes a lot of skin and the ribs but I'll find something to do with the skin and I have a nice rack of spare ribs to smoke. For that price that you get is it trimmed or whole like the one I described? Again, great looking bacon.

Thanks for the compliment! It's amazing how much better this bacon tastes. I also like the fact that I can cut it as thick as I want it. One of my guilty pleasures is the bacon rasher appetizer at Emerils Steakhouse at Sands Bethlehem casino. I have another big piece of belly in the brine now. I plplan on making myself a big hunk of it for a meal. Then I'll call my cardiologist and make an appointment....

Today's bacon course is homemade bacon bits mixed in with queso fundido dip for the games. It's excellent!

noboundaries · Jan 11, 2015

I picked up an AMNPS for Christmas and gifted it to myself. The purpose was to make bacon in the WSM. Thanks for posting this thread TTTT.

I've never had homemade bacon but I've had Nueske's. If home smoked bacon is better than that I'm in big trouble.

b-one · Jan 11, 2015

TimsTallTaleTav said:
Sorry just saw this question. The outside temp was in the low 30's, with the AMNPS running the smoker temp never got above 52°.

If I would have done some smoking this past week I think I could have smoked and froze the bacon at the same time. Today feels like a heat wave out there at 18°... lol!

I just bought a ANMPS to use it in the WSM do you just put it in open one damper top wide open? Looking to smoke some cheese maybe someday bacon but that could be trouble.

timstalltaletav · Jan 11, 2015

b-one said:
I just bought a ANMPS to use it in the WSM do you just put it in open one damper top wide open? Looking to smoke some cheese maybe someday bacon but that could be trouble.

I put it on the charcoal rack and left all the vents, top and bottom, open. I put the water pan in too but didn't put anything in it.

timstalltaletav · Jan 11, 2015

Noboundaries said:
I picked up an AMNPS for Christmas and gifted it to myself. The purpose was to make bacon in the WSM. Thanks for posting this thread TTTT.

I've never had homemade bacon but I've had Nueske's. If home smoked bacon is better than that I'm in big trouble.

It's addictive and really so easy to do. I didn't even get into different flavors yet, but I definitely plan on doing some unique blends.

b-one · Jan 11, 2015

Cool, time to score some cheese.

welshrarebit · Jan 11, 2015

b-one said:
Cool, time to score some cheese.

I'm with you on this one: first cheese then bacon...

Looks great TTTT!

Points...

timstalltaletav · Jan 11, 2015

Welshrarebit said:
I'm with you on this one: first cheese then bacon...

Looks great TTTT!

Points...

Thanks! I plan on doing cheese everytime I smoke bacon anymore. It's a good multitasking project. Put bacon on bottom rack, cheese on top racks and everything works. That was the plan this last time but somehow I forgot the cheese?!?!?!

Bacon on the WSM

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