Bacon Bacon Bacon - Opinions on skin

downstatesmoker

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

Apr 14, 2008

586

13

Rockville Centre, NY

• Dec 17, 2009

• #1

Hi Guys,

I just picked up a 10 lb pork belly (without the bones). I've got a plan to cure for approx 10 days with a dry cure then do a lower temp smoke to ease it up to about 140 degrees.

My questions is this do you remove the skin after smoking or do you leave it on and just slice it into rashers?

Thoughts?

Oh, and I will have Qview later, picked the bellies up on the way to work.

 

ol' smokey

Smoking Fanatic

SMF Premier Member

Feb 4, 2009

589

12

Parma, Ohio

• Dec 17, 2009

• #2

I've done it both ways. It's easier to remove the skin after smoking and slicing but your losing half of the smoke flavor. Myself I take the skin off prior to curing. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

smoking snow

Fire Starter

Dec 3, 2009

43

10

Three Hills Alberta Canada

• Dec 17, 2009

• #3

I would take it off before cure if it was me

 

fatback joe

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Jun 13, 2007

2,763

14

Hampden, MA

• Dec 17, 2009

• #4

I do it right before slicing, but just becuase it is easy that way.

 

mballi3011

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Mar 12, 2009

14,477

58

• Dec 17, 2009

• #5

I have made a good amount of bacon but never with bellies but I will soon enough. I have heard that it's a personall preferrance ( and mine too) to remove the skin from the bacon before you smoke it cause I would like to get the smokey flavor into the meat. It's that the reson to smoke it after all.