Bacon Hot Smoke/Cold Smoke ~ What is Your Preference ?

[thirdeye]

I'm curious about preference for your homemade bacon.... I change my technique around from time to time but let me know your pro's and con's when you make bacon because I'm at a crossroads of choices. Basically I do one of three techniques: Cold smoked, cold smoked and hot smoked to 125°-130° internal, and cold smoked and hot smoked to 145°. I like the flavor of cold smoked only, but it makes a little more grease in the skillet. The cold/hot to 125° is easier to cook and seems to hold up better in the freezer, although 3 to 4 months tops is my max time. And I like the convenience of having some fully cooked that I just can lightly fry or bake. I picked up a fresh 10# belly and after an 11 day cure (canning salt 1.8%, white sugar 1%, and Cure #1, additional flavorings for the cure were black pepper, crushed bay leaf and garlic powder). I did a few hours of soak-out followed by an overnight rest, re-seasoned with coarse pepper. Day one was cold smoked at 70° for 5 hours, another overnight rest (wrapped), day two was 4 more hours cold smoked and the smoker was closer to 80°. I chilled these slabs down and did a sample for testing, which I'm pleased with as is. I do have a few packages of 145° finish in the freezer, it has fenugreek added. And I have one package of random ends to use for beans and such. So basically, I have enough product to do more than one finishing method, but the conditions were almost perfect for cold smoked, I'm leaning on mellowing it a day or two in the beer fridge and calling it good.

 

[bill ace 350]

I cold smoke at temperatures between 32 and 40 degrees f.

I have 10 pounds going in the smoker tomorrow

Temp is supposed to be 36.

Perfect.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Cold Smoked 12 hours straight. Grease in the Pan equals Bacon Grease for most everything else I saute...JJ

 

[thirdeye]

I cold smoke at temperatures between 32 and 40 degrees f.

I have 10 pounds going in the smoker tomorrow

Temp is supposed to be 36.

Perfect.

You're talking outside temperature?.... well you can see the snow in my truck in the background of the second picture. Day 1 was between 15° and 30°, and today I started at 30° and pulled it out of the smoker at noon when the temp had risen to 45°.

 

[thirdeye]

Cold Smoked 12 hours straight. Grease in the Pan equals Bacon Grease for most everything else I saute...JJ

We cook a lot of sheet pan veggies, a little bacon grease is great for that especially on Brussels sprouts.

 

[bill ace 350]

You're talking outside temperature?.... well you can see the snow in my truck in the background of the second picture. Day 1 was between 15° and 30°, and today I started at 30° and pulled it out of the smoker at noon when the temp had risen to 45°.

Yes, outside temperatures. Smoke tray generates little heat.

 

[Sowsage]

A little extra bacon grease never hurt anyone! Id go cold smoke all the way! Fenugreek? That sounds like it would be really good. I know I have used it in some ham snack sticks before for a "maple like flavor" how would you describe the flavor when using it for your bacon?

 

[thirdeye]

A little extra bacon grease never hurt anyone! Id go cold smoke all the way! Fenugreek? That sounds like it would be really good. I know I have used it in some ham snack sticks before for a "maple like flavor" how would you describe the flavor when using it for your bacon?

It delivers the maple flavor. If you have seeds, 1/2 teaspoon (or less is a good threshold), if you have the powder.... use a few pinches.

 

[skidog]

I usually cold smoked with the mailbox mod for between 12 and 24 hours. Last time it was kind of a blizzard so I fired up the Copperhead at 175*, hung the bacon with a pan of ice under it and smoked for 3-4 hours, never checked internal temp. So far my favorite bacon. I will say I used a little more salt than previous and one slab was a new recipe, but now I'm not sure I'll go back to cold smoke.

 

[Bearcarver]

Neither Cold Smoke nor Hot Smoke!

Belly Bacon I smoke with a smoker temp at between 100° and 130°, and get Great color & awesome flavor in half the time of cold smoking & I don't render any fat, like hot smoking does.
Like This: Bacon (Extra Smoky)

As for Buckboard Bacon & Canadian Bacon, I Smoke Low for a few hours, and then finish it to an IT of >145°.

Bear

 

[tridiot]

So I'm wondering if doing the cold smoke thing leads to the ability to get crispy bacon or no? I was always under the impression the reason my bacon doesn't get truly 'crispy' is due to hot smoking it. It comes out more like ham, not truly like the crispy bacon I like.

How do you get truly crisp bacon like the supermarket stuff gets, but with home-cured and home-smoked flavor?

 

[Bearcarver]

So I'm wondering if doing the cold smoke thing leads to the ability to get crispy bacon or no? I was always under the impression the reason my bacon doesn't get truly 'crispy' is due to hot smoking it. It comes out more like ham, not truly like the crispy bacon I like.

How do you get truly crisp bacon like the supermarket stuff gets, but with home-cured and home-smoked flavor?

Check this out:

This is the secret to getting perfectly crispy bacon

Adding water is the key

www.independent.co.uk

Bear

 

[Sowsage]

So I'm wondering if doing the cold smoke thing leads to the ability to get crispy bacon or no? I was always under the impression the reason my bacon doesn't get truly 'crispy' is due to hot smoking it. It comes out more like ham, not truly like the crispy bacon I like.

How do you get truly crisp bacon like the supermarket stuff gets, but with home-cured and home-smoked flavor?

What is your method of curing? Ive noticed a difference in how crispy you can get the bacon between curing by rubing down with salts/cure and doing a curing brine that is submerged .

 

[tridiot]

The times I did it, it was a submerged brine. Are you saying that dry-brining your bacon leads to better crispy texture?

I was aware of the water method above, saw that on Food Network or somewhere, but not aware if that makes a difference with home cured bacon. All I know is store-bought bacon can be cooked to crisp, and my home-cured (admittedly wet-brined) bacon was always more like a ham texture.

 

[Sowsage]

The times I did it, it was a submerged brine. Are you saying that dry-brining your bacon leads to better crispy texture?

I was aware of the water method above, saw that on Food Network or somewhere, but not aware if that makes a difference with home cured bacon. All I know is store-bought bacon can be cooked to crisp, and my home-cured (admittedly wet-brined) bacon was always more like a ham texture.

Actually what I have noticed is the wet cure or brine method crisps up a little better than just rubing with the cure and salts. Not sure why.