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  1. mark bacon

    to cold for cure ?

    Thanks guys, I guess I need to warm the meat up a bit.  I will pick up a thermometer for the garage to see what the temp is in there.  Beer isn't frozen, but it is nice and cold.  I will let things cure for a few extra days since I probably put the bacon into hibernation.....   this week looks...
  2. mark bacon

    to cold for cure ?

    I have 72 lbs of pork bellies curing.  Now that it is much colder in the garage ( at or very close to freezing ) I have noticed that the bellies that are dry brining are not kicking out the amount of liquid they did when the garage / fridge was in the mid 40s. Do I need to cure longer, bring...
  3. mark bacon

    Crazy question for Todd Johnson and others about the Amazen smokers

    Todd: Thanks for the A-Maze-N smoker invention.  I fired it up last night at the start of the Packers Falcon's game.  Topped it off around half time 10:30? and this morning at 7 it was still smoking.  Worked just like it was supposed to.  Can't wait to put it to work all this week on 150 lbs of...
  4. mark bacon

    Bacon question's Dry rub or wet Brine

    I'm with Todd on the dry cure and adding a little water,  I also use a liberal amount of steak seasoning on my cure, also a dusting of granulated garlic, fresh course ground Malibar/tellicherry pepper as well as some McCormicks Smokehouse Maple seasoning and then used my trusty Jacard, and...
  5. mark bacon

    Crazy question for Todd Johnson and others about the Amazen smokers

     I just got my A-Maze-n pellet smoker friday and have not used it yet, but am excited.  Since the tube produces more smoke than the Maze can I buy another and stack it on top face down so that they are face to face so I have an A-Maze-N pellet super smoker ? Or should I just use the veggie stir...
  6. mark bacon

    Bacon with different types of bellies

    Have doing bacon now for 2 years, and now its time to branch out to different types of bellies.  I have previously bought from a pork packing plant in Chicago, that has great prices, but would like a more ' GOURMET" type of bacon.  Have just recently tried a Kurobota belly, which was delicious (...
  7. mark bacon

    Homemade Corned Beef & Pastrami

    Thanks !!   Did you soak or just rinse it off ?  I split it into 2 chunks.  One for corned beef and the other I am going to try the Pastrami style with some smoke.
  8. mark bacon

    Homemade Corned Beef & Pastrami

    Mine has been in the brine now for 20 days !!  is that too long ?  had some Mother in law issues come up, so meat has just been sitting.  Worried that it is too long ??
  9. mark bacon

    Newbie bacon curing questions...

    Try a little longer soak with a water change in between.  As far as the smoke , as the others on here have said, if you let it rest a bit 3-4 days after smoking, it tones down. I took a piece of HVAC vent, drilled a bunch of holes in it, and that acts to further diffuse the smoke so it is not...
  10. mark bacon

    Can I re-smoke previously frozen bacon ??

    I put them in the freezer to firm them up for slicing.  Then work got crazy, and they have just been sitting in there.  Why would I want to hot smoke if I already got them up to 140 the first time smoking ?  
  11. mark bacon

    Can I re-smoke previously frozen bacon ??

    I have 3  that I smoked and due to weather / work never finished them off so they ended up in the freezer unwrapped for the last 6 weeks.  Since they have aired out in the freezer for so long, they don't seem to smell quite as smoky as I like.  Can I thaw them out and put more smoke on them, or...
  12. mark bacon

    DUAL FUEL GRILL / SMOKER, what is the best ??

    I am thinking of purchasing a dual fuel grill / smoker for out cottage.  Reason for the dual fuel is that way if there is a crowd, I can do some food over charcoal and some more controlled over propane.  I also like the idea of being able to slow smoke on the charcoal side.  My gut says buy 2...
  13. mark bacon

    BACON DRY CURE, DRAIN OR NOT TO DRAIN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    Dave: I have not sold any, but rather have given samples out like all of us have done to family and friends.  My cousin is the manager at a high end artsy restaurant here in town and I gave him a couple of thick slabs for the chef to try as a bacon steak appetizer.  He really liked it, gave me...
  14. mark bacon

    BACON DRY CURE, DRAIN OR NOT TO DRAIN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    Thanks Wade: I have been careful on the cure ratio.  Did find the link to the pink salt #1 vs Morton's quick cure very helpful.  I usually Jacard the bellies after I have put the cure on it, and then again after the seasonings, making sure I spend a little more time on the fatty side since I...
  15. mark bacon

    BACON DRY CURE, DRAIN OR NOT TO DRAIN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    Rats, so much for the bulk buy on bellies.  Better safe than sorry,  Thanks for your info, HUGE help.  
  16. mark bacon

    BACON DRY CURE, DRAIN OR NOT TO DRAIN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    I probably didn't word it correctly, what I am wondering is how long I can brine bacon before smoking and am wondering  if using a vac sealer with brined bacon can stretch the brine time and  allow me to buy 100 lbs of bellies all at once, brine them all at once, and put some in vac bags that...
  17. mark bacon

    BACON DRY CURE, DRAIN OR NOT TO DRAIN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    Wade,  If I vac seal a brined belly, how long do you think it could stay in there ?  since its airtight, would it slow the process down to where it could be brined for a month or even longer??  Then would you bring out into the air for a few days ?    I go to Chicago for my bellies, and it...
  18. mark bacon

    BACON DRY CURE, DRAIN OR NOT TO DRAIN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    Dave,  I'm thinking it will then shrink even less when cooking ???  What is the longest you've dried before smoking ?   Also what is the longest you've let it rest after smoking until cutting and packaging ?  I have a slab I am going to have to cut or at least bag as it has now been a week...
  19. mark bacon

    BACON DRY CURE, DRAIN OR NOT TO DRAIN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    I keep rolling the bellies around in the in the liquid.  They will have been in "dry" brine for 8 days on thursday .   My plan is to soak them for about 1/2 hour, change water, and soak for another 15-20. Then I will let them air dry for until I get back home and can start smoking monday.  I...
  20. mark bacon

    BACON DRY CURE, DRAIN OR NOT TO DRAIN, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    I will keep the liquid in then, thanks.  Just keep rotating them in it, and then will let air dry 4 days or so since I know I can't smoke this weekend which would be the normal 9 day time frame.  What is the longest I could air dry the bacon without ruining it ??? As for the pancetta, here is...
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