1st Pork Belly Bacon

[GATOR240]

Terrific looking bacon. Have you purchased your second belly yet? I did my first belly early February and my second belly will be ready next weekend. Totally addicting.

 

[GaryHibbert]

Very nice job on the bacon. Beautiful color. And talk about meaty.....
Definitely worth a POINT.
Gary

 

[Fueling Around]

Ugh! You're killing me with those tasty slabs of bacon.
I never saw slab pork belly at local sources until late last year. Previously I only saw it sliced into side pork (still a tasty treat).
This has been a ... less than desirable past 5 months and not favorable for smoking.

Now I have to read post after post of making bacon.

Keep up the great job torturing me.

 

[smokenharley]

Thanks again everyone. If it were not for this forum and all the contributors it very well may have been a bacon disaster. With that said, thanks for the feedback and thanks for all who posted their successes and not so success. We learn best from each other. Best forum ever.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Sorry for late reply been out of town.

Thanks for the like JCinGB it is greatly appreciated.

Warren

 

[hondabbq]

When you are doing your cold smoke, do you light only 1 end of the tray>

 

[smokenharley]

When you are doing your cold smoke, do you light only 1 end of the tray>

hondabbq, I lit just one end and it seemed to generate plenty of smoke for the pork bellies.

 

[Bearcarver]

hondabbq, I lit just one end and it seemed to generate plenty of smoke for the pork bellies.

You have to be careful, if you do.
I only lit both ends of my AMNPS one time, years ago, and the smoke was too dense---I put one end out to avoid Bitter taste & creosote from too dense a smoke.

Bear

 

[hondabbq]

You have to be careful, if you do.
I only lit both ends of my AMNPS one time, years ago, and the smoke was too dense---I put one end out to avoid Bitter taste & creosote from too dense a smoke.

Bear

I have used the AMNPS several times but I have yet to have great success with it. I read all the post about TBS with it and I can never get that. I get white smoke with it. I have great airflow in my Smokevault 24. bottom 2 vents open and open up and the top so it flows over the hanging bellies. I have lit both ends before thinking it will smoke faster but that didn't work out well. As you said it was very sooty tasting.
When I hot smoke my back bacon I get good results. Good smoke flavor with the sweetness yummy.
I also never get that great yellowing of the bellies either, but im assuming im just not doing it long enough of a cold smoke.
I got 25 lbs of pork belly in cure right now and it will be out next Wednesday and ill smoke it up on the weekend. I will go slower and longer.

 

[Bearcarver]

I have used the AMNPS several times but I have yet to have great success with it. I read all the post about TBS with it and I can never get that. I get white smoke with it. I have great airflow in my Smokevault 24. bottom 2 vents open and open up and the top so it flows over the hanging bellies. I have lit both ends before thinking it will smoke faster but that didn't work out well. As you said it was very sooty tasting.
When I hot smoke my back bacon I get good results. Good smoke flavor with the sweetness yummy.
I also never get that great yellowing of the bellies either, but im assuming im just not doing it long enough of a cold smoke.
I got 25 lbs of pork belly in cure right now and it will be out next Wednesday and ill smoke it up on the weekend. I will go slower and longer.

IMO, White smoke is OK, as long as it's light smoke.
I smoke my Bacon with Hickory in my AMNPS for 11 hours (one full load), but I use Smoking Temp of between 100° and 130°. It takes at least twice as long to get the same color & flavor from cold smoking. Not a problem---Just takes longer.

I like to say Many, Many hours of Light smoke is good, but even a short time of Heavy smoke can be bad.
Bacon (Extra Smoky)

Bear

 

[Fueling Around]

I have used the AMNPS several times but I have yet to have great success with it. I read all the post about TBS with it and I can never get that. I get white smoke with it. I have great airflow in my Smokevault 24. bottom 2 vents open and open up and the top so it flows over the hanging bellies. I have lit both ends before thinking it will smoke faster but that didn't work out well. As you said it was very sooty tasting.
When I hot smoke my back bacon I get good results. Good smoke flavor with the sweetness yummy.
I also never get that great yellowing of the bellies either, but im assuming im just not doing it long enough of a cold smoke.
I got 25 lbs of pork belly in cure right now and it will be out next Wednesday and ill smoke it up on the weekend. I will go slower and longer.

Have you checked out the gasser (propane) forum https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forums/propane-smokers.109/ to get tips on low and slow smoking?
It reads as if you have too much heat and way too much airflow for cold smoking a belly.
In my learning curve, back or loin or side bacon can take a little more heat and smoke without going bitter.

 

[newsmokerky]

Looks awesome!

 

[hondabbq]

Have you checked out the gasser (propane) forum https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forums/propane-smokers.109/ to get tips on low and slow smoking?
It reads as if you have too much heat and way too much airflow for cold smoking a belly.
In my learning curve, back or loin or side bacon can take a little more heat and smoke without going bitter.

When I am cold smoking I don't use the propane at all. I just hang the meat in the SV and light the AMNPS.
I cold smoke when ambient temp is 50f +

 

[Tex1911]

Quick question:

I see those dark spots (see picture # 4) on the slab after smoking. What are these? At first I thought maybe from the racks but some of the spots are just that, round spots. I have done several batches of bacon and some have it and some didn't. Any concerns with it? To the OP, please dont think I'm mocking your cook, I'm not, I'm just curious and didnt have pics of my own.

 

[smokenharley]

Quick question:

I see those dark spots (see picture # 4) on the slab after smoking. What are these? At first I thought maybe from the racks but some of the spots are just that, round spots. I have done several batches of bacon and some have it and some didn't. Any concerns with it? To the OP, please dont think I'm mocking your cook, I'm not, I'm just curious and didnt have pics of my own.

The crosshatch pattern of lines are from the jerky racks they were on in the fridge. The dark area (spots) are due to the weight of the slab on the rack displacing some of the fat. What you are seeing is the meat under the fat cap.

 

[smokenharley]

Terrific looking bacon. Have you purchased your second belly yet? I did my first belly early February and my second belly will be ready next weekend. Totally addicting.

I haven't purchased the second one since we are still eating the first one. When I get down to a few bags left in the freezer I'll be starting the process all over again. I would like to try the dry method to compare with the brine method I used in this batch.

 

[jbchurchill]

I see in your tag and pics that you've got a Traeger but you used the amazen to smoke the slab. Curious to know why?

 

[Bearcarver]

I see in your tag and pics that you've got a Traeger but you used the amazen to smoke the slab. Curious to know why?

From what I've been told, Pellet Poopers burn too efficient at higher Temps to produce much smoke.
But I could be wrong.

Bear

 

[disco]

I see in your tag and pics that you've got a Traeger but you used the amazen to smoke the slab. Curious to know why?

From what I've been told, Pellet Poopers burn too efficient at higher Temps to produce much smoke.
But I could be wrong.

Bear

Pellet smokers do give a decent smoke at lower temperatures like when curing bacon. They do a fine job but do not give a strong smoke. As a matter of personal taste, some people like to add additional smoke with an tube or maze smoker.

 

[smokenharley]

I see in your tag and pics that you've got a Traeger but you used the amazen to smoke the slab. Curious to know why?

I cold smoked the slabs. I did use the traeger as a container if you will and put the amazen smoker inside. I could have used the Traeger to hot smoke them - I can keep my Traeger between 140 and 170 on the low side but, I think I prefer the cold smoke method.