1st try at bacon

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cooter79

Fire Starter
Original poster
Oct 9, 2020
37
17
Just pulled my bacon from cure and rinsed. How’s it look.
 

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I used this recipe.

Maple Bacon Cure (per pound of pork belly)
1 Tbsp Morton’s Tender Quick
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Been in the fridge in plastic bags for 11 days. I just rinsed and I slice a section of and it is a little too salty for my liking so I’m planning on soaking it for 30 to see if it gets better.
 
I used this recipe.

Maple Bacon Cure (per pound of pork belly)
1 Tbsp Morton’s Tender Quick
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Been in the fridge in plastic bags for 11 days. I just rinsed and I slice a section of and it is a little too salty for my liking so I’m planning on soaking it for 30 to see if it gets better.
What is the weight of your belly prior to curing?
 
When I sliced them up for easier management when curing I had 5 pieces each weighing roughly 2.5lbs.
 
Here is how they currently look after resting in the fridge since 930 last night. Should I have trimmed some of that fat cap?
 

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Cure looks good. The fat on top should be fine. Nice looking bellies, where did you get them?

Costco, it was a moment of weakness. I am planning on hot smoking them tomorrow as its the only day off or not on fire call.
 
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Not weakness , you have the right priorities!!! Plus good belly is had to find. Gotta get a costco membership. If doing hot smoke should be done in a couple of hours
 
nice looking bacon! And good call on fry test, it's important to do at least until you find a recipe that you know is not too salty. Had you smoked it there is no way to fix it.

Ryan
 
Hey Cooter, why not switch to cure#1 ??? You won't have the "too salty" problem...

I couldn't find any locally at the time I wanted to start this and got impatient and didn't want to wait for an order. I have learned my lesson for the next go around and will order some.
 
Will a "normal" meat slicer slide back far enough to slice the belly or am I going to be hand slicing?
 
Lots of folks cut the slabs to fit the slicer. Or you can fold the slab in half and slice away for long slices.
I did cut my slabs in half and borrowed a friend slicer and it work perfectly. I came out with 9 packages of 3/4lb nicely cut bacon and about a lb of mediocre looking bacon but still tasted great. I’ll definitely do again it will use pink cure 1 not tender quick.
 
I did cut my slabs in half and borrowed a friend slicer and it work perfectly. I came out with 9 packages of 3/4lb nicely cut bacon and about a lb of mediocre looking bacon but still tasted great. I’ll definitely do again it will use pink cure 1 not tender quick.
Sounds good. Use the EQ method. It balances salt and sugar to the weight of meat. Very repeatable and is adjustable to your taste. Once dialed in you are never over or under on salt or sugar.
 
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I did cut my slabs in half and borrowed a friend slicer and it work perfectly. I came out with 9 packages of 3/4lb nicely cut bacon and about a lb of mediocre looking bacon but still tasted great. I’ll definitely do again it will use pink cure 1 not tender quick.
You could take the "mediocre" looking bacon and make bacon jam.. good stuff!
 
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