Achin for Bacon

[bb53chevpro]

We went camping on Labour Day weekend and didn't have any homemade bacon to take with us. Well, we are planning to go camping again the weekend of Sept 19. HAVE TO HAVE BACON. (nothing like cooking a thick (1/4" thick) piece of bacon on an open fire). So I ordered a couple of bellies.
A total of just over 21 pounds. So I cut them into approximately 2 lbs pieces. Dry cure is the plan (1kg belly= 100grams of salt and 50 grams of sugar, no nitrates).
Will cure and flip over once a day for 5 days, will rinse, soak, to remove the extra saltiness, then smoke til internal gets to 150 deg. Let cool, then into vacuum bags for the freezer. One of my buddies wants me to make a chunk of paprika bacon for him.








Will post more once the bellies are cured.
Thanks......

 

[capt dan]

I'm jeolous already!

 

[cowgirl]

Those are nice looking slabs Andy, can't wait to see your finished bacon!
Are you going to use your smokehouse on these?

 

[bb53chevpro]

Due to timing and the fact that its still warm here, plus NO cure, it will be safer for to hot smoke them, this time. But I just might.

 

[fishawn]

Are those the crabs that were rooting around in your yard, declawed?

 

[desertlites]

good looking bellie's andy-soon gonna be bacon time for me again

 

[pineywoods]

Andy those look great I can't wait to see the awesome bacon I know is coming!

 

[sea_munky]

the lighting on the slabs in that second pic looks awesome. Like they're being showcased. Can't wait to see the finished bacon!

 

[mossymo]

The slabs look absolutely great.
Just like the monkey said after the lawnmower ran over his tail, "It won't be long now".....

 

[richtee]

I'd have to agree there Andy. Get 'em done and frozen. Man nice lookin' bellies tho. I play heck trying to get them local.

 

[bb53chevpro]

The whole family is looking forward to the taste test. Thanks to all who have takin a look.

 

[nogoer]

You said you ordered these? Mind letting us know where you ordered them from? Like Richtee i can't really get belly locally. Niman ranch has it but its more on the expensive side, although looking just now it seems like it's not as expensive as the last time i looked.

 

[bb53chevpro]

What is meant by "ordering" is that a local meat shop that I always deal with, doesn't stock pork bellies. If I want them he will order them in for me. I guess there is not i big demand for them around here. (people don't know how easy easy it is to make bacon).

 

[nogoer]

I was afraid of that..oh well. I have asked numerous meat markets and so called butcher shops if they would order it for me, but so far no takers. I got close once where they said they would call the supplier for a price and let me know so i knew what to expect, but then they never called back to confirm.

Somebody should start up a specialty meat mail order site. There is obviously a niche here going unfilled

 

[pantherfan83]

There are such sites. Niman Ranch for instance, or do you mean a site that doesn't require you to mortgage your house to by a belly?

 

[bb53chevpro]

Well, its all smoked. As said earlier, I hot smoked them to 145 internal. Then shut off the propane and let smoke till internal dropped to 135.

The bellies in the gosm.



Here is the thin blue smoke.



Now the belly pieces.









A few ot these pieces will be made into Paprika bacon. More pics to come when this is done.
OH MAN, does this stuff smell amazing.....

Thanks.....

 

[pineywoods]

That looks awesome

 

[mgwerks]

I'm crying - the agony of not being able to smell it!

 

[richtee]

Someone brought a hunk of the Albalt Szolonna to the reunion I went to a couple weeks back..a place in Cleveland is still making it... Oh MY! Delicious!

 

[desertlites]

great looking bacon Andy as usual-what do u pay for bellies there-2.49 here-come outta Phoenix.