Bacon From My Pig.....Pop's Brine

[woodcutter]

I had 20 lbs of side meat from my recent pig butchering adventure. I mixed 1 1/2 gallons of Pop's brine and submersed them in my bucket for 9 days. Here are a few pictures.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

Brine

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

These free Sam's club frosting buckets are perfect for 4 1/2 slabs.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

I put this in the refrigerator for 9 days and didn't even look at it.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

The bellies were rinsed after the brine and laid on the smoker racks with a fan to form a good pellicle.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

The pig or "hog" was 250lbs and had the perfect thickness and fat ratio for my liking.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

4 hours into drying

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

Approximately 5 hours of cold apple smoke from the pellets in the AMNPS.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

A light mahogany.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

Mellowing in the fridge.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

Trimmed a few pieces to taste test.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

A #10 skillet is always needed for taste testing bacon.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 10, 2015

Foamheart, I was thinking of you as I was lightly burning my test pieces. I'll try even lower heat next time.

I dry cured a few times but after getting Pop's brine the way I like it, it is the only way for me. Thank you once again Pops. I'm really happy with my bacon's salt/sugar level.

Thanks for looking! 

 

[ernesttbass]

I can only imagine how good that tastes.  Wow!

 

[woodcutter]

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• woodcutter
• Apr 12, 2015

Partially froze the bacon for about 4 hours for slicing.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 12, 2015

I found I could get the largest number longer pieces by cutting them 8" long.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 12, 2015

The pan on the left is most of the short pieces. The others were eaten during the process.

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• woodcutter
• Apr 12, 2015

I ended up putting 14 1/2 lbs in the freezer.

 

[gary s]

Nice Job,  That will be some good stuff,    

Gary

 

[pc farmer]

Looks awesome Todd.

Points for your pig.

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

That looks phenomenal Todd ! Very nice !

Justin

 

[sota d]

Wow, that looks awesome! Thanks for posting, David.

 

[woodcutter]

Thanks everyone! I'm having a lot of fun with this pig in the freezer.

 

[tropics]

 
Thanks everyone! I'm having a lot of fun with this pig in the freezer. I can't wait to do the rear hams.

Todd you do know that sounds terrible 

Nice job on the Bacon That was from the one you butchered?

 

 

[woodcutter]

 

 
Thanks everyone! I'm having a lot of fun with this pig in the freezer. I can't wait to do the rear hams.

Todd you do know that sounds terrible 

Nice job on the Bacon That was from the one you butchered?

 

LOL, that didn't sound very good. Thanks, the bacon is from the pig I butchered. I still can't wait to get the hams in the brine bucket.....ha!

 

[foamheart]

That looks really great Todd, I am envious. I didn't get any bacon made this year and its already hot.

That bacon looks amazing. What type slicer is that?

 

[woodcutter]

 
That looks really great Todd, I am envious. I didn't get any bacon made this year and its already hot.

That bacon looks amazing. What type slicer is that?

Thanks! I thought you just made some a few weeks ago. Maybe I was reading an old thread. (I'm 50 now ya know so I may slip a little once in a while)

 

[foamheart]

 
Thanks! I thought you just made some a few weeks ago. Maybe I was reading an old thread. (I'm 50 now ya know so I may slip a little once in a while)

Your right, I did a side and a 1/2 I believe, a few months ago. The side I did was an experiment and I wasn't too happy with it. The other 1/2 a 1/2, I have one piece left. I learned not only from the experimental side, but from the 1/2 a 1/2. I cut off all the freezer burn before curing. When I cured leaving the freezer burn on, thinking I would trim afterwards, the freezer burn seemed to dissappear thru the cureing process. Who knew!

Either way I did 7 sides last year and it didn't last a whole year.  Bummer..... I guess I must have liked it too much....LOL