Bacon Making in a Lang Help

[megownm]

Lang owners....

Going to give making bacon in my 36H (NO WARMING BOX); I followed the EQ method and have it has been in the fridge for a few days now. my question is...since I'm in WC FL I can't "COLD" smoke and plan to keep it as "cool" as possible when we fire it up in a few weeks. I just got a SHB fire basket so that helps fire management but not sue how low of a temp I should try to run the pit at? Someone said put a bowl of ice on the griddle by the fb and keep the fire as far back in the fb as possible. Want to see if anyone out there with a Lang has given making bacon on thier pit and if so how did you do it? I'll be picking up my 48D in a few months when I will then start to use the warming box to make it but until then I have to use the main chamber to do bacon.

Cheers!

 

[zippy12]

use a small fire
you can try the ice
maybe put a large fan on the main chamber and fire box to cool the steel

 

[olecrosseyes]

Cold smoke for 8 hours on ref it for16 hrs and repete a couple of more days, wonderful! If possible purchase an A Maz N AMNPS5x8PF Maze Pellet Smoker then you won't use the fire box

 

[megownm]

Do you use that in the main chamber or the fb on your Lang?

 

[zippy12]

fire box for small fire

main chamber for meat

we dont like the taste of pellets so I tend a small fire

 

[megownm]

What size Lang are you smoking on?

 

[SmokinEdge]

The A Maz N tray is your friend with cold smoking. No fire required. Just fill the tray and light that.

 

[zippy12]

What size Lang are you smoking on?

36 no warmer

Like I said we dont like pellet flavor... running small fire is more work but you get a better product

 

[pineywoods]

I would be setting the Lang up in the shade and using an amazen smoker.
Depending on how hot it is you could also set up a sprinkler to wet over the top of the smoker
I'm in n FL and while I don't use my Lang for bacon or cheese I do have to rig up a sprinkler over my smoke house if it's summer
I go by color as far as how long I smoke it but it's usually somewhere between 10 and 12 hours

 

[JckDanls 07]

For us here in Fl. the best time to cold smoke is overnight ... If cured properly ... I hear you saying you don't like pellets... but in reality .... That's pretty much the only way to cold smoke ... besides using "sawdust" in the A-MAZ-N tray for even less heat ...
Sure, you can tend to a really small fire that is separate from the Lang and then the smoke is piped in through the firebox and then into chamber... But you would have to stay up all night tending the fire (small).... Or you can use the tray (in the firebox) and pellets and sleep all night and not have to worry about it... Tray will smoke for up to 10 hrs ...

 

[SmokinAl]

I do it all the time in my Lang. Even at 70 degrees outside temp at night it can easily be done. Amazon tray in the firebox & bacon on the top rack or take racks out & hang from a rod that is across the top rack braces. The Lang will draw the smoke thru & by the time it gets to the meat it has cooled down considerably. Never had to use ice. Once that metal cools down it takes a lot of heat to heat it back up. Just leave it in the shade during the day & when the sun goes down get it going. I even do lox in the fall & spring that way.
Al
Al

 

[olecrosseyes]

Reactions:SmokinEdge Thank you my friend!

Al has some solid advice as do the others!

 

[megownm]

Al,
Doing it that way how long do you keep the smoke going from the Amazon tray? I assume that you are NOT smoking the belly/bacon to an IT of 145f? Do you smoke it to any IT them doing it your way at all?

 

[pineywoods]

SmokinAl and JckDanls 07 are both down your way so they should know your conditions the best and I had forgotten Al does use a Lang

 

[megownm]

Yep, I know. Just want to see if he does it like I ask'd above as I will be firing up my 36H in a few weeks to do my 1st batch and don't really want to "hot" smoke it.

 

[SmokinAl]

Al,
Doing it that way how long do you keep the smoke going from the Amazon tray? I assume that you are NOT smoking the belly/bacon to an IT of 145f? Do you smoke it to any IT them doing it your way at all?

No IT. Just fill the tray to the top & let it go, it usually puts out smoke for about 10 hours & that gives us just the right amount of smoke. If you want a more smokey flavor, just put the belly in the fridge after 10 hours & do the same thing the next day. But our experience has been that 10 hours gives it a perfect flavor. I just let it go until the AMNPS burns out, which is about 10 hours or so. Yes you are right I’m not hot smoking this to an IT of 145. Why do that if you are going to fry it before you eat it. The texture & flavor is much better with cold smoked bacon than it is with bacon taken to 145. Of course that is my opinion, but there are a lot of guys on here that would agree with me. If you are skeptical then do it both ways, hot smoke & cold smoke & decide for yourself which one you like the best.
Al

 

[Bearcarver]

Like Al, I just Smoke a full Tray for My Bacon, and get 10 to 11 hours of nice Smoke.
However when I fill mine, I stop about 3/8" from the top of the Tray's interior walls, to keep the burning pellets from jumping over the walls to the next row.
I don't hot smoke mine either, but I give it a little heat to help it adhere smoke (About 100° to 130° smoking Temp---No Higher).
Note: This is with an electric smoker.

Bear