Bacon! Something to show finally.....

[SonnyE]

Bacon grease instead of oil! Try that some time Sonny!

It sounds interesting Tom.
Do you inject it into the Microwave bag? o_O
We are fortunate enough to have a Popcorn button on our microwave.
But not one for Bacon Grease Popcorn.:confused:
Like Rob, it's been a coons age since I popped popcorn in a pan. But we used to use a Hot Air Popper. I can't remember the procedure (oil, or no oil), but we were away from hot oil popcorn.
Instead of Bacon and Eggs, it sounds like Bacon and Popcorn for you Tom. :rolleyes:

 

[TomKnollRFV]

It sounds interesting Tom.
Do you inject it into the Microwave bag? o_O
We are fortunate enough to have a Popcorn button on our microwave.
But not one for Bacon Grease Popcorn.:confused:
Like Rob, it's been a coons age since I popped popcorn in a pan. But we used to use a Hot Air Popper. I can't remember the procedure (oil, or no oil), but we were away from hot oil popcorn.
Instead of Bacon and Eggs, it sounds like Bacon and Popcorn for you Tom. :rolleyes:

Harr Harr! Sonny! I don't microwave popcorn! Oil popper all the way!

 

[SonnyE]

TA-Daaa....
Sliced, weighed, packaged, and in the freezer.
With about a pound of trimmings for some wicked beans.

Started with Belly.

First pound, Vacuum packed and freezer bound...

One small slab for the freezer, One giant leap for Sonny... (About 2 and 3/4 pounds)

4 pounds of Buckboard Bacon... And a celebratory PBR (yes, it was After Noon)

I got quite fast at handling, weighing, and getting my sliced bacon into the 11" X 11" vacuum bags.
Under the bacon is "Patty Paper" to make the pile easier to slip from my slicers tray, into the bags.
And hopefully easier to get back out.

All in all, fun! But Holy Mackerel, it took a long time to get around the mountain. I have another slab of Pork Belly to begin curing.
But first, some Dutch's Wicked Beans, with some extree Home Cured BACON added.

Mistakes NOTED for the next time:
Weigh the bacon for the salt to weight ratio 1-2% per pound.
Soak after curing to reduce the saltiness.

I think I'll have me another PBR and catch a nap.
Between Maken Bacon, and playin with me nuts, I'm feelin pooped.

 

[rob g]

If you have too much you can send some up here. I can hardly wait for my slicer to arrive

 

[SonnyE]

If you have too much you can send some up here. I can hardly wait for my slicer to arrive

Hi Rob. Pick a picture and print it out. There ya go.
Slicer makes a lot of difference.
I'm finding I like my meat frozen for slicing.
I've made a few batches of Pork Loin Jerky and sliced the meat frozen and it comes out best.
Less than frozen I seem to get 'tails'. I'm surprised the slicer is happy carving frozen meat.
My next slabs I'm going to hard freeze before slicing.

The waiting is the hardest part...

 

[pc farmer]

Looks great. I wrap mine in parchment paper , then into the bag to seal. Works great

 

[SonnyE]

Looks great. I wrap mine in parchment paper , then into the bag to seal. Works great

Great idea Adam!
I'll remember that. In fact, I'm headed to Sam's Club. So I'll look for some more appropriate for my packaging needs.
Instead of messin with my Patty Papers

I made a batch of Dutch's Wicked Beans last night and used some of my trimmins from the BACON in the recipe.
OH! So good! :rolleyes:

EDIT IN:
Hey, you might be interested in a lifetime supply of Dry Waxed Paper for your Pork Belly adventures.
These are just like Patty Wax papers, but bacon sized. ;)


And yeah, I got some Pork Belly. And yeah, here I go again.
How much is a lifetime supply anyway?

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/membe...-wrap-2pk/prod22274391.ip?xid=plp_product_1_1

 

[GaryHibbert]

Sonny, I waited and waited for your post on bacon. Then when you finally got around to makin' bacon, I missed your post. So I'm a wee bit late here. :cool:
Your bacon looks absolutely delicious!! You certainly did a bang up job on it.
I haven't tried making buckboard bacon yet, but after seeing yours I'm going to give it a try. I really do like the meat to fat ratio--as in, MORE MEAT.
POINT for sure.
Gary

 

[SonnyE]

Sonny, I waited and waited for your post on bacon. Then when you finally got around to makin' bacon, I missed your post. So I'm a wee bit late here. :cool:
Your bacon looks absolutely delicious!! You certainly did a bang up job on it.
I haven't tried making buckboard bacon yet, but after seeing yours I'm going to give it a try. I really do like the meat to fat ratio--as in, MORE MEAT.
POINT for sure.
Gary

Thank You, Gary!
My Mom always said better late, than never.
I'm sure happy with it, all in all. It takes forever though. About a month all told.
14 days curing, 5 days making pellicle (Pelicans), 4 hours hanging and smoking, overnight hanging and cooling, more daze dry aging after all in a curing fridge, and finally... to the slicer, arranging, weighing, bagging, vacuum sealing, and into the freezer.
I have another slab curing as we speak. Going to cook some up this afternoon for the Grandkid's to get their critical opinions.
I need to do another Buckboard Bacon, though. I flubbed a critical 1 hour soaking in Iced water to reduce the saltiness.
So my Buckboard Bacon is for the beans...
I'll let that soak in a minute.... For the beans... it's going to do great in Dutch's Wicked Baked Beans.
Which have come into high demand around here. My neighbors love then, the wife loves them, I love them, and everybody who has had some loves them.
But Makin Bacon is quite easy. I used Daveomak's dry brining method for the slabs. And ran my Buckboard bacon at the same time, but took a right turn and did an Old Fashioned Sugar/Salt Cure.
But I think the wife and I prefer the traditional Pork Belly style bacon.
If you can find you some Pork Bellies, and grab a Boston Butt (Pork Shoulder), you're all set.
I'm old fasioned and wanted Bacon Hangers like Dave uses. So durin the curin I was procurrin some.
I find the 4 prong did fine for my slabs.

Give it a go! You'll be glad you did.

 

[Rings Я Us]

All looks great!
I didn't notice why you had temp probes in the meat.. Did you want the bacon to reach a specific internal temp? I used 100% Apple pellets by lumberjack. I used a few chunks of hickory on the charcoal also. I ran a tray in the cooking chamber and the charcoal in the fire box. Held about 80° average for 12 hours. Points!

 

[SonnyE]

All looks great!
I didn't notice why you had temp probes in the meat.. Did you want the bacon to reach a specific internal temp? I used 100% Apple pellets by lumberjack. I used a few chunks of hickory on the charcoal also. I ran a tray in the cooking chamber and the charcoal in the fire box. Held about 80° average for 12 hours. Points!

Because I could. LOL!
It let me watch each slabs IT. One was my ThermoPro, the other 3 were the Inkbird. Brian Mudd helped me to order a 4th meat probe for the Inkbird. So If I ever do another 4 slab grab, I can monitor each slab and rely on my TP-08 for the "grate" temperature.
The TP-08 and the Inkbird stayed right at 1 degree difference for this bacon smoke. (The TP-08 was consistently at 1° lower than the newer Inkbird) I was impressed that the two ran so close during this little test.
Granted the only "test" was at a cold smoke temperature run. And two of the four slabs stopped at 4 hours. The remaining two just soaked in the smoke from the AMNPS. (no heat)
Then the 4 slabs just hung in the smoker until the next morning and went into my little curing/beer fridge to dry age for 5 days. I fried up a 12 ounce leftover package today and let the grandkids and Grandma all enjoy it.
It was a big hit.
Yesss...

I have a second slab curing now (cut in half, 2.89#, and 2.97#) for my next batch. I can see this stuff disappearing fast around here. The 5 YO Grand Daughter LOVES being in the kitchen, and REALLY LOVES bacon. She hung out and ate most of what I cooked this afternoon.
I think I have an heir for my BBQ stuff. Ava can Cook!

 

[GaryHibbert]

I'm sure happy with it, all in all. It takes forever though. About a month all told.
14 days curing, 5 days making pellicle (Pelicans), 4 hours hanging and smoking, overnight hanging and cooling, more daze dry aging after all in a curing fridge, and finally... to the slicer, arranging, weighing, bagging, vacuum sealing, and into the freezer.

Sonny, if you want to speed up the pellicle formation, lay the meat out on racks and put a fan on low blowing over the racks. That's what I do and it makes a huge difference in time spent.
And yes, I got the crack about "for the beans". LOL
I know it's the accepted practice, but why ice water as opposed to cold water to soak the salt out of the meat???? If anyone has discussed this, I missed it.
Glad to hear that Ava can cook. Now it's up to you to encourage her. I know, tough job, but somebody's got to do it. LOL
Gary

 

[SonnyE]

Sonny, if you want to speed up the pellicle formation, lay the meat out on racks and put a fan on low blowing over the racks. That's what I do and it makes a huge difference in time spent.
And yes, I got the crack about "for the beans". LOL
I know it's the accepted practice, but why ice water as opposed to cold water to soak the salt out of the meat???? If anyone has discussed this, I missed it.
Glad to hear that Ava can cook. Now it's up to you to encourage her. I know, tough job, but somebody's got to do it. LOL
Gary

Ha, Ha! I did this for some Salmon I was sm00king.
Sped those pelicans right up, it did.

Not sure why "Ice Water", I just figured it was to keep the meat as cold as possible during the hour. Shrug. Anyway, I missed that step. Beginner boo-boo's.
But probably over cured, actually.

Oh yeah, when I see a talent or interest I encourage it. And she love's how Grandma and I let her help. She's not too interested in popping hot grease from the simmering bacon. But then, me neither.
But she loves to eat it!