Bacon

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joed617

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
OTBS Member
May 13, 2006
947
13
North East
Here is my final project, I made this bacon without nitrates <salt peter>
It's dry cured and hand rubbed and I had hand sliced it. <time to buy a slicer>

Joe
 
Oh my, that looks PERFECT, Joe. What cut did you use to make that? Where did you buy the cut? Smoked for how long..?
 
we only made a lb of to try out a the recipe. It's a pork belly, the wife got it at a grocery store, was cured in equal parts salt and sugar for 3 days, rinsed and pat dry and left uncovered in the fridge for a day and smoked for 4 hours using hickory at 110 deg.

Joe
 
Welcome back Rodger, We had it and it was pretty good. I do need a meat slicer to cut it thin.. I may experiment some with the formula some before the next batch.



Joe
 
I just wondered. The colors look real good. I could not tell if the pic was fried or just sliced. I like my bacon nearly burned up, but most normal :roll: people like theirs cooked a little bit "as my nephew says" Wimpier. :D When it looked like your pic, he thought it was perfect.
 
Like I said, my nephew liked his bacon a little rare :shock: .

I'm glad to hear it wasn't cooked yet, cause that means it looked perfect. 8)
 
Let me add my compliments as well. :D Very nice job on the bacon. 8)

Homemade bacon is something I haven't made yet but get tempted every time I see pictures like yours.

What were some of the adjustments you're thinking about?
 
Hi Bob, I put maple syrup in the cure and wasn't happy with the results. Other than that It was good.. I'm going to try again when I get a chance.

You can make a pruscuitto ham the same way but <always a but> it takes about 8 months and having that hang around our condo my wife wouldn't be too happy.



Joe
 
Nice pic of the sliced bacon. Brings back memories when we used to do full bellies and load the smokehouse with 25-30 slabs at a time. Smoked with applewood and the neighborhood sure smelled great. For some reason that applewood smoke always smelled better in the fall.
 
Thanks Dutch, I smoked that bacon with hickory.. I am going to try apple next time. I'll also have a meat slicer by then also.. It's difficutl to find the cuts of meat I'd like to have.. I continue to seek out new sources.


Joe
 
Joe, what type of cuts are you looking for?
 
Dutch, here is the problem my wife has a thing for all natural beef, pork, chciken and so on. I'd like to find a source for certain cuts .. like "Pork Bellies" Boston Butts <I live close to Boston and can only find shoulders, I think the grind the all the butts to make sausages> There are meat packing plants in Boston but there only open until 10am on saturdays, closed sundays. We did find a farm out here but they think thier selling gold .. close to 5.00 per lb for all natural pork, chops, butts or roast. The beef ribs I smoked were 1.99 per lb again all natural and the all natural ribs I get are close to 6.00 per lb.. I have a choice .. continue buying this all natural meat <the flavor is excelent as well as the tenderness, color and marbeling> or hmm naww I'll keep the wife, she is worth it.

Joe
 
Rodger, I fell over laughing at that. I have no back yard, However I did ask the wife if I use the spare bedroom and I'd get some straw. She said if I keep it up I'll be useing the spare bedroom sooner than I thought and not for farm animals either. So I said what about the basement? I got the "are you crazy look" and I said <actually mumbeled> But you like veal don't ya..


Joe
 
Short of buying a farm and raising your own livestock. . .but then that can get expensive too!!
 
Yep, I know what you mean Dutch.. For my own saftey <looking over my shoulder> I'll give up on raising the critters.. But we do have 2 fat cats <her cats> Nahhhh laugh




Joe
 
Thanks Brother Rodger, I have a brother in NH who is on the lookout as well.


Joe
 
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