Big Bacon Smoke/ Lots of Qview

[sumosmoke]

Such a pretty sight .... all those bellies lined up for our bellies!

I may not make it up there for the smoke but am 100% appreciative of Jerry including me in the bulk purchase of the bellies. Can't wait to see how they turn out!

 

[pineywoods]

The bellies are defrosting just fine I took them all out and re stacked them hopefully we can begin curing on the 10th or 11th and smoke them on the 20th and 21st.

 

[pops6927]

We'd put down 30 bellies at a time in a 55 gal. drum and cover with brine, let pickle for minimum 21 days, then smoke in the smokehouse, 4 rows of 7-8 bellies each. Some weeks we'd have to do 2 batches if we were selling a lot (300lbs. per batch). I had to slice with a manual slicer every single pound, too, lol! Thin, medium, thick, extra thick with the rind and without the rind! It sold well in a town of 500 people; had lots of traveling trade going through coming to see the store, etc. Brings back a lot of memories! Good luck on your smoke, I know you'll enjoy it!

 

[pineywoods]

Sure wish I had a walk in cooler to do something like that Pops oh well maybe someday

 

[pineywoods]

Well today Kayak McGyver, Mballi, and Grouper Sandwich and I got together to cut the skin off the bellies and put them in cure actually I mostly goofed off and measured out cure while they did the work

It was the first time they tried cutting the skin off (not fun) and first time curing for a couple of them. We have 16 bellies and all started right around 10 lbs give or take and most ended up right around 8 after the skin removal. We used Hi Mountain Buckboard Bacon cure on all of them (glad I bought the 5 lb bag) I'm sorry to say none of us thought to take pictures. I will tend to the bellies for the next 10 days and we will start the smoking on the 20th and I promise we won't forget the pics again

 

[mballi3011]

Yes it was fun we had a blast cutting off the skin ( next time they'll be skinless) and then rubbing the bellies with the cure. Measured out perfectly by Jerry and Justin. But it is all good some we will all get back together and smoke bellies, eat some good smoked ribs and drink adult beverages and wally water. Till then

Oh yea I will bring a camera too.

 

[DanMcG]

Hmmmm. No pic's? I don't think it really happened.....lol

 

[Bearcarver]

C'mon Piney, you didn't forget the pics. You just didn't have a wide angle lens for that herd of bellies.

I can't wait to see this extravaganza,
Bearcarver

 

[sumosmoke]

Sounds like fun, you guys. Miss being there with ya!

 

[pineywoods]

I told you we'd take pics today so here they are
Loading em up

Starting the smoke

Getting there

About to put it in the fridge for the flavor to meld

 

[got14u]

Holly bacon smoke batman !!!! that is A LOT!!!!! whay to go !

 

[grouper sandwich]

And yes,it tastes as good as it looks!

 

[pineywoods]

More pics when we slice it tomorrow yea I know I like to let it meld a few days before slicing but its not in the schedule so we'll slice it ziplock the bacon and try to let it meld in the bag a few days before everybody packages their own. Everybody that was part of this fortunately has a vacuum sealer

 

[solaryellow]

Looks tasty Jerry.

 

[mballi3011]

I have the bread and the mayo and I'm a running for the tomatea stand too. I'll be there with some bells on and the towels for the BLT breakfast feast we fixin to have at "Jerry's Cook Shed". So it's high oh the merry O an we will go to tallahassee and do some slicing O.

 

[Bearcarver]

Great job on a mess of great bacon, guys !
Hope I don't miss the pics of it all sliced up, but if I do, here ya go------------>>>>>

Bearcarver

 

[pineywoods]

Heres the slicing pics

Lots of Bacon

Something tells me there's gonna be a lot of bacon cooking soon

 

[grouper sandwich]

We just finished BLT's for supper. Probably gonna have bacon again for breakfast followed by an angioplasty for lunch.

 

[desertlites]

Thats an awful pretty site there in the fridge Jerry-great job you all.

 

[pineywoods]

Bob without your help and knowledge I'd probably still be trying to figure out my first bacon smoke so thank you