The Digging Dog calculator, Bearcarver's step by step and mine are all fine methods. Trust me, if you just stick to the steps, it will be great!
Do you think if I added a 1/4 cup of good maple syrup to each individual bag of bacon cure that it would be ok?
Look at me... I can't seem to leave well enough alone, once again I always have to put my twist on things.
I can't help it, I was raised to cook to taste and I absolutely love Maple smoke bacon.
Thanks a bunch.
Dan
Do you think if I added a 1/4 cup of good maple syrup to each individual bag of bacon cure that it would be ok?
I also added 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper to each 3 to 3 1/2 pound chunk, that one was on me John adds his pepper after the bacon comes out of the bag.
Dan...glad it all came out for you....so far anyway. Based on how careful you were I have all the faith that it'll be perfect. I took a different route and used a different mentor and was continually being assured that it was very easy but you did well going with John's tutelage. It's still kind of intimidating the first time. It'll be a cakewalk from now on though.
Insofar as the pepper goes, one of the two flavors of bacon I make is a pepper crusted. I coat the entire slab after the cure is applied then into the fridge to cure. After curing time I rinse the slabs off, then add another massive coating of pepper then let sit a day or two in the fridge uncovered before smoking it. You'll be fine the way you went about your process....but things will not be fine going forward. Like so many other people, you're going to be addicted from the very first bite and you'll never want store bought bacon again. You'll also never want to order breakfast at a restaurant with bacon or a BLT that you don't make yourself. There is no cure for the addiction and no 12-step program. You're a dedicated bacon maker for life, I can just about promise you that.
Robert
6 hrs in the cold smoker, then back into the refer for round 2 tommorow. Getting close to BLT'sBacon is in the UDS smoker/ cold smoker today.
I stuck the Maze full of hickory apple wood dust in the bottom of my drum and with all the vents open it's working well as a cold smoker.View attachment 447929
Well I tried to fix my salty bacon by soaking it for 4-5 hrs nope still salty. Next time I will not round up on the T.Q.
and I'll cut back on the sugar because it burns super easily.
I will use this bacon in beans, soups and pasta. I have 6 lbs to use up, which won't be a problem. I'm loving my new 10" Lem slicer although it only slices 7-3/4" which is kinda dumb for a 10" slicer.
here's the bacon sliced and ready to freeze.View attachment 449030View attachment 449031
Oh, it's good.......4 people have offered to take it all from me, I just don't like salty food.Yup---I never round "Up" with TQ---I Round Down.
If I'm using Cure #1, I will Round "Up", if at all.
Looks Great though!!
Bear