Howdee Dan!
Bacon
There is two excellent tutorials here. Pops which is a brine and BearCarvers which is a rub.
Here is what I understand, max heat allowable is approx. 140 degrees. The warmer the bacon the better the smoke holds on, but you don't want to "Cook" it or render the fat. So from what I have seen some do cold smoke with a smoke generator the entire smoke. Some of the more seasoned veterans do extended smokes gradually increasing the temp from 100 to approx. 140 carefully watching to not render the bacon. Some small amounts of weight loss are generally given to loss of water from curing. Less than 5% seems acceptable.
Cold smoking can but doesn't require a cooling medium like ice. More normally its achieved by just using a smoke generator with no additional heat from the smoker.
If you still have questions and don't we all I would suggest you read either:
Bearcarver's Tutorial
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/108099/bacon-extra-smoky
Craig's Tutorial (Pops Brine)
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/124885/bacon-made-the-easy-way
These guys are ahead of the curve on makin bacon. Hope it helps.
Craig hasn't been around in awhile, but Bear is a well known popular local personality. He's bigger here that Yogi! There are loads of folks here and most of us have made bacon an love it!! Check both the links I am of the brine school. Its so dang easy and I am nothing if not lazy!
Hope it helps, and I'll try my best to 'splain anything ya have a question on with the brine. Bear or Dave would be the ones to ask about the dry rub.
I notice its your first post, a couple of suggestions.
Drop in the "Roll Call" section of the forum and say howdee so everyone can give you the formal hello. learn the secret password, handshake, and get the new and improved decoder ring. DOH!! Who put pineapple juice in my pineapple juice!
Second, up on the tool bar above click the "My Profile" icon and tell as little or as much as you can stand. But please list were you lay your head at night. It helps in questions, discussions and answers to know where you are coming from. I know now you're in Columbia, but not everyone will. We would appreciate it, and it will save you time answering the question all the time.
Thank ye, thank ye....
