Finally found some bellies... REAL BACON.... my first....

[tennsmoker]

Dave thanks again for the quick comeback.

  I really appreciate you and all the other SMF members answering, I know which have to be mundane & simple

questions for you folks. For me it's all new and still trying to learn,

Thanx again,

al

 

[fpnmf]

>>>>>>>[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]I have immersion cured other meats and don't particularly care for the texture...  it is like buying pumped turkeys and enhanced pumped bacon that you buy at the grocery store..[/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]I have to disagree Dave...[/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]My bacon has never looked or tasted like store bought...[/color]

july 2012 bacon 017.JPG

• fpnmf
• Oct 20, 2012

july 2012 bacon 023.JPG

• fpnmf
• Oct 20, 2012

Yours looks like it is moving along nicely....

  Craig

 

[daveomak]

Here is the first of 3 sections cut from one belly....  Smoke 6 hrs a day for 2 days....

2 12 hr slab.jpg

• daveomak
• Oct 20, 2012

Trimmed up to fit the small old Rival Food Slicer....

Put in the freezer for 2 hours or so to firm up so it will slice easy....

The trim was put back in the smoker for the duration.... 4 more days....

2 ready to slice.jpg

• daveomak
• Oct 20, 2012

Sliced up pretty well.... Skin left on.... 

2 sliced.jpg

• daveomak
• Oct 20, 2012

Portioned into about 1# bundles.... wrapped in plastic wrap....

2 pk in plastic wrap.jpg

• daveomak
• Oct 20, 2012

Vac-packed in those great vac-bags from Lisa B....

2 vac packed.jpg

• daveomak
• Oct 20, 2012

Bride likes bacon cooked in the oven... Cooked at 400 deg for 20-40 min. depends on thickness....

She also uses the convection bake setting...She said, "this is so much better than store bought"... 

I thought more salt was needed but I was over ruled... I think, next batch, I will take the bacon from 1.7% to 2% anyway...

If she notices I will be in deep doo-doo... Just sayin'... Bacon needs salt IMHO....   

2 money baked bacon.jpg

• daveomak
• Oct 20, 2012

Here is the baking set-up for those who ain't cooked bacon like this.....

If you look close, you can see the second baking sheet under the top pan...

Keeps the grease from splattering.... like an air-bake pan for cookies...

the bacon grease is ready to go in the refer jar...

2 cooking rack setup.jpg

• daveomak
• Oct 20, 2012

I'm so glad bride likes the bacon.... and I do too....  there is no way to describe the difference...

I will finish the smoking cycle on the other two hunks in the smoker to determine how much smoke is too much.....

3 more bellies to go in the freezer.....  Recipe altering will begin on those bellies...  Salt, up a little... Black pepper, garlic, onion... Who knows...

I will keep looking at recipes on this forum.... this place is so AWESOME... Two years ago I knew how to smoke fish... that was it.... 

Everyone here has contributed to my level of competence..... Thank you so much....

 As my sig line says.....   When I got here I was a dummy...I learned quite a bit...I am still a dummy...only smarter.. 

Without the great folks on SMF, this would not have been possible...Thank you one and all.... Another success story...

Dave

 

[jp61]

Nice job Dave, the bacon looks great!

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Looks awesome Dave!




~Martin