First Attempt At Bacon

[smokin monkey]

Bacon

Hi, this is my first Q-View of any type. Like most, I have read a lot on here and now decided its time to take the plunge!

Purchase Pork Loin from a company I do a lot of work for looking after their Fridges.

Purchased Pork for £2.70 per kilo, which I think is a good price in the UK.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

Cut Loins into three,

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

Weighed each piece, then calculated cure mix using this calculator on this site, http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/?e=541

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

Weighed out all ingredients,

Salt

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

Sugar

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

Then # 1 Cure, could not weight 3 grams, so pot weights 23 grams + 3 grams.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

Mixed and rubbed into loins.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

Then vacuumed packed with all weights written on packs.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

Then decided to do two pieces using Pops brine,

Vacuumed packed a brick to weigh it down,

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 4, 2014

All in the fridge.

Will update when I start smoking! Looking at Cold smoking two of the dry cured and one brine cured. Then Hot Smoking one of each for Canadian Bacon. Just to see if their is any flavour difference with the finished product.

Smokin Monkey

Back to The Smokin Monkey Cook Book http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/253497/the-smokin-monkey-cook-book

 

[daveomak]

Smokin Monkey, morning...... I see the allowable amount of nitrite in the U.K. is about 150 Ppm..... a little higher than the USDA allows here....
USDA allows 120 Ppm, skin off, in bacon here..... 108 Ppm skin on.... Just so folks know there is a difference.....

Dave

 

[smokin monkey]

Hi Dave, thanks for the info. Used the calculator on that website to calculate the cure. I only used 3 grams so it's possibly nearer the US amount.

Steve

 

[disco]

Nice looking pork. I am looking forward to the finished product.

Disco

 

[smokin monkey]

Cheers Disco.

 

[foamheart]

Smoked bacon....... there will be no turning back now........ It will take over your life, you'll look for things to do with the bacon so you can make more.. more... more... MORE BACON!!!!

Bacon Gud!!

 

[deucenahalf]

You are ruined now! LOL!  After the first smoke you will never be the same...

 

[smokin monkey]

So seven days on from the start of Curing.

Dry Cured

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 11, 2014

Bacon on the right is brine cured using Pop Formula, Bacon on the left Dry Cure.
Their is a difference in colour.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 11, 2014

Test fry slice of each for salt test, slice on the left (Dry Cure) tasted sweeter than the right slice (Brine). Salt levels OK.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 11, 2014

Bacon hanging in fridge for 7 days before smoking.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 11, 2014

Smokin Monkey

 

[smokin monkey]

Onto the last leg of my First Attempt at Bacon.

After rinsing, the bacon it was hung in a refrigerator for 6 days.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 11, 2014

Then into the smoker, with Oak in the Amaze. Smoked for 11 hours.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 17, 2014

Then sliced on the slicer and vacuumed packed. Dry Cure on the Left and Pops Brine on the right.

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 17, 2014

Dry Cure

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 17, 2014

Pops Brine

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• smokin monkey
• Mar 17, 2014

Will be giving friends and family some to try for feedback!

Used off cuts in a Chilli tonight, and it gave it a nice smokey flavour!

Smokin Monkey

 

[smoking b]

Looks great man! You have passed the point of no return now! 

   Did you let the bacon rest again before you sliced it?  You should probably get your next batch started soon before you end up running out of awesome homemade bacon 

 

[smokin monkey]

Hi Smoking B, thanks for the feedback. Yes let it rest for about 12 Hours? is that long enough or should it of been longer?

Will need to get another batch on pretty quick as people are asking me for some to try.

Smokin Monkey

 

[smoking b]

Hi Smoking B, thanks for the feedback. Yes let it rest for about 12 Hours? is that long enough or should it of been longer?

Will need to get another batch on pretty quick as people are asking me for some to try.

Smokin Monkey

I try to let mine rest about 2 days now if I can hold out that long (that seems to be the magic time for me

) but I have found I start getting diminishing returns after about 10 hours of rest time. Your bacon will be fine with the 12 hour rest as a majority of the "mellowing & melding" had taken place by then - I just try to give mine a little more time to do its thing when I can... I always recommend against slicing right after it is smoked as there is a noticeable difference. Enjoy the awesome bacon while it lasts & hope you get to make more VERY soon 

 

 

[wade]

Great looking bacon Steve 

 

[smokin monkey]

That batch has long gone, been through 2-3 more batches since then. The stuff is addictive!