First time for Pork Belly

[bgolden49]

I am about to try my hand at making bacon. I bought a 2# pork belly and purchased the Hi Mountain Buckboard Bacon cure kit at Bass Pro.

I did a search for recipes here and on the internet, but can not locate some ingredients locally. For that reason I purchased the kit.

I plan to smoke with maple pellets in the ANPS, hopefully I'll get it started tomorrow.

If anyone has done this before and would like to offer suggestions before I get started I would sure appreciate and ideas.

Bill G

 

[daveomak]

Bill, morning..... I recommend you follow the directions on the packaged mix.... If there is anything in the directions that need clarifying, ask and someone here will gladly provide an answer....
Generally, skinless bacon is rubbed with spices and cure on all sides.... then is refrigerated at 38 deg F for 8-12 days.... rinsed in cold water, dried, allowed to rest for another couple days in the refer, then smoked... The rest in the refer, after the curing process, is time for the spices and chemicals, in the bacon, to come to equilibrium and be uniformly distributed throughout the meat..
Or, the bacon can be submerged in a curing brine and the same process followed....
After smoking, the bacon is usually allowed to rest in the refer again so the flavors will mellow and the smoke to get uniformly distributed throughout the meat...
The curing process takes time and shouldn't be hurried.....
Commercial producers speed up the process, by adding special chemicals just for that purpose....
I think you will find, homemade bacon is much better than store bought.......

There are many knowledgeable members willing to help..... Ask away....

Dave

 

[bgolden49]

Well my first attempt at curing and smoking pork bellies was somewhat of a success. The cure worked well. A few flaws on my part but end results were very satisfying.  I should have followed Dave Omak's suggestion of refrigerating be fore cutting. The next time I'll make a maple brine and let it sit a few days.

1 (1).JPG

• bgolden49
• Jan 7, 2014

1 (3).JPG

• bgolden49
• Jan 7, 2014

adding the  cure

2.JPG

• bgolden49
• Jan 7, 2014

cured after 8 days

3 (2).JPG

• bgolden49
• Jan 7, 2014

3 (3).JPG

• bgolden49
• Jan 7, 2014

3 (5).JPG

• bgolden49
• Jan 7, 2014

out of the smoker

4 (2).JPG

• bgolden49
• Jan 7, 2014

4 (4).JPG

• bgolden49
• Jan 7, 2014

into the pan                                                        I broke the yoke