Getting Ready to Smoke Some Bacon: Bacon Done!!

[HowlingDog]

18 days ago, went to Costco and got a nice 10 pound pork belly. Cut off 7 pounds, measured out the salt, maple sugar and cure and put it in a big baggie. Turned each day and decided time was up! Pulled it out, rinsed and now in the fridge for a day or two to rest. Then I fire up the smoker and the A MAZE N tube. Looking forward to it.

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This is the first time that the color has not been uniform and it is not as firm as others have been. I am assuming it is just one of those things. No smell to it at all, which is consistent with all the others I have done. I will post smoking pictures when it is on!

Yum.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Looks good. I have had several slabs of bacon look like that no problem. Give it a good 12-16 cold smoke and you should be eating like a king.

 

[HowlingDog]

I have been hot smoking my bacon. It has been in the high 90's here (So Cal) this week so cold smoking isnt an option. I have been pleased with bacon on about 4 hours running about 140 - 170. As I get more experience, I will extend the time time and lower the temp. The folks I like to share with like things a bit more "well done", if you know what I mean.

 

[HowlingDog]

So I smoked my pork belly after 17 days of aging and 24 hours of resting.

Getting things ready
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Trying the snake charcoal basket I made
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Bacon In
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Bacon Done
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Total smoke time was 6 hours, which was my longest yet. Charcoal basket worked great. Started at about 130 and climbed to 170 and held there nicely.

Unfortunately, I got distracted and temp ran up to over 220 at the end and pull temps were anywhere from 150 to 177 IT by the time I got back to it. I noticed the fat is a little "soft" which I assume is from it beginning to melt a bit. I will just trim it off.

I have to do this more often. As they say, experience = confidence. Even though the belly is cured with Prague #1, since it went 6 hours, my OCD is kicking is: Am I going to get sick? I know I won't because it has cure in it, but this was my first over 4 hour smoke. Need more confidence.

I sliced off a piece and it was good! Needs a couple days to mellow out for even better flavor. When I cut it, I will post more pics.

Thanks for looking.