How do you smoke bacon?

[Stopsign32v]

Ok, the end product is bacon but how do you smoke a pork belly? Is this even possible in an offset smoker? I can't fathom trying to manage the fire and keep the temperature that low.

So how are you guys doing it? Does it require an electric pellet smoker?

 

[smokerjim]

I usually use a mes, but with an offset maybe you could use a few briquettes at a time with a wood chunk or two for smoke, but I'm sure some of offset guys will be around.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I use an offset stick burner and yes, it is a lot of work, but something I enjoy and really not that hard. I'm either propping open the cook chamber lid, opening/closing back the inlet damper to the firebox, etc.

I build a SMALL fire with just a small split, maybe 2. Get the smoke rolling and the cook chamber temp to around 140℉ and put the bacon in. Now it's just managing the cook chamber temp by doing what I mentioned above. After an hour or so, I bring the cook chamber temp up to 150℉ or so for another hour. Then up another 10 degrees or so. Eventually the cook chamber temp kind of levels out and then it's just feeding the fire with small splits, smaller than you'd normally smoke with when you're looking for 225℉-250℉ smoking temps.

It's all about paying attention to the temps. Too hot, open the lid or prop it open and/or pinch back on the inlet air. Too cold, close lid and open inlet and maybe add another small split. Outlet is always wide open. I've found that I should make an adjustment and let it go for a few minutes before making another...

 

[Hijack73]

What Gonna Smoke said. A very small bed of coals and a nice split just sort of riding the edge of the coal bed. Crack your lid open, let the heat escape if it is running too hot. Just get to know your pit and adjust accordingly.

You could also very easily cold smoke it for a few hours and finish it off in the oven. My pellet machine refuses to run under 220 - I have adapted. I run a smoke tube for 4-5 hours with the smoker off. Then I fire up the smoker and run it for anywhere from an hour to 2 hours. I pop it in the oven at 170 to finish. I was running it at 220 until it hit 145 but I found that I prefer finishing it off at the much lower heat.

This batch was oven finished.

 

[DougE]

Many do it in an offset with just a pellet tube burning in the firebox.

I mainly start with just a tube burning dust in my pellet grill for awhile, then turn the grill on at its lowest temp. (160°F) until I hit an IT of 145°F. Meat temps lag about 15 or 20° behind chamber temps so sometimes I have to bump a little above 160° to hit the 145° IT target.

 

[Stopsign32v]

What the heck is a pellet tube for an offset?

 

[chopsaw]

What the heck is a pellet tube for an offset?

Not just for an offset . Can be used in anything . It's a smoke generator that you fill with pellets or dust and light . Get it burning , blow out the flame , and let it smoke .

 

[Stopsign32v]

Not just for an offset . Can be used in anything . It's a smoke generator that you fill with pellets or dust and light . Get it burning , blow out the flame , and let it smoke .
View attachment 706505

Wow this is the first I've ever heard of this. Where are you guys getting yours from? What is with the exhaust clamp? lol

 

[DougE]

Not just for an offset . Can be used in anything . It's a smoke generator that you fill with pellets or dust and light . Get it burning , blow out the flame , and let it smoke .

What he said. you light the tube, get it burning good, blow out the flame, if needed, then put it in the firebox of your offset and let it smoke away.

 

[DougE]

Where are you guys getting yours from? What is with the exhaust clamp? lol

Mine are Kingsford brand available at Lowes. Lowes also has a-maze-n smoke tubes in store.

The exhaust clamp raises the burning end of the tube so that it has to burn downhill and thereby slowing the burn rate. Packing the tubes with dust instead of pellets also gives you a lower temp.

 

[Stopsign32v]

I think I know what you guys are going to say...But isn't that "dirty smoke" though?

 

[jcam222]

I think I know what you guys are going to say...But isn't that "dirty smoke" though?

No

 

[pineywoods]

Most of these members are hot smoking the pork belly. I cold smoke mine I keep the temp under 90. I use the amazen smoker and don't provide any other heat I will cook the bacon right before I eat it. The way I do it none of the fat gets rendered during the smoking process.
Smoke cheese the same way just the amazen smoker or other pellet burner. The smoke that these produce is not dirty smoke and you have the vents open

 

[JIMSMOKES]

I think I know what you guys are going to say...But isn't that "dirty smoke" though?

No but you do need to keep cold smoke moving through chamber. To prevent old/stagnant smoke taste.
I use a computer fan.

 

[Fueling Around]

I cold smoke my bacon if possible.

Wow this is the first I've ever heard of this. Where are you guys getting yours from? What is with the exhaust clamp? lol

Check Amazon for smoke tube.
I got mine at Menards. Same with the SS u-bolt to tip it up. If you have the room leave the tube vertical for a slower burn

I think I know what you guys are going to say...But isn't that "dirty smoke" though?

If you use pellets in the tube it is a large amount of thin blue smoke and best for using in an offset as yours with lots of volume.
Changing to sawdust creates much less thin blue smoke and is great smaller units such as a kettle, Masterbuilt Electric Smoker (MES) or other cabinet smokers.
I use a tube filled with sawdust in my Big Chief box to cold smoke.

 

[Stopsign32v]

So if you cold smoke the pork belly, how does the meat not go bad or gain bacteria?

So correct me if I'm wrong but essentially I could just put a smoking tube full of pellets in my offset box, crack the vent by it, put a fan blowing air in it, open the chimney, and then just check on it periodically?

Few hours later, bacon?

(forgot the cure time and all)

 

[DougE]

So if you cold smoke the pork belly, how does the meat not go bad or gain bacteria?

It's cured first, then smoked. The curing process allows you to keep the meat in the danger zone for longer periods of time. Cold smoking is often done over several says with a rest in the fridge between smoking sessions.

 

[Stopsign32v]

It's cured first, then smoked. The curing process allows you to keep the meat in the danger zone for longer periods of time. Cold smoking is often done over several says with a rest in the fridge between smoking sessions.

Ahhhhhhh that's right. Thanks

 

[BigW.]

Cold smoking is usually done when chamber temps are in the 40-80 range. Some folks need to wait til winter, smoke at night etc. for that to work. I use a tray filled with saw dust (similar to the tube already discussed) burns very cool.