Jalapeño and Brown Sugar Bacon - Hickory Smoked

[TexasMuskrat]

Good looking bacon. I hadn't thought about a glaze before. Wonder if this would work well on beef bacon as well.

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

Good looking bacon. I hadn't thought about a glaze before. Wonder if this would work well on beef bacon as well.

Thanks Shawn!

I’m sure it would, there is one way to find out, and that is to try it!

 

[Jim_C]

Nice looking bacon. The final product looks great. I also might back off a touch on the smoke, or use a less prominent wood, like apple. Good job.

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

Nice looking bacon. The final product looks great. I also might back off a touch on the smoke, or use a less prominent wood, like apple. Good job.

Thanks Jim!

I want to try several different kinds of smoke, apple is on the list!

 

[KonaRich]

You do that! It really wasn’t that difficult, the hardest part was waiting so long with it in the brine, but it was worth it!

I read about dry brining bacon. It takes much less time, and is just as safe. I've never done bacon, and may try. No financial advantage over regular store-bought bacon.

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

I read about dry brining bacon. It takes much less time, and is just as safe. I've never done bacon, and may try. No financial advantage over regular store-bought bacon.

Yeah, I read about it too, but wanted to go this route…

It’s definitely not cheaper than buying it…but way more fun!!

 

[Fueling Around]

I read about dry brining bacon. It takes much less time, and is just as safe. ...

Wet or dry curing of bacon takes the same time. Nitrite penetrates the meat at the same rate wet or dry.

 

[crazymoon]

CS, Very good looking slab of bacon !

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

CS, Very good looking slab of bacon !

Thank you CM!

 

[Bob35]

Hi Everyone!

I had this half pork belly in pop’s curing brine for 13 days, and finally today was the day to make it into bacon!

This is my first bacon attempt, and I must say, it didn’t turn out too bad.
View attachment 741052
I used a homemade rub…

3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon homemade Jalapeño Powder
1 tablespoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Used honey as a binder…
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Fat cap side…
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Meat side…
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Cold smoked with 2 smoke tubes with u-bolt mods running 50/50 pellets and hickory chips for 2 hours…
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Then lit the OKJ offset with charcoal briquettes and hickory chunks…
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This is what it looked like about half an hour after I lit the fire box…
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Got some nice light smoke…
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Settled it in just below 250* and let ‘er roll!
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Had one short temp spike after adding a little wood, but otherwise ran most of the way right around 250*
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When IT hit 140, I opened the vents and boosted it on up to 275* until it hit 145* IT, then pulled it off…
Fat cap was down the whole time…
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Meat side…
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While it was still hot I sliced off the end…I just couldn’t wait to taste it!!
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It was delicious!!
First full slice…View attachment 741067
I wrapped the rest in plastic wrap and stuck it back in the kegerator at 33* so it’s as cold as possible without being frozen when I go to slice the rest!
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It turned out great, but I think next time I will only run 1 smoke tube as the smoke flavor is a little strong for my wife…

As always, thanks for looking!

God bless…

-Mike

Very nice Mike!

Wish I could find some decent pork belly around here. Might try your rub for some buckboard.

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

Very nice Mike!

Wish I could find some decent pork belly around here. Might try your rub for some buckboard.

Thanks Bob!

I’m very lucky to have a local butcher shop close by that carries it!

It should work good, I fried some up the other day and the brown sugar burned just a little, so I would be careful how long you fry it…