Maple Bacon

[zzerru]

I do this every year around the holidays to give away as gifts, but decided to post pics this year. I use the maple syrup cure recipe from Charcuterie. My first batch for this year is 30lbs.

Cure mixed up.

Cutting up the pork.

All cut up and ready for their rub down.

Slathered in the maple cure. Used a bit more syrup this year, love that maple flavor to be strong!

All packaged up and ready for the fridge. It'll cure for 7-10 days being flipped every other day.

I'll post again when I'm ready to smoke. Thanks for watching!

 

[tjohnson]

 

[scarbelly]

 

[SmokinAl]

Right there with you guys!

 

[owlcreeksmoker4]

:cheers:

 

[JckDanls 07]

:110: :newyear:

 

[raptor700]

  

 

[big andy a]

I like Al's synchronized drinking guys!

And I'm looking forward to seeing that bacon.

Curt.

 

[zzerru]

First batch of bacon is in the smoker. Starting the smoke with hickory, will take this 10 hours and see where we are at.

 

[SmokinAl]

Been waiting a long time!

It's looking good!

Are you cold smoking it?

 

[zzerru]

Yep, I'm going to start with a cold smoke and then ease the temp up till the internal is around 135 degrees. It feels like it took forever to cure and dry, but that was probably just the anticipation making me impatient :)

 

[anthea]

i've been thinking of making a maple syrup bacon as a present for xmas, but the 7 - 10 day cure has me stymied a bit. I was planning on just making a wet brine, replacing the usual sugar with maple syrup. That thick cure is a different beast though, and I'm thinking that's why it needs more time, as it's not an immersion brine.

has anyone ever had any success doing a maple-flavoured bacon with a wetter cure (and shorter curing time?).

 

[zzerru]

Pulled the first batch from the smoker, as it had hit temp.

Minus one for me and the wife to test :)

Cut the slab in half to make it more manageable in taking the skin off.

Skin off and a couple of 1/4" to 1/3" thick slices cut. We like them to have to some "bite"!

Fried up some of the test slices. Good maple flavor, but not overpowering. Just the right amount of salt and smoke, to make me want to drink more beer :)

I have a feeling there will be some BLTs in my near future :D When the rest of it cools I'll package it up for the folks I'm giving it to. Second batch is in the smoker.

 

[alblancher]

Thanks for the Qview   nice job!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Looks pretty wonderful...Nice job...But I'm counting 15 beers BEFORE it hit the Smoker, that's a hell of a warm up period...JJ

 

[JckDanls 07]

My keyboard just shorted out from the drool... That looks scrumptious