My Bacon not like 'Commercial' Bacon

[Dave in AZ]

LOVE these type of threads...



VERY interesting... Made bacon a few times but didn't really dive deep. Let's continue...

SNIP
"FSIS has determined that for bacon products with a cook shrink of at least 60 percent
and pork sausage type products with a cook shrink of at least 24 percent, the
nutrition information may be declared on the “as cooked” basis only, since the
nutrition information on the “as packaged” basis will not be useful to the
consumer because the nutrient profile changes dramatically upon cooking.
Cooking instructions must be included on the labeling of the bacon- and pork
sausage-type products. All products may be declared in a second column “as
consumed” if preparation and cooking instructions are clearly stated."

From Oscar Mayer (BTW my great grandfather was Oscar Meyers LOL)
*Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purpose only. Please note the nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.

https://www.oscarmayer.com/product/00044700022689/center-cut-bacon

All this being said, I think your observation has merit, especially as Pop's brine was well known to be on the salty side and also I imagine the cooked "as consumed" method the MFR would be doing would be the absolute minimum IT to be consumed so that the sodium levels to appear within somewhat healthy. Some quick math. Bacon 2% salt cooked to 60% loss leaves 40% product at 5% salt. This is making me want to do some fry tests

Great info, never seen that labeling info before, good to know. That makes the label less useful for us as bacon producers, since we're the only ones who DO want to know the pre-sizzle numbers ;) That labeling reg is something I need to get hold of, as it has some real gems in there for us when we try to back calculate spices and such... I have seen a quote that certain spices, including garlic, are not considered spices by the FSIS and must be declared separately on ingredients label. That is great as at least garlic, and 3 or 4 others I forgot, have to be listed instead of just "spices", which helps us figure out recipes ;) Thanks for the good info!

For the saltiness thing, I do feel my 3 to 3.2% salt bacon tastes just about the same as the costco and samsclub, which we like because they are salty. So those labels probably are done "as cooked" for serving size.

 

[SmokinEdge]

For the saltiness thing, I do feel my 3 to 3.2% salt bacon tastes just about the same as the costco and samsclub, which we like because they are salty. So those labels probably are done "as cooked" for serving size.

Don’t forget to add the .25% cure #1 into the total salt/sodium number.

 

[Dave in AZ]

Don’t forget to add the .25% cure #1 into the total salt/sodium number.

Lol...that's exactly why it's 3.0 to 3.2%, whether I remember to account for the cure1 or not heh! ;)

 

[HalfSmoked]

Lot of suggestions and it's a try and like game.
Pure maple syrup could be the sugar burning

Warren

 

[DougE]

Something just dawned on me. If you want bacon that tastes exactly like commercial bacon, why go through the time and trouble of making it in the first place? Just buy a pack of bacon at the store and be done with it. What I make looks like bacon, smells like bacon when its cooking, and tastes like bacon, but it's better than commercial bacon, or I wouldn't make it.

 

[zwiller]

Remember when I said polarizing?

 

[DougE]

Remember when I said polarizing?

I don't see it as polarizing at all. If you can't make a better quality bacon that what is commercially produced, then why bother taking the time and effort?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Folks, we have a good process here on these forums, but many people want instant gratification. This just is not possible in home curing. This process takes time, and that time is what most don’t want to, or won’t adhere to. You cannot rush the process. This is no different than Low and slow BBQ, it takes time develop flavor and condition the meat. Curing is no different except the time is much longer to condition and flavor the meat. Low and slow, no instant gratification. Follow the time line as well as the recipe.

 

[Fueling Around]

Taste is a personal thing.
I have learned that dropping salt in my cures means at least 3 times longer in brine time.
I don't add any sugars. Lower salt doesn't need sugar to offset the taste.

I use commercial bacon and poach it in hot water to reduce the salt and sugar

...
Why not do buckboard? I like it as well, if not better than belly bacon. Matter of fact, most friends I share bacon with prefer BBB to belly.

Tried it once and results not acceptable to me.
Realized my mistake in not just using the fat cap side of the shoulder.
Will try again next year.

 

[DougE]

Folks, we have a good process here on these forums, but many people want instant gratification. This just is not possible in home curing. This process takes time, and that time is what most don’t want to, or won’t adhere to. You cannot rush the process. This is no different than Low and slow BBQ, it takes time develop flavor and condition the meat. Curing is no different except the time is much longer to condition and flavor the meat. Low and slow, no instant gratification. Follow the time line as well as the recipe.

The smoking end also. The right selection of woods and giving plenty of time in the smoke without rushing it through. A pellet grill is fine for finishing it; I do it but start out with just a tube for at least a few hours before even turning the grill on. I've not been making my own bacon forever, but, in what time I have been, I pretty much have learned to make excellent quality bacon.

 

[DougE]

Tried it once and results not acceptable to me.
Realized my mistake in not just using the fat cap side of the shoulder.
Will try again next year.

Would you consider this to be bacon you could eat?

Buckboard is really good if the fat distribution is good.

 

[SmokinEdge]

The smoking end also. The right selection of woods and giving plenty of time in the smoke without rushing it through. A pellet grill is fine for finishing it; I do it but start out with just a tube for at least a few hours before even turning the grill on. I've not been making my own bacon forever, but, in what time I have been, I pretty much have learned to make excellent quality bacon.

I agree, it’s the whole process.

 

[indaswamp]

just using the fat cap side of the shoulder.

That's what I like to do... close as you can come to belly bacon IMO....I am selective on which butts I use for that though, need a thick fat cap.

 

[JC in GB]

I found that by using my Smokin-It smoker, I can get my bacon to taste exactly like store bacon. I like my bacon to have a more robust flavor so I prefer using my Stump's Baby - Sarina. The charcoal smoker gives a more robust smoke flavor and also dries the bacon more so it also tastes saltier.

I like my Smokin-It smoker when I need to save time or if I have a large number of items to smoke.

JC

 

[Cody_Mack]

I finish my bacon on a pellet grill as well, but I start out by just burning a 50\50 mix of cherry/pecan, or cherry/hickory dust in a tube with the grill off. Then I fire the grill up with a blend of the same blend of pellets at 160° and pull at 145°. The house definitely smells of bacon when the results are fried up. Your curing method is sound, but I think the area you need to play around with is the smoking part.

What's the highest ambient you feel good (safe) about when cold smoking?

 

[Brokenhandle]

What's the highest ambient you feel good (safe) about when cold smoking?

I think they say 80 or 90 degrees, can't remember for sure which one they say is the upper level...sure someone will comment on that. I cold smoke my bacon, but I don't worry too much on that higher number...if it's a bit warm out and my temp reaches 100 or 105...not worried. I've also cold smoked at 50 to 60 degrees and can't tell a difference between the two.
A very good point was made...it takes time. The process takes time, and it takes alot of batches of bacon to find exactly what you like. I've never had any bad bacon, just some I like better than others. I enjoy the time and process...I just recently did a 33 lb batch for my wife and I...might share with my kids...maybe!

Ryan

 

[thirdeye]

Cody_Mack , this is a great thread... and loads of advise from trusted sources. I agree that time is very important, so maybe explore that.

I prefer longer cure times (equilibrium method), around 14 days. Next, I like 2 or 3 days of equalization (resting time) before smoking. Then I will do 6 to 8 hours of cold smoking, returning to the fridge. And I repeat this for 2 or 3 days. Now comes mellowing time... for me, this is another 2 or 3 days in the fridge before slicing and packaging. So, 20-something days start to finish.

For cold smoking I like my ambient temps to be in the 50°'s or less, and I've cold smoked plenty of bacon when the temps are in the 30°'s. And at this particular 'flavor point', I have used a hot smoke to finish in the mid 140°'s, but I prefer a ready-to-cook product.

Check out this video about Benton's bacon method, not that I'm advocating a salt only curing method, but it's a good example of how time is a valuable part of their process.

 

[DougE]

What's the highest ambient you feel good (safe) about when cold smoking?

For my setup, if it gets much above 60°, temps will climb above what is considered cold smoking. I don't strictly adhere to that since I finish my bacon to 145° anyhow. I just light a tube with either hickory/cherry, or pecan/cherry and let it do its thing for a few hours without turning on my pellet grill. I then kick the grill on at the lowest it will go to finish. Then let it rest in the fridge a couple days before slicing.

 

[Cody_Mack]

Cody_Mack Rick, let me start by saying I think your bacon looks very good, and I'd eat a BLT of that anyday! Since your 1st post talked about not matching commercial stuff, I'll address that though. You got a ton of great replies above on smoke, I'll hit salt.

I know it's not real popular here to say you may need more salt... everyone seems to pride themselves on using less salt, for health reasons or personal taste. I make low salt 1.5% bacon for my wife even...

HOWEVER... Here is a list of the salt percentage actually in the bacon for some of the best selling most popular bacons in the US. Directly from the nutrition labels, converting mg sodium per serving size to % salt.
(Molar mass Na 22.98977, Mm chlorine 35.453, Mm NaCl 58.443. So multiply mg sodium on label x 2.54 to get mg salt, divide that by mg one serving to get salt %)

Costco Kirkland Black signature 4.54%
Sams Club hormel black label 4.33%
Members Mark Natrl hickory smoke 5.4%
Oscar Meyer Center Cut 4.7%
Oscar Meyer thick cut 4.7%
Farmland Classic Cut 4.3%
Armour Premium Hick. Smoked 4.5%

So, if you are making bacon with 1.5% salt like a lot of folks here post, and you are not satisfied that it tastes like commercial bacon... just try matching the commercial bacon closer. I make 3.2% salt bacon. To each their own, that's a huge reason we all make our own bacon. But knowledge is power, don't get mistaken impression 1.5% salt is "normal" for most commercial bacon--as you see above it is quite low for bacon. Try bumping up to 3% to 5% salt and see if that doesn't come closer for you, if you like any of those bacons I listed above.

My favorite is fat cap of pork shoulder to make buckboard bacon, 3% salt, 2% brown sugar, 1.9g cure1/kg meat for 120ppm nitrite, black pepper lightly for smoke.
I smoke at 140 rising up to 175f ambient, to an internal temp of 145f, cherry and hickory, about 8 to 9 hrs. Never bought bacon I like as much as mine.
Hope that helps ;)View attachment 648068View attachment 648069

Top Notch on the Bacon! And some great info.

 

[Cody_Mack]

ok, quick question. how is salt% measured?

Meat weight in grams times percentage salt in grams. Or for a brine cure I use meat weight plus water weight. I understand that is equilibrium cure.