My First bacon attempt

[captainjosh]

I smoked this bacon a while back, but I am just getting around to posting. On this smoke I used Hi Mountain’s BBB cure, because it’s what I had handy. I cut up around 11lbs if shoulder and dry cured for 14 days. I pulled the bacon out, rinsed off the cure and did a fry test...way too salty (as I was warned that it would be using this cure). Soaked in ice water for 2hrs, changed the water and soaked for another 2 hrs, then dried off the pieces And lightly coated with CBP, onion and garlic powder. Put in the fridge on wire racks overnight to form the pellicle. I ended up cold smoking for 12 hrs at 100 deg in my MES 30 using a mix of apple chips and pellets in my Masterbuilt external smoke generator (connected w/ 2’ of 3” drier tube). It turned out pretty good, still a tad salty (due to Hi Mountain cure) and a little smoky for my preference, but still hands down better than store bought.

 

[captainjosh]

I am currently 7 days into curing 20lbs of shoulder for BBB, using TQ and roughly following Bearcarver’s bacon (extra smoky) thread. I think I will smoke for 8-10 hrs this time, instead of 12, to get my desired smokiness. Thanks for looking, and A huge thank you to Bear, Pops, Smokin Al, Chef JJ, and all the other more experienced posters for the guidance and great ideas!!!!

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please delete

 

[ab canuck]

First batch looked good, Looking forward to seeing the second batch. I have this on my list as well. It just never seems there is enough time or weather when the time comes for me. But it will happen this spring sometime.

 

[tropics]

That TQ is real salty,I like smoking for 4 to 6 hrs. test fry you can always add more smoke.
Richie

 

[captainjosh]

Looks good. If you are going to cold smoke again you might want to drop your temperature twenty or thirty degrees so you are not in the upper limit of cold smoking and more in the middle of the range. This will allow for temperature swings in you smoker.

I would love to do it a little lower, but the lowest setting on my MES 30 is 100 degrees, so it’s either that or smoke it when the ambient temp outside is higher. Thanks for reading and for the tips!

 

[captainjosh]

That TQ is real salty,I like smoking for 4 to 6 hrs. test fry you can always add more smoke.
Richie

I don’t mind the saltiness of the TQ, it’s just right for me, but the Hi Mountain BBB cure was too salty, even after soaking twice.

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please delete

 

[SmokinAl]

It looks pretty darn good to me!
Al

 

[pa42phigh]

Looks good. I only run my cold smoker when I do bacon give it a try.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Awesome looking BBB there.

Warren