My first bacon

[gibsorz]

Smoked it today. AMNPS went for 10 hours at 80 degrees. Ambient temp was 70 degrees.

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• gibsorz
• Sep 18, 2014

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• gibsorz
• Sep 18, 2014

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• gibsorz
• Sep 18, 2014

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• gibsorz
• Sep 18, 2014

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• gibsorz
• Sep 18, 2014

Also threw on some cheddar on a propped up disposable pizza pan with holes poked into it

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• gibsorz
• Sep 18, 2014

I fried up a little giblet of the spicy bacon, fresh off the smoker. It was extremely smoky, but it did not taste like an ash tray! I think God permitted me a taste of heaven All vents full open during the entire smoke.

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• gibsorz
• Sep 18, 2014

I am going to slice it on Saturday. I removed the skin from the maple bacon. What temp and for how long should I back it to render the fat into lard and make craquelins out of the skin?

This smell from the cold smoke on me brings back memories of my childhood. I smell like my grandfather did every day of his adult life.

 

[daveomak]

I fried up a little giblet of the spicy bacon, fresh off the smoker. It was extremely smoky, but it did not taste like an ash tray!

I think that is because you dried the belly very well and had a good pellicle... No water on the surface to mix with the smoke, and of course Todd's great invention... the AMNPS.....

I removed the skin from the maple bacon. What temp and for how long should I back it to render the fat into lard and make craquelins out of the skin?


http://lostartskitchen.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/rendering-fats-at-home-primer-lesson-one/

 

[disco]

Terrific looking bacon!

Disco

 

[gibsorz]

Thanks for the link. Yes, the bacon was dried very well, with a good pelvic le. I put fans on the bacon for 1.5 hours prior to smoking to form the pellicle and allow them to come to room temp.

The AMNPS worked spectacularly. I never thought I would be able to use my WSM to cold smoke so easily. I am truly amazed at its efficiency (my first time using it).

 

[tr00ter]

That's some great looking bacon gibsorz.  I'm thinking I need to make my own bacon sooner rather than later.

JP

 

[gibsorz]

Thanks for the compliments guys, can't wait to eat it, my butcher is slicing it for me tomorrow! (Since I do not yet have a meat slicer)

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• gibsorz
• Sep 19, 2014

1lb of skin and fat into the oven to render and provide some cracklings. I think I'll have the rest as rind bacon.

 

[gibsorz]

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• gibsorz
• Sep 21, 2014

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• gibsorz
• Sep 21, 2014

Wrapped. 9 lbs of sliced bacon. 2 lbs lardons. This stuff is amazing, no jokes. Now that I know how good homemade bacon is, next time I will be getting it from a butcher. The one from Cash&Carry had a poor meat to fat ratio, I also need meat slicer and vac sealer. Well the bacon isn't going to last long enough to make the butcher paper/shrink wrap combo ineffective, and it is cheaper, so I'll probably stick with that for now. Do need a slicer. What slicer is the best bang for your buck on occasional use?

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Check here.....http://www.bing.com/search?q=meat+slicers+for+home+use&form=IE10TR&src=IE10TR&pc=MATBJS

 

[rexster314]

The thing about "most" home slicers is that the slicers are too small in the "throat" to get decent length slices. I used a 14" granton slicer knife for about 8 years or so. Taking my time I made decently thick slices fairly consistently. When I started doing more bacon I got an MTN 10" electric slicer. With that slicer I could get about 7 1/2 " long slices. I still didn't get the kind of slices that I wanted, so for the last several months spent time watching craigslist for a used Hobart. Fortunately I found a decent 12" Hobart and am a happy camper now. If something happens to the old Hobart there are still parts available so I'll be able to keep it running for a long time. For me, home type slicers are ok for salami, bologna and things like that, if you want decent looking bacon, go up in size

 

[gibsorz]

Thanks, looking around craiglist can't find any honarts in my area...and washington state they are all around a grand...wish I lived in Ontario, there are a couple out that way for 2 or 3 bills.

 

[rexster314]

Finding a reasonable Hobart is challenging. It took me about 2 months of looking at the Houston craigslist before I hit the jackpot. I wasn't in a hurry so just waited for the right one to come along.