New Member - First Bacon - Feedback welcome

[we meat again]

I started with approx. 20 lbs of pork belly (6 3.5lb pieces) - I already know I'm going to weigh everything out EQ style next time (wish I had found this forum about 10 days ago :)

5 tsp Prague #1
20 tbsp course kosher salt
20 tbsp light brown sugar
6 tbsp maple syrup
6 tbsp grape molasses
12 tbsp table grind black pepper
5 tsp red pepper flakes
healthy dollop of Sugar Bob's Maple Habenero Sauce

Used every last bit of the dry brine coating all sides of the 6 pieces
Vacuum sealed and in the fridge (40 F) for 8 days, flipped and man-handled once per day. Nice and firm and pinked up all the way through (I cut two of them in half to check) last night.
Rinsed and towel dried.
Spent overnight in my Smokin' Tex airing out to get a pellicle (34 F last night).
Currently in my homemade wine barrel cold smoker (Smokai tube) with Traeger Apple pellets. I'm planning on 6-8 hours of smoke and then ... back into vac bags and into the freezer.

I'd be mighty grateful for any feedback! Happy to be here.

 

[SmokinEdge]

That recipe will make bacon. For me you are a little heavy on cure 1 and way heavy on salt. But like you said use EQ next time. Enjoy.

 

[we meat again]

That recipe will make bacon. For me you are a little heavy on cure 1 and way heavy on salt. But like you said use EQ next time. Enjoy.

Thanks! Like I said, I found this forum just a little too late. When I do the EQ, should I weigh and make up the brine for each individual piece or the total meat weight?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks! Like I said, I found this forum just a little too late. When I do the EQ, should I weigh and make up the brine for each individual piece or the total meat weight?

You can do either, but it’s best to mix for each piece. Best way is to leave them whole mix and apply cure then cut into pieces. It all works though. Just more consistent piece by piece.