Pellicile question

[cgrubb1]

I just got my bacon out of the brine after 2 weeks. Last night I rinsed and soaked the slabs in cold water. After an hour, I placed the slabs in the fridge on drying racks. I left them there all night and day. I am smoking them tonight, but I never could get a pellicle to form. They felt wet and a bit slimy when I got home, so I patted them dry and put them in front of a fan for an hour. After that hour they were still wet and not as firm as I expected. Any idea as to why I couldn't get a good pellicle to form?

 

[daveomak]

Maybe the humidity is high...... Surface salt, will absorb moisture, and stop a pellicle from forming.... Sometimes it takes many hours to form a pellicle... I have had bacon take 12 hours in the past.... Be sure the bacon temp is above the dew point... warm it in the oven or smoker to 75 degrees or so.... then under the fan.....

Dave

 

[foamheart]

Todays Wednesday! You never get a good pellicle on Wednesday.

J/K I never got a good pellicle on brine cured bacon. For some reason most of my bacon was too lean, can ya imagine every saying and meaning that statement? My bacon it was too lean. Anyway, mine smoked fine even after a week in the reefer drying.

You cold smoking or warm smoking? I found I like my bacon and Canadian Bacon smoked at less than >125 IT. At 140 the fat starts thinking about rendering, and above 130 the meats density seems different. About an hour of two of drying, and a little over 4 of smoke was pretty.

Good luck and know this, it will be better than any bacon you've ever bought! The smell is almost a religious experience.

Enjoy it.

 

[cgrubb1]

I am warm smoking it. Even though it's about 10 degrees outside, the temp got up to about 175 for a short time. I got it regulated and have been hovering right about 130 for 3 hours now, with an IT of 105. I'm using apple chips on my masterbuilt xl smoker. Hope it turns out well, I raised this pig, and did all the butchering myself. A tasty pile of bacon would make it worth while.

 

[foamheart]

Its going to be the best bacon you've ever tasted!

 

[cgrubb1]

I hope it cured properly. There seems to be quite a bit of moisture coming out. The meat still looks damp and doesn't show signs of getting darker or accepting the smoke. I used pops brine recipe and it set in there for a little over 2 weeks. Figure I will smoke it to an IT of 145-150. Any other suggestions? Thanks for the help.

 

[foamheart]

NP, listen what you are going thru is the drying phase of the smoke. usually 1 to 2 hours, some times I even leave the door cracked open to help get the moisture out. Vent full open. After a couple a hours, try and maintain 110 to 125 IT. If you heat to 140+ you are risking the chance of rendering the fat as well as cooking the meat.

If you can hold the IT to 110 to 125 using whatever means needed, including opening the door and letting the heat out, LOL, you'll probably like your bacon better. I didn't care for the meats texture when I hot smoked. Oh I loved the color but the meat texture just didn't seem right.

Hang in there, believe me you are gonna love your bacon. Yu'll wonder why you are just now learning how to do this?