Question concerning bacon fat and hot smoking

[liquddeth]

I'm new to the board and joined mainly because I can't figure out the answer to this question, even after searching the forums!

I have done two rounds of bacon so far.  The first time I used pork belly and the next I used pork butt for BBB.  Both times the bacon was dry cured for 10 days, rinsed and left in the fridge for 18 - 24 hours to form a pellicle, then hot smoked using a smokenator set up.  The taste of the meat portion of was fantastic both times; however, the fat was left in an odd state.  When the bacon is fried, either in a pan or in the oven, the fat would turn opaque and sticky and when eaten it had a very unpleasant, chewy texture. 

My question is this: did this occur because the bacon was hot smoked and that process pre-rendered the fat?

If so, would cold smoking solve this issue?  I want my bacon to have the delicious melt-in-your-mouth fat that I've grown used to from store-bought brands.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Hot smoked bacon sucks!!!!!!!
I hate, hate, hate, hate it!
Mostly because of the warmed-over flavor that it often has caused by oxidative decomposition of fat.
It can have a real funky flavor.
It's also likely contributed to the other problems you've mentioned.
Try cold smoking at ~70 degrees.
Give the bacon a few days to rest after smoking to mellow and meld the flavors.


~Martin

 

[linguica]

Hot smoked bacon sucks!!!!!!!
I hate, hate, hate, hate it!
Mostly because of the warmed-over flavor that it often has caused by oxidative decomposition of fat.
It can have a real funky flavor.
It's also likely contributed to the other problems you've mentioned.
Try cold smoking at ~70 degrees.
Give the bacon a few days to rest after smoking to mellow and meld the flavors.


~Martin

Never heard that idea before when making bacon..Makes sense just as you would cheese.

 

[smoking b]

I cold smoke all mine as well. It turns out much better for me. In my opinion it only needs to be cooked once - right before I eat it 

 

[smoking b]

Never heard that idea before when making bacon..Makes sense just as you would cheese.

Yup there is a noticeable difference if you give it a nice rest before devouring it...

 

[venture]

The fat starts to break down at higher temps.

Stick with the cold smoke.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[liquddeth]

Thanks for the replies!  I'm glad to know that there is a solution to my problem.