question for the bacon gods

[java]

i got a small hog belly for christmas,got some buckboard bacon cure,measured it out,

rubbed it in good,into a zip-lock and into the fridge it goes.

then a guy tells me i screwed up. tells me i should have used 1/2 the amount of cure called for becouse bellies are only 2 in.thick and that i should have taken the skin off the belly.

i remember as a kid our bacon always had the "rind" on it. did i really screw up,or can this belly be salvaged?

 

[chefrob]

not having done any bellies before, i can't speak to the skin part but i don't that it is a huge problem. as for the "use 1/2 the amount" advice i would no longer take curing advice from that person. what i would say is always follow the directions of the manufacture of the cure.

 

[pineywoods]

I know several people that cure with the skin on and they apply all the cure at once as most of us do

 

[meateater]

I would say your good to go.

 

[fpnmf]

I follow cure instructions and leave the skin on.

No problems so far,turns out great.

Had a row of nipples on the last belly.

 

[scarbelly]

I cure with the skin on all the time and the cure goes by weight not by thickness.

 

[rbranstner]

I cure with the skin on all the time and the cure goes by weight not by thickness.

I'm not a cure pro by any means but this is exactly what I was thinking when I was reading the post. Not sure where they came up with the 2" thing? All packages of of cure I have ever used always say you go by weight to measure out the amount of cure.

 

[scarbelly]

I cure with the skin on all the time and the cure goes by weight not by thickness.

I'm not a cure pro by any means but this is exactly what I was thinking when I was reading the post. Not sure where they came up with the 2" thing? All packages of of cure I have ever used always say you go by weight to measure out the amount of cure.

There is a process for using TQ where you measure the thickness and for every 1/4" you cure a certain # of days. I have the formula at home but you still use the TQ by weight not thickness

 

[java]

thanks guys i am new to the bacon thing and didnt want to kill the family.[just yet]

i am starting to wish this guy hadnt moved in next door. i figure i will follow the advice on this forum [and the directions on the cure].

i really started wondering more about him after he started scolding me about how i run my smoker and how i train my dog. [i guess i dont use big enough sticks for either]

 

[chefrob]

i really started wondering more about him after he started scolding me about how i run my smoker and how i train my dog. [i guess i dont use big enough sticks for either]

you need to keep an eye on that feller............he ain't right!

Had a row of nipples on the last belly.

 you say that like it's a bad thing.....................sounds like a fun time to me!

 

[meateater]

thanks guys i am new to the bacon thing and didnt want to kill the family.[just yet]

i am starting to wish this guy hadnt moved in next door. i figure i will follow the advice on this forum [and the directions on the cure].

i really started wondering more about him after he started scolding me about how i run my smoker and how i train my dog. [i guess i dont use big enough sticks for either]

The scolding would be the first alert. Were dog lovers on here also and they get plenty of our smoked stuff. We supply the basics on smoking and you take it from there, put your twist on it and show us some pics. That's all we ask is some pics so we can all drool.

 
 

 

[xjcamaro]

Had a row of nipples on the last belly.

Ya mine too, and you should have seen my wifes face when i showed her. Then i said where do you think bacon from the store comes from? The same way im doing it here, but mine is better!

 

[ellymae]

Lucky you - you live next to the guy that knows everything - good luck with that!

Quote:

i really started wondering more about him after he started scolding me about how i run my smoker and how i train my dog.  

 

[java]

okay one more stupid question. i ordered an amazen smoker so when it gets here let the smokin commece! its about 15 degrees outside,so how long do most of you smoke your bacon, and about warm would you try to keep the smoker?

ps i told the new neighbor he would be best to just tend to his own damn business.

 

[alblancher]

As far as your neighbor do as I do with my wife.  Smile and do it your own damn way!

Don't know about the temps, I live in the South and use a smokehouse so my problem is getting the temps down.

I guess it's time to call the butcher and order some more bellies, I checked the freezer and the bacon section is pretty bare.

Good Luck

Al

 

[fpnmf]

okay one more stupid question. i ordered an amazen smoker so when it gets here let the smokin commece! its about 15 degrees outside,so how long do most of you smoke your bacon, and about warm would you try to keep the smoker?

ps i told the new neighbor he would be best to just tend to his own damn business.

I turn the MES on at its lowest temp..100. Fill the amazen and let it burn til the end. Usually around 6 hours.

 

[Bearcarver]

okay one more stupid question. i ordered an amazen smoker so when it gets here let the smokin commece! its about 15 degrees outside,so how long do most of you smoke your bacon, and about warm would you try to keep the smoker?

ps i told the new neighbor he would be best to just tend to his own damn business.

I have smoked Belly Bacon at temps ranging from 70˚ all the way to 170˚ (smoker temp), and I have pulled my Belly Bacons anywhere from 100˚ to 142˚ (internal).

They were ALL GREAT!

Personally, my favorite was the one I pulled at 118˚ internal, but that was me.

Take your pick---It's all good.

I wouldn't go over 170˚ much though.

The longer you keep it in there, the more "LIGHT" smoke you can put on it.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

thanks guys i am new to the bacon thing and didnt want to kill the family.[just yet]

i am starting to wish this guy hadnt moved in next door. i figure i will follow the advice on this forum [and the directions on the cure].

i really started wondering more about him after he started scolding me about how i run my smoker and how i train my dog. [i guess i dont use big enough sticks for either]

Sounds to me like you only need one big stick!?!?  

Bear

 

[xjcamaro]

I have cold smoked bacon in the 25-35* range (outside temp) Smoked it for about 8 hrs.

 

[alblancher]

I am reading the Marianski book and the only thing I can find about smoking cured meats at low temperatures is smoke retention is less.  Smoke house temps over 70 degrees provides for better smoke retention.  I'm guessing that at those low temperatures you want to increase the amount of time in the smoke.   Also frozen meat will not retain smoke, which seems kind of intuitive.