Smoked Bacon ( step by step with Qview )

[Bearcarver]

It looks awesome and a great pictorial along with it

Thanks Piney, yours always look great too!

Bear

 

[tjohnson]

I get a very nice bronze color in the last 1 1/2 - 2 hours, when I run the heat up to about 150* in the smoker.  I kinda look for an internal temp of 120* or so.  This way the fat does not render out.  I don't know if the color actually adds to the flavor.  This is where someone like Piney might know the answer.

Todd

 

[fishwrestler]

thanks for the color on the input. I never did a temp  check on the meat itself. I was able to cold smoke as my smoker box never got above 100 deg and usually ran about 70-80 deg during the 12 hour process,  I did get great smoke flavor jsut not any color so I guess that is still alright.

Robert

 

[Bearcarver]

I was mainly doing a temp check on this one because I was testing a new AMNS. You got the most important part----GREAT smoke flavor. I think it takes both smoke & a little heat to get good color. That would explain why this one, although nice color, did not get as dark as my others. It still tasted great. Hmmmm, I wonder if anybody ever actually made "Bad Bacon". Must be hard to do.

Bear

 

[Dutch]

Bear-this is such a great "How-to" tutorial that I decided to turn your op into a Wiki.

 

[shooterrick]

Great Job Bear!  Gotta love the bacon. 

 

[scarbelly]

Hey Bear I can not beleive I missed this one the first time around. Great post - I just pulled some out of the smoker a couple days ago. Going to slice it tomorrow and seal it up  

 

[patio daddy o]

Bear,

Your results are fantastic looking.

I love bacon like most folks but my wife loves the stuff. She actually treats it more like a desert at breakfast.

I have never tried to make bacon before so I had a question.

I understand the Temp. (100 to 145) and you mentioned the time of 6.5 hours. Is the internal Temp. more important then the time and what is the minimum time you would keep the bacon in the smoker?

Thanks in advance for the advice and I really enjoyed the great posting

 

[rbranstner]

Great Job as usual there Bear. I need to replenish my supply of bacon myself coming up soon.

 

[shoneyboy]

This is a great Qview. One of my buddies will brush sugar cane syrup on his bacon to give it a darker color..I have never tried it, but he swears by it and says it doesn't make it too sweat. I have to say, it is what it is and I don't think anyone will turn it down.....Great pictures and thanks for taking the time to give the advice.....SB

 

[realtorterry]

HOLY FRIGGIN' COW BEAR

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks a lot guys!

You all make me feel real good with your nice compliments.

I'm glad I can help others to quit buying that stuff they sell in stores.

Bear

 

[spec]

Wow Bear that looks tastee...

I've been going to some bacon for awhile...now I gttoa

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks Spec!

Hey Spec, Did you move to Coffeyville yet?

Bear

 

[spec]

Hey Bear,

I was wondering why only ziplock bags for the cure? does it need some air ,or would a full vacuum be okay?

The reason I ask is  I was talking with my Health dept. guy and He'd rather see me full on Vac. bag it

 

[spec]

Thanks Spec!

Hey Spec, Did you move to Coffeyville yet?

Bear

Naw,

I'm snowed in under 2 feet of snow...and it's -14 plus a 30mph wind

My custom built fire/exhaust hood is being re done...I should be ...well we're plann ing on a grand opening new years eve...
 

 

[Bearcarver]

Hey Bear,

I was wondering why only ziplock bags for the cure? does it need some air ,or would a full vacuum be okay?

The reason I ask is  I was talking with my Health dept. guy and He'd rather see me full on Vac. bag it

No reason to use vac bags for curing---This is dry curing---Some people don't even put it in bags (I would never do that).

I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to vac it, but why bother. Just put it in there with all the cure, squeeze most of the air out, zip it shut, and you're good to go.

The important thing is that they (vac or zip-lock) are clean inside.

If you do use vacuum bags, be careful not to suck up the juice & wreck you machine.

Bear

 

[spec]

Thanks Bear,

I got an Industrial wet vac I ship pickles in 4 mill bags,with all the juice from the jar in them... So the liquid's not a problem, I killed a regular vac. sealer that way a few years back

I just want to keep my health inspector happy...

I had him out to the house while I was down, (In coffeyville) for some cook out, Kinda nice to have freinds that are keeping an eye on you, and telling you where they are going to bust you for infractions before they do it...

On the other hand it kinda is sucky that I'll have a health inspector eating at my place  fairly often...Giggle giggle

 

[skully]

great job, keep the cures and pics coming for sure

 

[tyotrain]

man that makes me want to some some bacon.. great job