There Is A Santa Claus ~ And His Sleigh Is Full Of Pork Belly

[thirdeye]

In the high lonesome, pork bellies have been scarcer than hens teeth most of the year. The last one I bought was 6 months ago. I belong to a group of friends that often do group purchases... everything from sweet corn to smoking woods, spices and other mail order things to save on shipping. When anyone goes to Denver to hit the ethnic markets, the truck farms or Restaurant Depot, they will make a list and buy for the rest of us. Yesterday two friends did just that, and on top of some oriental items they brought me 17# of pork belly. I'll start curing tomorrow and should have some bacon just after New Years.

 

[MJB05615]

Nice score Thirdeye.

 

[jmusser]

Awesomeness! It has really changed what used to be easy to get. Belly has been trickier to find here in Michigan too. Good luck on the bacon.

 

[tx smoker]

I'll start curing tomorrow and should have some bacon just after New Years.

That is great news. See? Never stop believing Man, after reading so many threads where people in various parts of the country can't get certain cuts of meat, I guess I should consider myself lucky. There's not much that isn't available here but I sure as heck am glad to see you score some goodies!!

Robert

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

So nice to have good friends. I have been blessed my whole life with really good friends but not so much on finding a girl friend!

 

[sawhorseray]

A fine piece of good fortune, 17 pounds of belly bacon should have you well stocked. I never saw it coming but I had to go around 3-4 months earlier last depending on store-bought bacon, don't want to get in that situation again. RAY

 

[thirdeye]

I decided this afternoon to go for it and start the cure on both sides tomorrow. I have adequate room in my beer fridge even though I have 5 loins currently processing with the daveomak ham method. And I use one of my drum smokers for the cold smoke chamber so room is not an issue... and our temps are unseasonably higher, which means in the 20's and 30's.

 

[JCAP]

That is my kinda Santa Claus!

 

[kentucky fisherman]

I'm learning Canadian Bacon, but as soon as I have a handle on that, I'm going in search of a local source for pork bellies. Can someone point me to a good step-by-step thread on curing and smoking bellies? Biggest problem I see is that my electric "box smoker" only has three racks. Can I hold the cured bellies in the fridge and smoke them in batches?

 

[Fueling Around]

Great purchase!
There was pork belly everywhere a couple months back. Not much these days. I have one in the freezer to contemplate for side pork (uncured, sliced and fried) or bacon.

You're planning to dry cure?
A couple of dips, but enjoying the unseasonable teens, 20's and occasional 30's in my parts

 

[mneeley490]

Costco still has belly, but it's not as cheap as it used to be. I usually pick up one or two a month and toss them in the freezer until I'm ready to start a batch.