Thought I knew how to smoke

[ntwifi]

hello I a Greg 64 years old force to retire 9 years ago from disabilities, living in North Texas and central Arkansas. I have been smoking for years, started with a home made smoker burning mostly Mesquite, smoking brisket, ribs, and chicken. I migrated to a Trager pellet smoker 10 years ago, started to smoke my turkeys and ham. This year, my father talked me into converting a 2 door food warmer into a smoker, so I ordered a smoke generator, and my smoking world changed! I started with cold smoing cheese, then bacon, and for thanksgiving 3 turkeys, and a 20lb ham! They all turned out so good, I feel that I am a newbie all those years of hot smoking out the window. I have bounced around the form and learned alot, and have a LOT to lear. I cold smoked sharp chedar, mozorella, colby jack, and cream cheese WOW!!!! I know most start bacon with brine and hot smoke, BUT i jumped off the bridge and dry brined, and cold smoked a pork belly WOW WOW, the best bacon ever and i expect it to get better. Then the Turkeys were as good as i have ever done or better. Last the 20lb ham all i can say is WOW. I am open to sugesstions, advice and criticism, as i love to learn, My pictures suck but are a start.

 

[Fueling Around]

Welcome to SMF.
Even the most seasoned smokers learn something new here
The day you stop learning is the day you go in the box for the nap.
Cannot open your heic photos as I don't have a converter to jpeg

...
I started with cold smoing cheese, then bacon, and for thanksgiving 3 turkeys, and a 20lb ham!
...

I hope your turkeys were cured before cold smoking. Maybe even the ham if you're talking a green ham (uncured).
Uncured meat should not be cold smoked. Why you ask? Pathogens (bacterium & viruses) rapidly multiple on uncured meat in the 40° to 140° range which is what cold to arm smoking produces. The expression is 40 to 140 in 4 hours is a food safety standard.
I agree that dry brined cold smoke pork belly is da bomb for bacon.

 

[normanaj]

Hello from RI.

 

[ntwifi]

Welcome to SMF.
Even the most seasoned smokers learn something new here
The day you stop learning is the day you go in the box for the nap.
Cannot open your heic photos as I don't have a converter to jpeg


I hope your turkeys were cured before cold smoking. Maybe even the ham if you're talking a green ham (uncured).
Uncured meat should not be cold smoked. Why you ask? Pathogens (bacterium & viruses) rapidly multiple on uncured meat in the 40° to 140° range which is what cold to arm smoking produces. The expression is 40 to 140 in 4 hours is a food safety standard.
I agree that dry brined cold smoke pork belly is da bomb for bacon.

i actualy hot smoked the turkeys and ham, i was very pleased with how they turned out, they where golden like out of a oven not like i had in the past darker from dirty smoke

 

[ntwifi]

i actualy hot smoked the turkeys and ham, i was very pleased with how they turned out, they where golden like out of a oven not like i had in the past darker from dirty smoke

I was originaly going to brine the pork belly and hot smoke it but from what i learned here before joining, convinced me dry and cold was the way to go, it did come out a little salty, but i found i could soak it 10 minutes and it was just right, maybe next time i will get it closer

 

[ntwifi]

Pictures that work

 

[Fueling Around]

Thanks for the revised photos.
Salt level takes some time to find your like.
I'm the low salt guy that goes 0.5% to 1% depending on my audience.
Fresh sausage is strictly 1/2% for my wife. I don't add any sugars either.
I'll go up to 1% for my stuff including bacon. Remember cure#1 basically adds 0.25% salt so add that in the formula.

 

[ntwifi]

Pictures that work

Thanks for the revised photos.
Salt level takes some time to find your like.
I'm the low salt guy that goes 0.5% to 1% depending on my audience.
Fresh sausage is strictly 1/2% for my wife. I don't add any sugars either.
I'll go up to 1% for my stuff including bacon. Remember cure#1 basically adds 0.25% salt so add that in the formula.

im thinking i ama a low salt guy too, and I was way beyond that, I curede 5 days, then soaked 2 hours and it was still too salty it is still much better than the store bought after a 10min soak though.

Im going to try canadian bacon next what would you recomend? I came across a step by step by

Bearcarver that looks good but if you have a suggestion im open?​

oh and thanks for the salt % I didnt add the #1 to the other salt so that contributed

 

[BGKYSmoker]

im thinking i ama a low salt guy too, and I was way beyond that, I curede 5 days, then soaked 2 hours and it was still too salty it is still much better than the store bought after a 10min soak though.

Im going to try canadian bacon next what would you recomend? I came across a step by step by

Bearcarver that looks good but if you have a suggestion im open?​

oh and thanks for the salt % I didnt add the #1 to the other salt so that contributed

FYI

Bear passed away couple years ago. His SMF Legacy remains though.

 

[jkc64]

Here is a lot of great info from Bear that I use all the time.

Bear's "Step by Step" Index

Bear's "Step by Step" Index I made this index, because a lot of guys use my "Step by Steps", and I couldn't get them all in my Signature. Then I'd have to find the one I had that best suited what they were wanting to do. At times it has taken me forever to find one of my Step by Steps that...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[Fueling Around]

Bear (RIP) loved using Morton Tenderquick (TQ) in many of his cures.
I am not a fan of TQ due to the salt, method, sugar and cure #2.
If you are looking to cure the big loin, the size is an obstacle.
I cut them in thirds. I take the piece to cure and split in half in half so the cure penetrates completely in a 2 week dry brine. Meat may cure in a few days, but going the 2 weeks changes the flavor and texture for the better.
Consider a tenderloin for your first dry cure.
Start at 1.5% total salt meaning 1.25% salt and the 0.25% cure. If you like sweet than maybe 0.75% sugars. Cure for 2 weeks

 

[jcam222]

Welcome , it's a great place to learn and a great place to share so others can learn

 

[nlife]

Welcome aboard! There's a lot of great folks here to help you along, and a lot of great info from members that are no longer with us

 

[DRKsmoking]

Welcome to a great place with great folks to help you and enjoy all you post up.

Like said above , always learn and pass it along if you can.

David

 

[chopsaw]

Im going to try canadian bacon next what would you recomend? I came across a step by step by

@Bearcarver that looks good but if you have a suggestion im open?​

Use the steps posted by John . It's a great way to cure pork loins . I have 2 in the fridge now that are Tender quick , and a black forest ham spice profile .
I've never had any issues with salt using the correct amount of TQ .
1 Tablespoon per pound for whole muscle meat .

 

[ntwifi]

FYI

Bear passed away couple years ago. His SMF Legacy remains though.

I noticed that after posting, a great loss im seeing

 

[uncle eddie]

Jumping into this thread to see what else I can learn…

Welcome to SMF from central Missouri

 

[millerbuilds]

Welcome to SMF from North Texas as well, great looking rig you built!

- Jason

 

[ntwifi]

Welcome to SMF from North Texas as well, great looking rig you built!

- Jason

my 85 year old father bought that food warmer at an auction 5 years ago, and has been talking about making it a smoker ever since, so i ordered a smoke generator, and we have been playing with it ever since.

Greg

 

[Fueling Around]

...
I have 2 in the fridge now that are Tender quick , and a black forest ham spice profile .
...

What are you using for a black forest profile?
I used the one post by Eric SmokinEdge and my wife loved it.