Been awhile since I have been able to post anything. But I have still been smoking and watching the posts when I get a free minute. Decided this year was going to try something different as far as Christmas presents go.
Went to Costco and bought 2 of the thickest bellies I could find(not very thick). Work with what you can get I guess! Used TQ and brown sugar in the cure. Both bellies were about 10 pounds a piece.
Cured this bacon for 14 days flipping daily. Soaked for about an hour in cold water then patted dry and into the beer fridge to rest for a few days to get that pellicle.
Covered 2 of the slabs in fresh cracked black pepper. Decided to use the Smoke Vault for this one and really happy with the results. Used to use the MES40 for this but get a lot more ventilation from the SV24. Loaded up the AMNPS with apple pellets and let her rip for 11 hours.
Back into the fridge for a couple days then sliced up 3 of the 6 slabs.
Vac sealed all that up and then got busy on my next project...Cheese. Found a 10 pound hunk at a closeout grocery store in the area. Cut it up into 8 oz blocks and then got out the other cheese I had been stashing for a the last couple months.
Love that Cabot Hot Habanero. Anyways same procedure fired up the AMNPS with apple pellets and let her rip for 4 hours.
Let it rest in the fridge for a couple of days and then vac sealed it all up.
Put a pack of bacon and a block of cheese together and taped it together.
Don't know about you but looks like the perfect Christmas present to me! Family loved it and it gave me an excuse to do what I love to do. Win Win. Plus I still have 10 pounds of bacon and a lot of cheese leftover! Merry Christmas!
Went to Costco and bought 2 of the thickest bellies I could find(not very thick). Work with what you can get I guess! Used TQ and brown sugar in the cure. Both bellies were about 10 pounds a piece.
Cured this bacon for 14 days flipping daily. Soaked for about an hour in cold water then patted dry and into the beer fridge to rest for a few days to get that pellicle.
Covered 2 of the slabs in fresh cracked black pepper. Decided to use the Smoke Vault for this one and really happy with the results. Used to use the MES40 for this but get a lot more ventilation from the SV24. Loaded up the AMNPS with apple pellets and let her rip for 11 hours.
Back into the fridge for a couple days then sliced up 3 of the 6 slabs.
Vac sealed all that up and then got busy on my next project...Cheese. Found a 10 pound hunk at a closeout grocery store in the area. Cut it up into 8 oz blocks and then got out the other cheese I had been stashing for a the last couple months.
Love that Cabot Hot Habanero. Anyways same procedure fired up the AMNPS with apple pellets and let her rip for 4 hours.
Let it rest in the fridge for a couple of days and then vac sealed it all up.
Put a pack of bacon and a block of cheese together and taped it together.
Don't know about you but looks like the perfect Christmas present to me! Family loved it and it gave me an excuse to do what I love to do. Win Win. Plus I still have 10 pounds of bacon and a lot of cheese leftover! Merry Christmas!