Skip to main content

I have made belly bacon in the #55 once with great results, now trying to refine my process and keep up with family and friends requests for more.
In hindsight I shouldn't have given any of my first batch away Smiler

I picked up a frozen case of 4 skinned slabs average weight about 12 lbs each. I pulled 2 slabs out and thawed, cut them roughly in half and did a dry rub using Alblancher's Dry Cured Bacon Calculator

I did two at 3% salt & two at 4% using brown sugar on two and maple sugar on the other two.

Piece #1 (4% salt):
6lb 5.5oz (6.344lb)
115g Kosher Salt
9.2g Cure #1
43.1g Maple Sugar

Piece #2 (4% salt):
4lb 14.8oz (4.925lb)
89.1g Kosher Salt
7.1g Cure #1
33.5g Dark Brown Sugar

Piece #3 (3% salt):
6lb 8oz (6.5lb)
88.4g Kosher Salt
9.43g Cure #1
44.2g Maple Sugar

Piece #4 (3% salt):
4lb 14.8oz (6.34lb)
86.4g Kosher Salt
9.13g Cure #1
43.2g Dark Brown Sugar

Since I was going to be out of town for 6 days I applied all the cure and vacuum sealed them, they were flipped and massaged every day, 10 days total.

I rinsed them and tried a couple slices from the 3% and 4% and thought the 4% was slightly too salty but not enough to soak, will see how it ends up after smoking and resting.

I marked and hung the slabs in my garage beer fridge for 1.5 days to develop the pellicle.


I pulled slab #1 and Slab #4 out and brushed #1 with a 75/25 mix of molasses and maple syrup, slab#4 went in the smoker commando.






I filled the A-MAZE-N-TUBE-SMOKER with Pitmaster's Choice pellets 1/3 Hickory/Cherry/Maple Let it go till it burned out (5.5 hours) then I filled the A-MAZE-N-PELLET-SMOKER with the same pellets and lit both ends I am 1 hour into this and expect it will burn for 6-7 more hours.




After 5.5 hours:


Outside temps today were 72º at start up and 84º now. The smoker cabinet temp started at 100º and has got as high as 134º

More later.
I am thinking of leaving the other two slabs dry age a week or two more, maybe try the FEC set at 140º

Update: The AMPS lit on both ends burned for 4.5 hours the temp got as high as 150º the bacon ended up at 120º







Have it in the fridge cooling, may sample couple slices off each in a while.

They both tasted great, #1 that had the maple sugar and was brushed with the maple - molasses wins by a nose.


Got the old trusty craigslist Hobart slicer out and sliced them nice and thick.






All sealed up, now I still have the last 2 pieces hanging in the beer fridge, maybe Sunday I will smoke them up.
Last edited {1}
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Nice job Rich. What temp was your beer fridge set to? They really look great. We like sweet bacon as well, but I have almost 11 lbs brining right now and I did 1/2 sweet (brown sugar added) and 1/2 savory (crushed garlic, bay leaves and peppercorn added). Can't wait to try it.

I am waiting for my Food Saver to die to justify buying a new sealer. Weston or Cabelas pro (they look almost exactly the same) are the two I am contemplating.

Happy 4th. Vicki
I put slabs #2 & 3 in the smoker last night after letting them hang for 3 more days. (4.5 days total)

This time I lit both the A-MAZE-N-TUBE-SMOKER & the A-MAZE-N-PELLET-SMOKER the outside temp is 71º and will drop to 68º the smoker temp is 100º when I lit the AMPS.

The AMPS burned for 11 hours, smoker temperature got as high as 140º but averaged 115º. Internal temp was also 115º when pulled.
Off to the fridge for another day or two before slicing.





Last edited by richh
quote:
Originally posted by Vicki B:
Thanks for the info. The bacon looks great! So you cold smoke, I hot smoke. I don't know what the difference in the end product is, do you? I am always looking for different or better ways, just a curious person. I hot smoke to an internal temp of 150.


I would say this was a warm smoke Smiler
I have done both now and like mine to get the color and extra smoke that comes with letting the temp get a little higher, plus it doesn't seem to dry the outside as much. I have been aging mine before smoking and after longer and longer each batch to concentrate the flavors and reduce shrinkage. I also went to dry curing to get rid of the excess water and steaming/shrinking while frying it.
It seems that the cold smoked bacon is easier to wrap and weave than hot smoked as well. (BLT's and fatty's)

Next batch I will apply the cure in 1/3's and then add extra sugar and flavorings after it has cured and give it a few days that way.

Still learning but every batch is better and better so far.

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×