PICS - Bacon Week | Cookshack

chaplainbillMember

Brought home the bacon (at least the bellies) last wednesday and cured 40 pounds. they've been in the fridge since. I pulled them out and rinsed and refilled the 2.5 gal ziplocs I had them in with ice/water and the bellies and let them soak for four hours to leach out the salt. Last sunday at church, a buddy of mine gave me a 8 pound belly he'd cured from a home-grown hog. I was a perfect belly. I smoked it up for him tonight. Here's a before (or during) shot. after shot in reply

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7/26/1110:46 PM

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chaplainbillMember

Here's the after shot. Closeup, it was cut in three pieces. Smoked in the FEC for four hours at 180-200. At the end, I switched it off, put a hand full of pellets in the firepot on top of the hot coals and closed the door. It smoked nicely for nearly an hour with the switch off. BBQ delight Hickory mix pellets. Tommorow is the big bacon smoke with the other 40 pounds of bacon in the FEC. I'll try to get some pics.

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7/26/1110:47 PM

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pagsMember

That looks real nice and tasty.

7/26/1111:50 PM

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chaplainbillMember

Ok, here is 40 pounds of Cured Bellies (green bacon) in the FEC. 12 slabs, two to a rack. 180 until 125 internal and 200 until done 145-150. About 7 hours. Rotated One to three and Four to six. Did not spin

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7/28/1112:05 AM

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chaplainbillMember

here's the 40 pounds of finished bacon, 12 slabs laid out for cooling on our 2x4 folding table. This does not include the eight pounds I did last night. The house smells amazing and the dog is having a fit looking thru the window.

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7/28/1112:10 AM

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chaplainbillMember

sorry to keep adding to my own post (i'm really not that bored), but I keep getting some more pics I'd like to add. We just finished Slicing and Vac. Sealing the bacon. We began with 48 pounds total (my 40 and my buddy's 8) and when we finished smoking it, there was about 43-44 pounds left. It took us about 2.5 hours to slice/seal it all. Here is a picture of our assembly line, without the players.

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7/28/119:22 PM

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chaplainbillMember

Most of the bacon looked pretty good. A lot better than anything I've ever seen in the store. One thing you'll have to get used to with homemade bacon is the pinkish color meat, as apposed to the darker red color of the storebought meat. Here's a picture of a piece sliced open.

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7/28/119:27 PM

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toolmanMember

I agree with you on the color of the homemade bacon. I'm thinking of adding some Cherry pellets instead of just using all Apple on the next batch. I seem to be using the same type slicer and food sealer as you and enjoy both pieces of equipment. Can't wait to start the next batch this coming week. Enjoy your pictures as always!

7/28/1110:00 PM

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pagsMember

Your bacon looks better than anything I can buy at the grocers. Nice job.

7/28/1111:25 PM

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mike4258Registered Old Fart

Bill,

GREAT post and the the bacon looks fantastic. BTW have you thought about opening a photobucket account (free) or something similar? You could upload your pics there and with a simple click copy the the img code and paste into your post and the pics will show up on the thread page. This would make your post even better since folks could view ALL the bacon goodness at once!!

7/29/118:09 AM

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chaplainbillMember

I used cherry last time and there was a marked difference. I should have used it this time, but was too lazy to unload/refill the hopper. I've also got some sugermaple and mesqite and apple which i've yet to try. There's always next time. have not tried the photo bucket yet, we'll see.

7/29/112:02 PM

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