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bacon tips n tricks
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2014 17:03
by hugestapedius
bacon tips n tricks
« on: Today at 08:56:35 am »
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I have cured smoked several pork bellies with vaying degress of sucess.
just wanted to make a post to see how everybody else does it. Theres tons of recipes etc. The method seems differenet from one to the next. Heres some questions. Everyone post their methods ec.
Do u dry cure or wet brine
do you remove skin before or after
do you hang on hooks or on trays. (Skin side up or down)
How long you cure for 5-10 days
do you rinse the cured pork. (How long)
Do you dry in fridge overnite (covered or uncovered)
Do you dry in smoker before smoking
what wood you use
how long smoke and what temp
what IT is everyone going to
do u let cool then into fridge for day before slicing?
Leave a week before slicing.
How you guys do it in regards to these options. I know diff recipes methods call for certain ways. Just wana c if u have tried and tested routines
Re: bacon tips n tricks
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2014 18:03
by sawhorseray
hugestapedius wrote:bacon tips n tricks
« on: Today at 08:56:35 am »
QuoteModifyRemove
I have cured smoked several pork bellies with vaying degress of sucess.
just wanted to make a post to see how everybody else does it. Theres tons of recipes etc. The method seems differenet from one to the next. Heres some questions. Everyone post their methods ec.
Do u dry cure or wet brine - Dry rub two days then add 1-2 quarts water
do you remove skin before or after - Mine come without the skin
do you hang on hooks or on trays. (Skin side up or down) - Hooks
How long you cure for 5-10 days - Seven days
do you rinse the cured pork. (How long) - Yes, warm water, not too long
Do you dry in fridge overnite (covered or uncovered) - Yes, uncovered
Do you dry in smoker before smoking - One hour @ 100°
what wood you use - Apple
how long smoke and what temp - 5 hours 110, 5 hours 130, close dampers and raise to 170°
what IT is everyone going to - 138°
do u let cool then into fridge for day before slicing? - Yes
Leave a week before slicing. - No, breakfast next day
I use CW's Son's of Bees bacon recipe for the rub, slice it thick, yummy fo the tummy. RAY
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2014 21:55
by ssorllih
I use the slab from the skin side of the butts
I dry cure with 2% salt, .25% cure#1 and 1 to 1.5% brown sugar
10 days
No rinse
dry uncovered 3 days
smoke cold 15 hours apple, or maple, or hickory
Finish in the kitchen oven @170° to an IT of 135° to 140°
Cool over night.
Re: bacon tips n tricks
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 03:46
by Chuckwagon
Ray, you wrote:
I use CW's Son's of Bees bacon recipe for the rub, slice it thick, yummy fo the tummy. RAY
Thanks ol' pard! I'm glad this recipe has worked out for you. You made my day, pal!
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 18:49
by redzed
Do u dry cure or wet brine, Have done both, but mostly brine, 4 litres water, 400g salt. 200g sugar. 100g Cure 1, peppercorns, juniper, garlic and rosemary. Don't like maple, brown sugar or honey
do you remove skin before or after. After, if can get with skin. Smoking bacon, hams, etc. with skin improves the flavour
do you hang on hooks or on trays. (Skin side up or down) bacon hooks
How long you cure for 5-10 days, depends on thickness but anywhere from a week to 12 days
do you rinse the cured pork. (How long) Rinse and soak for 1 hr
Do you dry in fridge overnite (covered or uncovered) the latter
Do you dry in smoker before smoking, yes like everything else
what wood you use, for bacon fruit woods seem to work best
how long smoke and what temp, around 3 hrs at 130 - 140 and then raise the temp.
what IT is everyone going to, around 140, but mostly determine by the way it looks. You will be cooking it anyway.
do u let cool then into fridge for day before slicing? Always tastes best the next day
Leave a week before slicing. Why? And if you are going to freeze the bacon, leave it in chunks, it will keep better.
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 05:01
by markjass
Gave up on wet brines for bacon as they were way to salty (Marianski's) a couple of years ago. I have decided to give it another go. The amount of salt and cure you use are much less than the Marianski's use. I am going to give your formula a go for the brine. I have a 1.8kg pork belly in the freezer. It has the skin on. I thought about brining it for 5 days. What do you think redzed
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 06:11
by redzed
Mark, because your bacon has the skin on, I would brine it for a full 10 days or even up to 14. If the belly is lean and thin, you might be able to cut that by a couple of days.
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:08
by markjass
I am very happy with how my dry cured bacon comes out. I dry cure it for 6 days (skin on). However, I may prefer the taste or texture of brine cured bacon. The advantage with brine curing is that the strips can be cut off the meat and be fried. I can also get visual clues at to how the meat is going.
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 15:17
by Cabonaia
Do u dry cure or wet brine - wet
do you remove skin before or after - after finishing in the oven
do you hang on hooks or on trays. (Skin side up or down) - hang from bacon hooks
How long you cure for 5-10 days - 6 (depends though on thickness)
do you rinse the cured pork. (How long) - briefly
Do you dry in fridge overnite (covered or uncovered) - uncovered outside of fridge till tacky
Do you dry in smoker before smoking - see above
what wood you use - varies, I'm not particular
how long smoke and what temp - cold smoke overnight
what IT is everyone going to - I finish it in the oven to 150F IT
do u let cool then into fridge for day before slicing? - slice off the skin while still warm, let cool, then into fridge.
Leave a week before slicing. -naw!
Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2014 09:04
by markjass
I kicked of the belly bacon today in a wet cure. I had rolled it up, vac-packed it and then frozen it. It is lovely pork. It is free farmed (
http://www.cressyfarm.co.nz/Home_Page.php) I went out and look at their farm. The paddocks are visible from the side of a country road. Now like all pork in NZ it has a very small amount of fat in it. It is supposed to rain for the next four days (may have to break out the tarpaulin) and the longer range forecast is for a few fine days at the end of next week. That is when I am planning on smoking it.
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 11:59
by markjass
You guys are amazing. Thanks redzed. Followed your suggestions for wet cured bacon. It tastes amazing. A days less curing would not have gone amiss.
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 15:23
by redzed
Great to hear that Mark. Enjoy the bacon. Wish I had some today for breakfast as I am sitting here with a bowl of oatmeal!
Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 04:28
by hugestapedius
Thanx everybody for sharing. This greatly helps improve and fine tune my method. Got five 3lbs belly slabs curing and ready for smoke tomorrow . Cant hardly wait because my freezer is empty.
Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 17:27
by redzed
Hey hugestapedius, great to hear from you again! Hope you have been keeping that fridge door closed this time.
Post some pics and details about your bacon.
And how did you come up with your handle? Is not the term "huge stapedius" somewhat of an oxymoron?
Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2014 15:24
by hugestapedius
Hey just uploaded some pics to imageshack how do i post them for all to see?
Used to be into bodybuilding and was on many forums for that subject. Hence the oxymoron... (stapedius being smallest muscle in human). Easier to stick with a name then try and remeber several from all the forums i visit.
My grandpa had a 1946 General electric deluxe refridgerator i have restored. Its now used for my beer/meat fridge. Has a 50lb door which always closes lol. Ill include pics when i figure ot out