Pellet Fan

All Things Considered => General Discussion--Food Related => Topic started by: yorkdude on February 17, 2018, 01:47:32 PM

Title: Bacon time
Post by: yorkdude on February 17, 2018, 01:47:32 PM
So I went to grab some fresh sides to make some bacon. I have used this place plenty of times, always good, always. So I get there and they say look what we got for you, O.K. I'm ready.
They specialize in pork, rightfully so. So here's the 18.73# side. Told them I will come back in a few weeks for another.
Grabbed a few other things while I was there.
Dry rub and 7-10 days.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Kristin Meredith on February 17, 2018, 01:59:49 PM
That is a great store!!! That future bacon looks so meaty.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Brushpopper on February 17, 2018, 06:29:08 PM
And I thought our local meat market was great.  Boy howdy does that look good!  I'm not brave enough to try making my own bacon.  Yet...  I'll keep my good eye on y'all and learn for a little longer!!   :clap:
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 17, 2018, 06:47:08 PM
I have some bacon spices arriving next week.  I'm gonna step into the water and make one of those hunks of bacon in the Spring.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: yorkdude on February 17, 2018, 06:59:34 PM
That is a great store!!! That future bacon looks so meaty.
I just threw it in the back seat of my truck and got home and almost pooped my pants. I looked at it there but honestly thought it was 2, it always is. Gwennie says....what the heck is that? They NEVER let me down. Have not seen one this big, ever. Time will tell but it seems to me that I will have some pretty good bacon.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: BigDave83 on February 17, 2018, 07:22:00 PM
you will cure the small chunks instead of the whole piece? Do wet/brine cure or use a dry rub cure like tenderquick?
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 17, 2018, 07:22:59 PM
That looks like they just cut the bones off the front of the baby back ribs and left the rest for bacon...is that accurate?
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: yorkdude on February 18, 2018, 04:23:50 AM
I cut it up to about 1 1/2# hunks and rubbed with salt, Prague and pepper.
Have never wet brined but want to try that way soon.
I am not versed on "cuts" so not sure where the ribs would be exactly to this, someone else here may know, sorry but I dont.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: yorkdude on February 19, 2018, 07:15:35 PM
Following Bentleys thread I am going to go 2 weeks this time, some of it is pretty thick. I realized I was hijacking his thread, my apologies.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Bentley on February 19, 2018, 10:23:30 PM
All posts are welcome in my thread, I just do it to drive the site!
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: LowSlowJoe on February 20, 2018, 02:25:11 PM
wow , that's some good looking pork.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Bentley on February 20, 2018, 02:32:57 PM
I am pretty sure that is the thickest belly I have ever seen.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Michael_NW on February 20, 2018, 11:14:51 PM
That looks like they just cut the bones off the front of the baby back ribs and left the rest for bacon...is that accurate?

You're right. I swear I can see where the ribs were connected. It's almost like a pork belly +++.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: yorkdude on February 23, 2018, 08:18:53 PM
Six days in, tomorrow I am going to sneak a slice, not smoked to just sample it.
It is nice and firm as it always is at this point but some of it is ridiculous thick and don't want any issues. Here's a few photos.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Bentley on February 23, 2018, 11:05:46 PM
Very happy to see the amount of liquid you have, I thought mine was supposed to have a lot more!
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Michael_NW on February 24, 2018, 01:14:15 AM
Very happy to see the amount of liquid you have, I thought mine was supposed to have a lot more!

Exactly! I guess that as it cures the salt draws some moisture out of the meat to some degree, but I think I had even less with my first batch. I guess all things considered there is maybe 50% muscle to fat so there really isn't that much moisture in it to begin with.

That is looking really good.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: yorkdude on February 24, 2018, 06:50:56 AM
Had to try a slice, quick rinse to shed the cure and into the pan. May smoke some of the thinner hunks today, just have to see how it goes. Pretty dang sure it's going to be really good.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: SmokinHandyman on February 24, 2018, 02:08:00 PM
Very nice.
I have wanted to do some bacon, but I need to get a slicer to slice it
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: yorkdude on February 25, 2018, 04:58:51 PM
All done and put away, was fattier than I thought once I saw it smoked. A few test slices fried to see if the salt was overpowering, it was initially but we water changed for 4 hours in ice cold water every 30 minutes. Gotta say it's awfully good. The fat is ridiculously creamy, sounds weird but I have never felt this before. The neat thing to us how flat it lays while frying, proves how much store bought is just pumped full of moisture. A few pics.
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Michael_NW on February 26, 2018, 11:46:30 PM
Boy, I could look at pics of bacon all day. Congrats on a successful cure!
Title: Re: Bacon time
Post by: Btrotta on March 04, 2018, 10:26:48 PM
And I thought our local meat market was great.  Boy howdy does that look good!  I'm not brave enough to try making my own bacon.  Yet...  I'll keep my good eye on y'all and learn for a little longer!!   :clap:

Don't deprive yourself a minute longer. Go buy some belly and just do it.

I'm new to curing and basic bacon with a dry cure is about as easy as it gets. Just rub with the correct amount of cure and any seasoning you want, bag it or put it in a tote and toss it in the fridge. Flip it every day for at least a week and then rinse it and smoke it. Once it's smoked, slice it, fry it and enjoy.

Trust me, if I can't screw it up, it's easy.

It's also delicious. You will never voluntarily eat mass produced bacon again.