Pellet Fan
All Things Considered => General Discussion--Food Related => Topic started by: SparkyLB on August 14, 2018, 08:40:17 PM
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So I selfishly hijacked a different thread for my own gain. Boy did I gain a lot!
It's time to start a thread of my own thread and show some respect to others. Sorry OP of the "bacon curing question" thread.
I put a 4 lb. Costco belly in the fridge at 3 pm last Wednesday. I made the recipe using what I thought were appropriate ratios with http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html that I found on this forum. I opted for 2.7% salt, 1.5% sugar, and 156 ppm cure.
After reading to keep me occupied while I impatiently wait, I find that maybe I got a bit happy with the salt.
Is 2.7% subjective, or just plain gonna be WAY too salty? I've read of folks giving it a day or so in water to remove some salt.
What are your thoughts about removing "now," 19 hours shy of 7 days, and let it sit in water from "now" until 3pm tomorrow, before letting it rack-dry in the fridge until Friday before smoking?
The two variables I'm looking at are:
a. is it unwise to cure for 6 days instead of 7? and,
b. am I going to be sorry I opted for 2.7% salt?
Thanks all.
The good news is if I leave it be, I have good records on exactly what I used, and will know by taste how to adjust the next recipe. I think it's a given that less salt will be used in the next version.
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I think 2.7 is a lot of salt, but you don't want to soak for too long to remove it or you could remove too much. Before doing anything, fry up a tester. If too salty, soak for a few hours, then do another tester.
It may be done in 6 days, but I never go less than 10, just to be safe.
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You need to taste it and see. 2.7% would not be to much for me, I used 4% once, and yes it was very salty, but I still enjoyed it!
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Thank you both, I'm frying a test slice as we speak. I'll soak if necessary.
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Oh my. . . . .
I can't imagine how much better this can possibly be after I smoke it!!! :cool: :clap: :cool:
Thanks, all. It's salty, but not terribly so. I'll cut back to 2.25% next recipe, from this 2.7% batch.
It's amazing. Everything I heard was true.
https://i.imgur.com/XljRJgm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/w1yjlUJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MMMsyh7.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Km5riyf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9cP9bKF.jpg
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Looks great. By the way, not sure if you are aware but you can embed your images directly into your posts. Makes viewing much easier for members. Your images are quite large so I've specified a width in the image tag. See below:
(https://i.imgur.com/XljRJgm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/w1yjlUJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/MMMsyh7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Km5riyf.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9cP9bKF.jpg)
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Thanks, bregent. I've been unsuccessfully trying to do this since my first attempt. I guess I need to search the forum for instructions. I'm not going to ask. I do it without incident on a few other unrelated forums, but this software is different.
I'm on it! ;)
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Oh, you will be even happier once you smoke it, Congratulations.
Its awful hard to beat, if you ask me.
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Thanks, Bentley and Brian!
Test:
(https://i.imgur.com/w1yjlUJh.jpg)
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Hi all.
So I'm smoking this at 180F to an IT of 150F, probably tomorrow evening. I have another question.
When smoking bacon does it matter, or does anyone have a preference: fat side up or down? Thanks again!
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I do fat side to the right :)
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I do fat side to the right :)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/388/20482064321_285ce8ca4a_z.jpg)
Is that a "doesn't matter"? Neat set up.
Me fat side up, not sure if it helps to diminish rendering but that's the goal.
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bregent, how do stand that xxxx thing up? :) Seriously though, that bacon in the smokehouse is a beautiful thing. You cold smoking that?
Brian, thanks! I usually cook everything fat side up, just making sure bacon is no different.
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I wish I had a set up where I could hang. Seems to me, you could cook everything that way. I would think the meat would cook or smoke more uniformly!
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The bacon has been on approximately 2 hours. It's creeping up very slowly. I like that. At 180F, this pit is throwing out A LOT of smoke. I'm using straight oak.
More pics to come of the final product.
(https://i.imgur.com/gGBa80Wl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xZkqi8Bl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/28aP1hIl.jpg)
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Everyone, THANK YOU so much!! :clap:
(https://i.imgur.com/OH4ALeAm.jpg)
Everything you all said is true. I thought there was a ghost of a chance that like other forums (name your hobby. . . ) there would be those hardcore, dedicated fanboys. . .and the statement "it'll be better than anything you've ever bought at a store," immediately came to my mind as (probably maybe not). But it's true. I will never buy store bought bacon again. And this is my first recipe. This stuff is so good tonight's dinner, or breakfast (I love doing that), was satisfying for many reasons.
I'm a happy man. I was going to buy a food slicer, but there's no need. I'm OK with a knife. I'm thrilled with the prospect of "pick your own thickness." OK, I'm preaching to the choir.
Seriously, a heartfelt thanks to all that helped me. You guys rock.
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Ohh, thick cut, with properly cooked scrambled eggs! Fine meal if you thrown in a couple of English muffins!
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Ohh, thick cut, with properly cooked scrambled eggs! Fine meal if you thrown in a couple of English muffins!
Maybe one day when I'm eating carbs again. For now, I'll have to settle for this amazingly delicious bacon, brisket, ribs, chicken, steaks, prime rib, cream-cheese filled jalapenos, and other stuff.
It's a tough life. :)
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Just read an article from The Lancet (England's Medical Journal) re a study on eliminating carbs. They claim that middle aged people who have eliminated or severely reduced carbs decrease their life span by, I think, 7 years. Yeah for bread and pasta. :cool: Given the preservatives in Twinkies, I will probably live to be 100.
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Just read an article from The Lancet (England's Medical Journal) re a study on eliminating carbs. They claim that middle aged people who have eliminated or severely reduced carbs decrease their life span by, I think, 7 years. Yeah for bread and pasta. :cool: Given the preservatives in Twinkies, I will probably live to be 100.
One must pick the side of the coin which is most appealing. Diabetes probably takes off more years than 7. Heart attack, who knows. In general, obesity guarantees an early grave. If one weighed 270 6 months ago, and now weighs 199 due to eliminating or severely reducing carbs; I think the 7 years "lost" far outweighs (pun intended) the greater loss of diabetes, heart disease or obesity. I'd be curious if the study in The Lancet used as a control group those who never engaged in low/no carb diets at middle age, or those who did to avoid the three maladies mentioned above.
I love bread and pasta just as much as the next guy, but until my cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar take care of themselves; I'm gonna have to politely decline.
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I think folks need to do whatever they think helps to lose weight.
But I would hazard a guess one could still lose that amount by eating a balanced diet that controlled portion size and calories while increasing physical activity. I take away from the study that all these different diets that are somewhat extreme (including eating too much bread and pasta!) have some consequences and a balanced diet and portion/calorie control don't seem to have the same consequences.
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Ohh, thick cut, with properly cooked scrambled eggs! Fine meal if you thrown in a couple of English muffins!
Add a small bowl of grits, Kerry Gold butter and spoon of fruit preserves and I'm all in. :cool:
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I gotta have over easy with grits!
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(https://i.imgur.com/giuNxgmm.jpg)
Here's the other chunk off the 11 lb. belly I bought. It's my second attempt, and took the salt from 2.75% to 2.25%. Took the sugar down from 1.5% to 1%, and brought the Prague Powder from 156 ppm, to 165 ppm. (just to see if it accentuates the "bacon" flavor.")
My first attempt was a 4 lb. piece, but then this 7.5 lb. behemoth I used a vacuum bag and cured it as one piece. I didn't take 100% of the air out, so some liquid could have a place to pool. It came out of the fridge 2 days ago, and went on the smoker about 30 minutes ago. 180 grill temp, till 150 IT. The first one was special. This one should be better!
Still looking for a slicer. That's a whole different problem. :) Tough life. :clap:
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I cooked some of mine last night. Has not gone through the cold smoke process yet, it is drying in fridge right now and will smoke Monday. Kristin said better then commercial/store bought, I have Never found that to be true, but it is some fine bacon!
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We love making our own, it sometimes is better than but always as good as store bought bacon.
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I don't "think" it's a honeymoon phase thing, but I do like this stuff better than what I buy at the store. Maybe it's the nostalgia of 3 bucks a pound bacon at the thickness of my choice. Dunno, but for today, I'm done buying packages with windows showing a "representative slice."
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Now I will agree with all of that!
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(https://i.imgur.com/eY3r2FQm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3MTbOohm.jpg)
I'm going to start my 3rd bacon. I'm loving this. I think I have the recipe dialed down to my preference. Salt is going to be a skootch below 2%, sugar just at 1%, and Prague Powder #1 to 160 ppm. My question is for those who have used maple syrup in recipes. I'm going to give it a try. I'm going to add a mere 2 ounces to a 9 pound belly.
I'm figuring on rubbing my dry ingredients on top, bottom and sides first, and then perhaps pouring the syrup into the bag (it will be a vacuum seal bag, but once the belly is inside, I will not take out ALL the air). I'm thinking of perhaps laying the bag flat and massaging the syrup within to coat the entirety as evenly as I can (no belly at this point) to get the entire interior wet, and then sliding the belly inside.
Does anyone who uses maple syrup use a different technique that might work better?
Thanks, all!
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And, FWIW, the Pitts & Spitts Maverick 850 is a beast. It doesn't wander off setpoint even a degree, not for a 4, or 16 hour cook. I love it.
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Sorry, no maple syrup experience with dry cure process, only wet.
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Thanks, Bentley. I'm sure you've figured out that I'm looking for equal distribution without upsetting the uniform coating of cure. I think the method will work. Just wasn't sure if anyone had a "done it a million times" method that had a tweak or tip.
I'll stay tuned. I'm not setting it to cure until Thursday night.
I'll keep coming back.
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>Does anyone who uses maple syrup use a different technique that might work better?
I've used maple syrup a few times and it always tended to burn while cooking. I would suggest using maple sugar instead of regular sugar and see if that works any better.
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>I've used maple syrup a few times and it always tended to burn while cooking. I would suggest using maple sugar instead of regular sugar and see if that works any better.
Hmm. Was this a "dry" cure (in a bag) and was it rinsed before drying & smoking? Finally, the burning you speak of; was this during smoking or in the pan/oven?
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It was dry cured in a bag and rinsed. If I recall, the problem was when cooking in a pan - grease and sugar combined to make a mess and burn. Cooking on the smoker wasn't as big of an issue. I prefer to cook on the smoker, but don't always have time.
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Thank you. If you recall. . . was your ratio in the neighborhood of what I'm planning (2 oz syrup/9 lb. belly)?
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I used the dry brine method with maple syrup on a pork loin. I did a 9 lb one and cut into thirds. Used brown sugar on one section, regular sugar on the other and maple syrup on the 3rd. I let them brine for 7 days. I smoked them for a couple of hours and they turned out just like Canadian Bacon. Flavor wise I think I need to up the amount of maple syrup as I just didn't get a lot of maple flavor. I did use actual maple syrup and not the bottled pancake type syrups.
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Thank you. If you recall. . . was your ratio in the neighborhood of what I'm planning (2 oz syrup/9 lb. belly)?
I never measured the syrup, just poured some into the bag, but it was probably in that ballpark.
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Thanks again. :)