I have a question for the members on this forum about making some Canadian Bacon. What I need is a recipe for the cure or seasonings and how to smoke that is at what temp how long and what wood. The reason I ask is that I just made a new smoker that is 3 times the size of my Bradley, the way I made it I can still use the Bradley generator but I can also use my Traeger smoker grill as a smoke source. The reason for this is that I make Lebanon Bologna and it has to be in the smoker for 48 hours now that is alot of Bradley chips about 144 of them (way expensive) on the other hand the Traeger will make smoke for 48 hours for less than $10.00 so this new smoker will give me the best of both worlds.
Rod
Hang in there Rod, someone will come thru for ya!
Welcome to our board and may the smoke be with you!
"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!
I'm lost here I thought the Traeger was a hot method of at least 200-220F ????
DoW-Oldman
The Traeger that I have when it is on the smoke setting it produces an average of 175-degree smoke. What I did to connect the Traeger is to take a 3 and 1/2" flex tube 25 feet long and connect the 2 units together this lowers the temp to about 110 degrees. The way I built this smoker is I got a digital thermostat and to this I connected a relay that controls a heater and a fan if the temp gets to high the fan comes on if the temp is to low the heater comes on. When I burnt the unit in I had no trouble keeping the cabinet temp to 80 degrees (this was on a 65-degree day)
Rod
Bologna Man, I am in the process of making my first batch of side bacon- ordered 20 lbs of fresh pork belly yesterday. I have followed Mallard Whacker's recommendation and have added maple flavoring to the cure.[:p] It's a dry rub made up of cure, salt, maple flavoring- not the Buckboard bacon from HiMountain. I hope to toss this into the BS in approx 6 days and give it a good blast of maple smoke. If this works out - I'll also get myself a pork loin (for that Canadian bacon thing)and try this same method and see if it yields the same results. I won't have an answer for you for a couple of weeks but I will let you all know how it worked out.
I'm crossing my fingers (the hands still smell like maple today)- [:)]... Unless someone knows better and will same me the cost of a ruined loin[?]
Cold Smoke
Bologna Man,
<font color="red">A man after my own heart!!! </font id="red">Truely bacon is my favorite thing to do with the BS. I'm so sorry, I left my temp notes at home, I fallow the HiMountain directions. I will get them for you later. But the bottom line is you smoke it to to 140 deg, I have started smoking mine to 155 so I can eat it anytime without any further cooking. One thing I do, I usually cure mine for 21 to 28 days. I truely hate to pass you off to a link, but this thread has about everything everyone has done to bacon on it. Here it is..
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=239
If you have any further questions, I will be glad to help. Have a great weekend and welcome to the forum.
SmokeOn,
mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie
If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...
MallardWacker
Got 2 boneless pork shoulders today and also the Buckboard bacon mix from Hi Mountain. [:)] So tomorrow I am going to cure the shoulders. [:p] What do you think about putting some pure maple syrup in with the dry cure? [}:)] Do you think this would not let the cure do its thing? [;)] You said you cure for 21 to 28 days what does this extended cure time do? [?] Is the 40-degree temp for curing critical? What temp did you smoke at? Last but not least the higher internal temp sounds good to me is this so you can eat say on a bacon lettuce tomato sandwich without heating the bacon? [:p][:p][:p][:p]
Rod
bologna man
This thread has a good short discussion on internal temp, I think it will answer your questions about that.
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=322
Now about adding a liquid maple syrup to your dry rub? Humm? That is a good question. I add mample flavoring using a mample sugar cure I buy from Butcher-Packer, here is their link. Nice and cheap.
http://www.butcher-packer.com/pg_curing.htm I hate to send you to another link but I asked a simular question. WhiteTailFan has a good answer I believe.
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=384
I will be going to Sams myself for a whole pork loin this weekend, I will be trying to flavor it with jalepeno, two ways, one with ground and the other with fresh(seeded and devained). I will be using a straight up sugar cure from Butcher-Packer for about 28 days, I will probably do what WhiteTail says and wait for about 4 days when I use the fresh pepper, I will add the dried after I rub in the cure.
I think it is important to note that the curing salt mixture have good contact with the meat, get in there and rub it down good. I am sure you will enjoy this bacon. Keep us informed and I HTH.
SmokeOn,
mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie
If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...
Atta boy Mallard[:D][:D][:D]
I'm going to mark the end of August on my calendar so I can check back on your jalepeno bacon results. Way to venture outside the norm, we need some good ideas to keep the hobby fresh.
Wife picked up four butts for me the other day and we froze them. I just need to count down when I will be able to smoke again after holidays, and get working on my first bacon project. I did not catch your preference to B&P Maple until I had already sourced out some BBB, but I am still soooooooo excited to try that out - first bacon.
<b><font color="green">whitetailfan</font id="green"></b>
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB
bologna man
I have just created a post under "curing" about times and temps. Maybe this will fill in the gaps.http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=451
SmokeOn,
mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie
If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...
I did the BBB cure for the 14 days turned 1/2 way through and now noticed that the top of the meat had a green tint to it is this usual or is something wrong. There is not a lot of juice in the container probably about a 1/2-cup. I was just wondering if it is ok to smoke this meat or should I throw it away. The meat that was facing down is still red in color.
Any help is appreciated.
Rod
Rod
I've made several batches and as recently as last night and none to date have taken on a green hue. [?] Perhaps others here have more experience with this and will be able to help.
Cold Smoke
bologna man,
What kind of meat did you cure? Did you use a metal pan to cure it in? Is it tackie or "stickie". Does it smell o.k.?[?][?][?]
bologna man,was your meat sealed good?fridge at least 45 degrees?i've cured many pork parts and have'nt had the green color.meat may have been poor quality.i would'nt eat.better safe than sick and sorry.
mike
The meat was fresh cut pork butts. I had it in the fridge at no higher than 45 degrees. Had it in a non reactive plastic container, the only thing I can see is that there was a 3 to 4 inch air space in the container. The green color just looks like it is on the surface.
Rod
Rod
Good Morning Rod,
Hummm, the fluid is quite normal. It almost starts right away after you put on the cure mixture. Now the green hue, thats something different. My meat color starts turning a very slight brownish tint. Not being there, the next thing I would use is my nose, when you do bacon it should never have an offensive smell, even after 28 days. If you have a ny questions, I wouldn't try it. It sounds like you doing everything correct. I have 9lbs in the fridge right now in plastic covered containers.
SmokeOn,
mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie
If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...
Is it possible that the air space above the meat had somthing to do with the color. The top of the meat was not covered with liquid and was dry when I went to turn it. Maybe I will start over (I hate to) and make sure that there is no air space or even better put in a zip lock bag then in the container.
Rod
Rod
bologna man,
You could still smoke it and cook it to a temp of 165 degrees. Let it cool and use it as a cottage type bacon as opposed to a pulled type product. You will have to make sure it is not spoiled. This way it won't take as long to cook and it will make a Great Bacon! There is a chance that the fat reacted to the combination of air and cure. If it smells spoiled at all, ditch it.[:)][:)][:)]
bologna man,
Are you using a brine or dry rub/cure? The air space does not make a difference. I place mine in a plastic container after I rub it down, the fluid does build up in the bottom but never enough to cover all the meat. I have never tried putting mine in a plastic bag. I am sure you have read my sugestions about using a Zip Lock brand semi/reusable plastic containers, these seem to work the best for me. HTH
SmokeOn,
mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie
If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...
Iused the Hi Mountain Buck Board Bacon cure to do the curing I followed the directions as to how much cure to use as per pound. The liquid at first was enough to come about 1/2 way up the sides but near tghe end this liquid seemed to be absorbed back into the meat. As for the smell, the meat does not have the fresh meat smell, but the smell it has now is not a rotten type smell. This green hue is only on the surface and not the whole way thru the meat.
Rod
Rod
Well in spite of the slight greenish tint on the top of the air exposed meat [V] I decided to smoke anyway since the meat had no offensive smell. Did as the instructions said rinse, soak for 2 hours and rinse 2 more times. I then wrapped the 2 boneless butts in elastic net that the butcher gave me. Then sent the butts for a relaxing stay in the smoker, 4 1/2 hours later the desired 152-degree mark was reached. [:p] Then the hardest part the 1 hour rest time without the smoker going, what a temptation to look. [}:)] I finally opened the smoker and what a great looking couple of pieces of meat, nice and golden colored just like ham. [:)] Now the only question I have to you other fellows on the forum is? [?] When I pulled the probe from the meat I actually had a stream of juice spurt from the hole, [:0] is this typical or did I not dry the meat enough when I put it in the netting. Even when I brought it in the house on a platter there was about a cup of the juice on the bottom. I then wrapped in aluminum foil an put it in the ref for 2 hours sliced some and tasted, taste was great and the key point I didn't die [xx(] so I guess the meat was OK. The only other question is the finished product to taste more like ham than the conventional store bought bacon? [;)]
Rod
Rod
bologna man,
Sounds like you turned out a great product. The cut of meat you used,pork butt, is more like a ham than store bought bacon which would be a bellie. It is larger, has less fat and should have more juice like any good, superbly cooked roast. Sounds like you will be enjoying something better than <u>any </u>store bought bacon AND you made it yourself. Good Job!!!
[:)][:D][:)]
Well I cut and ate the first of the 2 Buckboard Bacon that I made and Mallardwacker was right it is great, everyone that had it said the same thing. I served it in BLT sandwiches.The only thing that was wrong is that I didn't have enough of the fat cut out of the sholder before curing, but that is a learning experiance for next time which will come shortly seeing that I cut the second one up today. The next time I am going to try a boneless loin this should be more like the Canadian Bacon.
Rod
Rod
bologna man,
Great to hear, I think you will like the loin. Good sandwich size. I know I tell everyone this but next batch cut some about 1/2 to 5/8 inch thick for steaks, then throw them on your lonesome grill. This weekend if all plans are correct, <font color="green">Project Jalepeno</font id="green"> is going to come out of the fridge and into the smoker.
SmokeOn,
mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie
If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bologna man</i>
<br />Well in spite of the slight greenish tint on the top of the air exposed meat ...since the meat had no offensive smell...I then wrapped the...butts in elastic...When I pulled the probe from the meat I actually had a stream of juice spurt from the hole
<b>Rod</b><hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Sorry, just couldn't resist![:D][:D][}:)][:)][8D]
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
How long will the CB stay good in the Refrig?
swadly,
I'm not trying to be funny here but I smoked 9lbs last weekend and I bet I have about 3 or 4 left and more will be gone in the kids lunch tomarrow. If you don't eat it as much as us, I have put it in the freezer with no probblem. To tell you the truth I have not seen a GOOD discourse on that subject. Let us know if find out anything.
SmokeOn,
mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie
If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...