We really enjoyed 10.5's Maple cured bacon the last time I made it. So gunna make that agin. The other one prolly will be plain with pepper. These are the bellies I picked up today. Notice they call them "bulk bacon".
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-11_13-43-45_633.jpg)
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-11_13-43-30_914.jpg)
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-11_13-44-41_236.jpg)
I'll take pic tomorrow out of pkgs and getting the cure on.
I'll be watching, because my mouth is watering wanting to do my own bacon but life, work and some bad weather keeps getting in the way. Good Luck! ;D
Looks and sounds good, and your right would like to see them out of the wrapper, but they do look good and lean...we will be watchin for the pictures and the money shots...
Its tomarrow. ;D
1 Slab unwrapped
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-12_07-33-17_671.jpg)
Cut in half
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-12_07-37-28_169.jpg)
Cure ingredients
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-12_06-59-52_538.jpg)
Rubbed
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-12_08-05-30_49.jpg)
In the bags
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-12_08-11-21_498.jpg)
So I went to the garage fridge to put them to bed, barely had room for these 2 slabs. Will have to wait until these are done curing to make room for the other whole slab.(or drink faster ;D whatever comes first)
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-12_08-57-31_526.jpg)
get rid of the water and you"ll have room. ::)
Bacon looks great, drink faster, it's a good cause!
Quote from: Smokin Soon on May 12, 2011, 05:55:20 PM
Bacon looks great, drink faster, it's a good cause!
Now that made me laugh out loud... :D
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm BACON!
Looks great!
I tried bacon once so far. I messed it up by making it a little too salty (cut a piece off and forgot to subtract salt for that amount) and a little too smokey but it still wasn't bad. Went great in soups, and I also made bacon bits with it after giving it a little soak in water to reduce the salt a bit.
Looking at your pics makes me want to giv'er another go.
Well got the first slab smoked and wrapped up for overnight before slicing. Ended up having to slice the slab in 4 pieces to fit on racks.
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-19_16-31-10_691.jpg)
Ended up slicing a few ends off to taste ;D. I'd say this batch came out very good!
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-19_16-41-02_553.jpg)
Couldn't find MTQ for the other slab. I wanted to make plain hickory/pepper. Didn't have a chance to get pickling salt to make the basic cure. So I stuck the slab in freezer. Ingredients together now, so slab defrosting. I also plan on making apple bacon. Will let y'all know how it goes.
WOW!!! put a couple of eggs in that pan along with some grits and we have a meal...looks really good...
Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon Bacon!!!!!!
Looks GREAT!!
Thats it. I have looked at the bacon threads for too long. I will be in search of some bellies and the ingredients for the maple bacon recipe this weekend. Tired of drooling over the bacon and need to make some myself. ;D
I'm with you DADAKOTA. Stopping at a few places on my way home from work tonight in search of a pork belly. Gotta do some of this bacon. Tired of watching all this good stuff on this forum that i can't eat.
All sliced up to package...
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-20_12-53-17_0.jpg)
Made hubby BLT for work tonight....
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-20_13-37-13_426.jpg)
10.5's recipe for Maple Bacon is great! I did lower the IT to just 110 this time....made a "softer" bacon, kinda more like "store bought" but tastes a hella better! Crisps up great! (Tho harder to slice) I did use maple sugar this time instead of brown sugar.....liked better too.
DADAKOTA and jimmyb...This is a "must try" bacon recipe. I haven't had it to salty either, 1st time 5 days cure, and really didn't taste salt at all. 2nd time I did 6 days cure...had a little more salt taste but NOT overly salty.
G9....they only sell "instant grits" out here...and that tastes just plain nasty. I have to have my son always mail me some lol. But you're right grits would of been awesome with the bacon!
If maple syrup is pricy....use apple juice concentrate for maple syrup(same amount) use applewood to smoke.
Good grief...instant grits...wonder whole in the world thought that up...I think I have eaten grits just about any way you can fix them, but never instant that I know of... :D
So I took the other slab out to divide in thirds for next round of bacon. Imagine my surprise to see a skin on this one! I cut in thirds and took my butcher knife to cut skin off...it was awkward to do so I took my sharp paring knife and it cut like butter. I wish someone was here to take pics on how I did it...but what I did was slice between the skin and fat, then roll skin back and pull and slice close to skin. Did all 3 pieces in less than 30 min.
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-21_18-31-24_35.jpg)
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-21_18-30-15_383.jpg)
Quote from: SiFumar on May 21, 2011, 06:54:24 PM
...but what I did was slice between the skin and fat, then roll skin back and pull and slice close to skin. Did all 3 pieces in less than 30 min.
Just like skinning a deer ,,,,,or two. ;D
The skin will pull off with out a knife AFTER smoking.
Quote from: OU812 on May 23, 2011, 06:42:41 AM
Quote from: SiFumar on May 21, 2011, 06:54:24 PM
...but what I did was slice between the skin and fat, then roll skin back and pull and slice close to skin. Did all 3 pieces in less than 30 min.
Just like skinning a deer ,,,,,or two. ;D
Well I've never skinned a deer so I'll take your word for it. Next time I run into one in the desert, and have a knife with me I'll have to try it. :D
Quote from: MidKnightRider on May 23, 2011, 11:32:44 AM
The skin will pull off with out a knife AFTER smoking.
I've heard that, but I wanted to work on my knife skills and I prefer to smoke the belly fat for more flavor instead of the skin getting all the smoke. Tho I did throw the skin in the smoker last night while smoking something else, now I have smoky skins to deep fry and my bacon will also have smoke on both sides.
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x465/SiFumar/2011-05-23_12-40-56_814.jpg)