I am about to smoke my first pork belly after curing it for seven days. As a newbie at this I lack the proper tools of the trade. I don't have a meat slicer or a vacuum sealer. I can attempt cutting with a knife and I'm sure it will be fine. Maybe a little thick but that could be a good thing. My question is storing the bacon after it is sliced. Can I store in a ziplock back in the freezer? If so, hoe long is it good like that? If not, what are my other options? I guess I could fry it all up and eat 5 lbs of bacon myself but I might be sick for a while after that. It would be fun to try though :)
I would very tightly wrap the bacon in several layers of plastic wrap and then either place it in a zip lock bag with has much air removed as possible or wrap the plastic wrapped bacon in foil. The key to storage is to keep the air away to prevent freezer burn.
You'll be treating yourself to a vacuum sealer soon...
I've already burned up one, and keep 2 spares. :D
It is on the list. Up next for Fathers day is the meat grinder and sausage stuffer. The wife will start to question my "small investment in my hobby" if I buy it all at once. THe Auber PID was when she started asking.
Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap then wrap tightly in freezer paper works well.
Do it on deer meat every year and dont get any freezer burn.
Jim... All of the above advice is something to really pay attention to, air getting into the product in the freezer is the enemy, like squirt said a vacuum sealer is worth the money in preventing freezer burn..you don't have to start out with a top of the line..you can get some for less then hundred bucks... I know there are some out there for 25.00 to 60.00 but I don't know a thing about them...