Maple Bacon
Cure
2 oz. Kosher salt (about 1/4 cup)
2 tsp. Cure #1 (pink salt, InstaCure #1, Prague Powder #1)
¼ C. Maple sugar or packed brown sugar
¼ C. Maple syrup
(Makes enough for a 5 lb. belly)
1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add syrup and stir until well combined.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000574.jpg)
2. Rub cure mixture on belly making sure to cover the entire surface. Place skin side down in a 2 gallon sealable bag, and expel all air, and fold the empty end of the bag under so that the belly is in close contact with the bag. During the curing time the belly will release liquid, and it is important that this liquid stay in contact with the meat.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000578.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000582.jpg)
***Note - The skin was already removed at the Locker Plant on this one.
3. Refrigerate at 34 – 40°F (the closer to 40°F the better) for 5 – 7 days, until belly is firm to the touch with no soft spots. During the curing time, turn the bag over once a day or once every other day to redistribute the cure.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000589.jpg)
4. When belly is fully cured, rinse it thoroughly, and pat it dry. *Place it on an inverted Bradley rack set over a baking sheet, and air dry in the refrigerator overnight (12 – 24 hours).
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000590.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000595.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000599.jpg)
* *If you don't have the refrigerator space to air dry the bacon you can do this step in the Bradley. Preheat the Bradley to 100 – 120°F with vent wide open, and place your room temperature bacon in the smoker. To get these low temperatures you will need to use the "cold smoke setup". Do not apply smoke at this time. You just want to dry the bellies until they are tacky when touched. This generally takes about 2 hours, depending on the load.
Smoking/Cooking
1. Once bacon has been "air dried" allow it set at room temperature for 1 -2 hours, then place into a 120 - 140° preheated smoker with vent half open.
* *If you air dried it in the Bradley, increase the temperature to 120 - 140°, close to vent to half open, and begin to apply your smoke. The amount of smoke is up to you. I generally will only apply 2 hours, using maple.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000603.jpg)
2. After you have applied your smoke, increase the heat to 160°F, and smoke/cook the bacon until an internal temperature of 150°F is reached.
Or increase the temperature to 150°F, and smoke/cook until an IT of 140°F is reached.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000605.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000608.jpg)
3. After the desired internal temperature has been reached, remove from smoker and allow to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, but still warm pull the skin off (you may need a sharp knife to help) making sure you leave as much fat on the bacon as possible.
As an added note I put 2 teaspoons of Maple Powder in the dry cure.
I will also post a pic of the bacon cut after it sits in the fridge wrapped in plastic for the night. So the smoke has a chance to penetrate.
Habs, I hope this what you pictured, when I said that I would put this together for everyone. Thanks for the recipe.
No Fair, No Fair,
I am out of bacon!!!!!!
Will have to call the butcher to order some for starting next weekend.
;D
Quote from: Gizmo on September 26, 2008, 07:32:24 PM
No Fair, No Fair,
I am out of bacon!!!!!!
Will have to call the butcher to order some for starting next weekend.
;D
NANNER NANNER NANNER I gots three more just like this one in my FREEZER!!!!!! :P :P ;D ;D
Awww Man 10.5 - I AM DROOLIN HERE!!!!
Gotta try that! Thank you for sharing.
Scotty-G
It looks great. I'll begin formatting it for the recipe site.
10.5,
That looks great. I am buying some belly today, I think I will try your recipe!!!
Chrispy
Quote from: chrispy on September 27, 2008, 03:00:32 AM
10.5,
That looks great. I am buying some belly today, I think I will try your recipe!!!
Chrispy
I would love to take all the credit for the recipe but IT AIN'T Mine. The recipe came from Habanero Smoker. I just took the pictures to go along with it.
That's some good looking bacon. Nice job with the pictures. Has me wanting to make some more.
Dan
Here is a couple update pics
Sliced up
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000610.jpg)
Ready for a freezer paper wrap and into the freezer.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd237/tenpoint5/S8000617.jpg)
"Very" nice job 10.5! ;)
Two thumbs up! 8)
Mike
PS
Everybody knows that Bacon is the other food group.
10-5
loogs great... caught my puppy licking the screen.... WAIT... THAT WAS ME
great job
Beefmann
That is, quite honestly the best looking bacon I have ever seen. I gotta find a butcher shop somewhere, they are scarce here. Has anyone ever tried to do a special order from a major chain like Safeway?
Quote from: Smokin Soon on September 27, 2008, 06:06:19 PM
That is, quite honestly the best looking bacon I have ever seen. I gotta find a butcher shop somewhere, they are scarce here. Has anyone ever tried to do a special order from a major chain like Safeway?
Smoking where you at? I have Fareway here and the guy's in the meat dept are always great to work with. I haven't had a problem with ordering anything.
Quote from: Smokin Soon on September 27, 2008, 06:06:19 PM
That is, quite honestly the best looking bacon I have ever seen. I gotta find a butcher shop somewhere, they are scarce here. Has anyone ever tried to do a special order from a major chain like Safeway?
I have been able to special order pork bellies from my local Publix supermarket.
I'm in the San francisco Bay area, and we used to have many neighborhood meat markets, but most are gone. The few that remain are geared toward the rich folks and are very expensive. I like Publix alot, my Mom is in Naples Fla. Thats a pretty good chain of stores.
I would just go back and strike up a conversation with the meat guys and ask em what a belly would be or a half belly. They should be able to hook you up or tell you where you can find one.
10.5...dude...you rock with Habs!!! Sweet!!! ;D
LQ,
I just like to go for the Throat and kill em with the DROOL Factor. I will always post pics with what I'm doing. We taste with our Eyes First!!
See I told ya it was gonna be cool when I posted it.
Yup...you did not lie dude...I got Habs canadian getting happy in the fridge right now...belly bacon and chicken just got out of my little OBS...life is sweet!!! ;D
Very nice 10.5!
I used that recipe last time and it is great!
nice looking bacon !!
10.5
Did you slice the bacon by hand or use a slicer? If you used a slice, what brand and model do you have? If you did it by hand, that's a great job.
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on September 30, 2008, 02:35:25 AM
10.5
Did you slice the bacon by hand or use a slicer? If you used a slice, what brand and model do you have? If you did it by hand, that's a great job.
I did it by hand. Back and forth back and forth. NO I'm not talking about my sexlife!!! Back and forth on an El cheapo Rival foldup slicer. If I had a Cutco 14" slicing knife I might take a stab at it but I wanted to be as uniform as possible. So I used the little slicer. Which by the way feals like you need 3 hands to operate it.
Still a good job slicing, I didn't think a small slicer could slice long sections of belly. I will have to give it a try next time.
It was a pain in the butt to do I had to slice without the slide tray, So I could get the range of motion to cut the long strips off the belly. I did cut mine a bit more than normal "Thick slice" bacon. The backstop moved on me when I pressed against it. I now have a Sharpie line on the slider so I can tell if has moved.
On another note was talking about it at work and one of the guys said he had some Apple bacon from Farmland that was really good. Got me to thinking If I drop the maple syrup and the maple powder and substitute fresh Apple Cider and apple wood I could make the same thing. Maybe even inject the belly with some cider in a few different places. What do you think?
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on September 30, 2008, 02:19:05 PM
On another note was talking about it at work and one of the guys said he had some Apple bacon from Farmland that was really good. Got me to thinking If I drop the maple syrup and the maple powder and substitute fresh Apple Cider and apple wood I could make the same thing. Maybe even inject the belly with some cider in a few different places. What do you think?
Sounds like a plan to me!
I have so got to try some bacon, so I just ask the meat guys at the grocery store?
C
WTS,
Tell them you want a pork belly. Not salt pork. Tell them you are making bacon.
Then they will ask why and you can give them the "Why Not, don't you ?" look....
Hey!, I cannot slam those 29.95 Rival slicers, I have worked one for about 6 years now. It does great on my Buckboard Bacon, Canadian Bacon, Pork roasts and tenderloins! Never tried a Belly, but I see with some patience it can be done, just rig up something to support the longer pieces of meat. It's a great beginner's slicer if you do not have any!
I am going to try this soon....looks awesome.
I have one question, when you start with a 5lb belly what is the finish product weight? For example if you start with 5 lbs of meat for jerky you get 2-2.5 lbs finish weight.
thanks,
I have never weighed mine before and after but from an eyeball, I would say there is not a significant loss compared to meat if you don't include the weight of the skin when it is removed. The weigh loss will occur after frying the bacon on the griddle as that is when the fat will render out.
Tenpoint5;
Instead of apple juice you may want to use frozen apple concentrate at full strength and adjust your sweetener to taste. You may not need to add a sweetener.
Quote from: Smokin Soon on September 30, 2008, 06:33:49 PM
Hey!, I cannot slam those 29.95 Rival slicers, I have worked one for about 6 years now. It does great on my Buckboard Bacon, Canadian Bacon, Pork roasts and tenderloins! Never tried a Belly, but I see with some patience it can be done, just rig up something to support the longer pieces of meat. It's a great beginner's slicer if you do not have any!
Smokin - I'm not slamming it it does do whats it supposed to do. But I think mine was in the $10-15 range at Wally World.
Smokeitall - I have no clue what the end weight was. Your gonna loose some just in the liquid the curing process pulls out but I don't think there was much if any in the smoking process. I was basically smoking it not cooking it. That will come in the fry pan.
Habs - I never thought about the concentrate, just figured there is a apple orchard that sells fresh apple cider not juice down the road. I would give them a whirl. I buy a couple gallons every year anyhow. I make a pretty mean snow/cold chaser brew with it.
10.5 - looks like I'm late to the party here, but that bacon looks awesome. I can't wait to try that.
Great Pics too.
Carter
Quote from: Gizmo on September 30, 2008, 09:09:01 PM
I have never weighed mine before and after but from an eyeball, I would say there is not a significant loss compared to meat if you don't include the weight of the skin when it is removed. The weigh loss will occur after frying the bacon on the griddle as that is when the fat will render out.
Thanks for the answers. I always like to compare how much I can make it for versus store bought purchase.....
OK...I will finally ask this question...what the hell is a Wally World? Wal-Mart??? What?
Quote from: smokeitall on October 01, 2008, 07:44:27 PM
I always like to compare how much I can make it for versus store bought purchase.....
Once you make your own YOU WILL NEVER buy store bought again!!!! IMHO The flavor that you get by DIY verses what you get in the store is so much more there is no comparison. Ok you might buy it to fry and crumble on a baked potato or something like that, but not for your Bacon Egg and Toast breakfast.
Yes LQ Wally World = WalMart
Quote from: La Quinta on October 01, 2008, 08:35:17 PM
OK...I will finally ask this question...what the hell is a Wally World? Wal-Mart??? What?
Wally-world
the W
walled-in
the mart
This is some good bacon 8). I sliced it a little thicker than the store bought stuff, the girl friend even liked it and she is not a bacon eater. Thanks of sharing 10.5.
hopeful
I have only done belly bacon a few times and have been a little dissapointed in the yield. The place I found bellys cut into 5 lb each. I will do in batches of 3 from now on. It does not last long here. I would like to have enough to vac seal and freeze for backup.
Quote from: Smokin Soon on November 23, 2008, 06:06:40 PM
I have only done belly bacon a few times and have been a little dissapointed in the yield. The place I found bellys cut into 5 lb each. I will do in batches of 3 from now on. It does not last long here. I would like to have enough to vac seal and freeze for backup.
Hee Hee. I don't think it lasts long anywhere. I do agree with you though. Would be nice to do enough to store in the freezer. Gonna have to think about it now that I've got both Bradley's up and running again.
Quote from: Smoking Duck on November 23, 2008, 06:24:52 PM
Quote from: Smokin Soon on November 23, 2008, 06:06:40 PM
I have only done belly bacon a few times and have been a little dissapointed in the yield. The place I found bellys cut into 5 lb each. I will do in batches of 3 from now on. It does not last long here. I would like to have enough to vac seal and freeze for backup.
Hee Hee. I don't think it lasts long anywhere. I do agree with you though. Would be nice to do enough to store in the freezer. Gonna have to think about it now that I've got both Bradley's up and running again.
What you mean I made Maple Bacon? Where is it at? Aint anything that even looks like Bacon around here. I feel your pain it doesnt last long around here either. I have 4 yardapes 9,8,7 and 5 a girl then three boys. They managed to polish off my bacon in two sittings and They managed to polish off ALL of my VCB in one sitting. Only suggestion I could make is slice thinner to get higher yeild or make more. I am in the make more category.
Know what you mean there 10.5. I made 3x the recipe for pastrami hoping to have some to freeze.
4 kids (2 teenagers) ...
yeah right.
Quote from: smokeitall on September 30, 2008, 07:50:15 PM
I am going to try this soon....looks awesome.
I have one question, when you start with a 5lb belly what is the finish product weight? For example if you start with 5 lbs of meat for jerky you get 2-2.5 lbs finish weight.
thanks,
I just finished some belly bacon & here are the weights I got.
Precured belly 8lbs 3oz.
Finished bacon 7lbs 7.6oz.
So no, you are not losing nearly the 40% - 50% in weight that you would with jerky or fish.
I changed my shirt twice reading this thread. I think I've found my new home. If I make all the stuff I'd like to, I think I may have to find Jenny Craig! I JUST ate and I'm hungry again. Guess I'll have to put bacon on my list of "to do's".
Great thread here, I want to make bacon and pulled pork over the next week and this is going to help.
thanks for posting this Tenpoint5. your pictorials haven't steered me wrong yet so i gave this a shot!
question for anyone out there reading...
what IT should i smoke to in the following scenarios:
1) safe IT to cook to if i plan on pan frying this for breakfast afterwards
2) safe IT to cook to if i want something like "double smoked bacon" (ie a bacon that can be eaten without ANY further cooking, frying, etc).
thanks!
-monty
There are generally two internal temperatures that are used to smoke belly bacon. If you want to bacon raw, the recommended temperature is 137°F - 139°F. For fully cooked smoked bacon it is generally 150°F - 152°F.
For double smoked bacon bring the internal temperature up to 150°F - 155°F. I've haven't made double smoked bacon, but have made triple smoked:
Triple Smoked Bacon (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=459)
thanks Habs. much appreciated.