first bacon try

[watchdog56]

OK, I will be getting a pork belly this week from the butcher.(8-10lbs) I am not sure if the skin will be off or not. Would like some input. This is what I plan on doing. Please tell me right from wrong.
I will be using Morton tender quick. 1 tbsp per pound of meat and 2 tbsp brown sugar per pound. Rub over all meat(do I need to rub on skin if it comes with skin)? Then plan on vacuum packing in frig for 10-14 days turning over every day. Take bacon out of bag and rinse. ( I have read where I should soak for 1 hour then pat dry) do I need to soak it or just rinse good? Then put in frig uncovered overnight until sheen appears. Then preheat smoker to 140 and put bacon in smoker for 1 hour. Do I need to put ice in smoker(I do not have a cold smoke setup). Then I am not sure if I should use hickory or maple for smoke. I like both.What is recommended? Thinking hickory because just don't know if I want that much maple bacon. How long should I put smoke on? Then bump temp up to 200 and get internal temp to 150. Usually how long does this take? Then pull out of smoker and cool.Remove skin. Should this go back in vacuum bag in frig for a couple of days so smoke settles in or should I slice and package?

[Tenpoint5]

Hey Watchdog here is the link to a tutorial I did on my maple bacon.
Maple Bacon

[watchdog56]

I do have that but just wondering if I use Morton's instead of Cure #1 and the different amount is ok? Also smoke times?

[Habanero Smoker]

You can easily use 10.5 tutorial for the smoking/cooking phase.

You can use the recipe you plan on using; but remember TQ is about 21% sugar. So you may end up with a very sweet bacon. If you like it that sweet that alright, but when you pan fry it use a very low flame. I would start with one tablespoon of brown sugar per pound.

You definitely will want to rub the cure on all parts of the meat, and apply a thicker coating on the skin side. I generally cure 5 - 7 days, and just rinse. If you plan on curing for 10 - 14 days under vacuum, you probably will need to soak. To test saltiness, slice a small piece of the end and fry it. If it too salty then soak.

Preheating the smoker to 140°F and holding the bacon the cabinet for that time is to help from the pellicle. The pellicle is a chemical reaction in the proteins on the surface of the meat. It helps retain moisture, but most importantly it helps with smoke penetration and adhesion. Since you are leaving it in the refrigerator uncovered overnight, that's to form the pellicle also, so you don't have to do both steps; just one or the other.

If you still want to perform that step, I would not bother with ice. It is just a short period of time. You can move the bacon directly from the refrigerator to the smoker, that should help keep the temperature down. Or if the temperature goes over 140°F, just open the door and let the smoker cool down. Make sure you leave the vent open at least 3/4.

Here is a link to a temporary cold smoke setup for the OBS:
Cold Smoke Setup

For the DBS:
DBS Cold Smoke Setup

Either wood is alright to use; it's an individual choice. I generally apply 2 hours. It sounds like you are leaning towards hickory; so go with that. I generally don't keep track of time, but go with the IT so I can't help you with the time.

My preference is to age the bacon a few days. You don't have to vacuum seal at this point. Just tightly wrap in plastic, and place in a sealable bag. After aging slice and package, or leave whole.