my first bacon

jesso · September 23, 2009, 03:20:53 PM

I got a pork belly curing and I wanted to follow the Bradley Maple Cured Bacon recipe.

I have a few questions maybe someone can help me out.

1) After cold smoking for 3 hours, why bring the temp up to 150*F for another 2-3 hours if your going to fry it anyway?
Why not 5-6 hours of cold smoke?

2) How much wood to use? 5-6 hours worth?

Thanks

Tenpoint5 · September 23, 2009, 03:35:07 PM

Bringing the IT up to 150-152* makes sure that the cure is activated and all the nasties have been killed off.

jesso · September 23, 2009, 03:37:55 PM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on September 23, 2009, 03:35:07 PM
Bringing the IT up to 150-152* makes sure that the cure is activated and all the nasties have been killed off.

Thanks

Do you smoke for the whole time?

Tenpoint5 · September 23, 2009, 03:43:07 PM

I do not but then I don't use that recipe. Here is the link to a bacon tutorial that I put together, it should answer most of your questions. Maple Cured Bacon

jesso · September 23, 2009, 03:50:00 PM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on September 23, 2009, 03:43:07 PM
I do not but then I don't use that recipe. Here is the link to a bacon tutorial that I put together, it should answer most of your questions. Maple Cured Bacon

Thanks

I like yours better.

ExpatCanadian · September 24, 2009, 08:07:12 AM

I was about to start my own topic on this very subject, but just spotted this one which has pretty much asked the same question I have.... so I'm chiming in here with a couple follow up questions.... hope you don't mind jesso...

I am still curious... I'm used to buying a "raw" product that needs to be cooked.... yet most of the recipes I've seen call for actually cooking the belly in the smoker, which means when you go to heat it you're essentially just warming it up in the fry pan rather than cooking it. Not a problem really... but definitely a different end result than cooking a slice of cold raw bacon.

QuoteBringing the IT up to 150-152* makes sure that the cure is activated and all the nasties have been killed off.

Activate the cure? Hmmm... need a bit more of a technical explanation please.... what exactly is getting activated?

I understand about killing nasties... but properly handled meat shouldn't have any real nasties to start with and the brining/refrigeration process should prevent any from developing during the cure time. The raw cold-smoked product could then be sliced and vac-sealed until ready to eat and cooked like your normal store bought bacon right?

Anyway, not questioning your experience... just needing a few more details as to why most of the recipes on the recipe site seem to cook the belly rather than leaving is as a cold smoked product closer to what you'd buy commerically?

Tenpoint5 · September 24, 2009, 08:23:27 AM

I will admit I'm not as good at explaining things like Habs is. Hopefully he will come along and explain it better than I have

ExpatCanadian · September 24, 2009, 08:30:14 AM

No worries... as I said, not meaning to do anything other than learn from you pros ;)

Tenpoint5 · September 24, 2009, 09:00:23 AM

Did some research on this and the 152* IT is in fact a fully cooked and ready to eat product. The MID (Meat Inspection Division) of the USDA says that 138* is safe. But that you must ensure that every part of the item must be at that temp. These two internal temps are required for the destruction of trichinae that are sometimes found in pork.

I am not sure why I opened my mouth and said it was for the cure to activate. That statement was incorrect.

ExpatCanadian · September 24, 2009, 09:16:57 AM

Yeah... the IT makes sense... I've never been a fan of rare pork, no matter what they tell you these days. A lot of intensively reared pork now is raised in so-called "minimal disease" facilities where the animals are not exposed to the outside world, humans have to shower in and out of the barn and change clothing etc. and hence they do not develop the worms that we all grew up hearing about. My folks are farmers and are partners in such an operation (not far from Mr. Walleye's stompin' ground!)... we produce a lot of pork back home!

Anyway.... thanks for the clarification. I can see an experiment or 2 coming up... just bought a couple of bellies at Costco, so might try one each with your recipe. One cold smoked and left raw, then sliced, vac-sealed and frozen until use. The other I'll follow your process to the letter. Might be a while though, currently have a couple loins curing for some of Habs Canadian Bacon....!

...and I might have to steal a couple of my cats deworming tablets... ;D