For those of you that has done pork belly...

MallardWacker · March 15, 2005, 04:56:24 PM

O Mallard Mike is going to try some belly instead of loin this time around. Couple of questions for you guys.

When you buy belly, does it come in one big slab and if it does how much in weight is that? AND how much have you folks been paying for raw belly?

ANd when you are curing it do you use ziplock bags or what, whats the best containers to keep the Hen Mallard happy...???

Thanks in advance guys....

Jalepeno.....[:p][:p][:p]

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · March 15, 2005, 10:51:21 PM

MW, the last belleys i got were in a 40lb case 3 whole slabs, with skin on, it was $1.29 a lb, now i cut into 2 to 3 lb slabs and then took the skin off, that was a choir, one whole slab i left the skin on, was no differance in taste, was easer to take skin off after smoked and ready to slice, i put them in vacuum bags and butt did not suck it tight ,just sucked some air out then hit the seal button, to leave room for the juice once the cure starts to work, one full side of belly will be 12 to 14lbs, with the vacuum sealer will work very well, i do the same for doing pork loins, . put in the bottom drawer of fridge, and flip them over once a week . i haver never gone the 21 days yet on the belleys the last batch i went about 16 to 17 days not salty at all, did the soak in ice water for an hour then rinse and back into fresh ice water for another hour, used butcher packer maple cure , and some maple surype right into the bag sealed up .

Chez Bubba · March 16, 2005, 12:19:48 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by SMOKEHOUSE ROB
 that was a choir<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Amazing smoke, how sweet the smell, that hooked a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, at home with my Bradley![;)][:D][:D][:D]

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

whitetailfan · March 16, 2005, 12:28:50 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by MallardWacker
 When you buy belly, does it come in one big slab and if it does how much in weight is that? AND how much have you folks been paying for raw belly?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Mallard, forgive me for forgetting, but the 16lbs that I did up was either one slab (half a hog) or 1.5 slabs (3/4 of a hog). The reason I am unsure is that I took half a pig, and then my brother and I split another half, but I cant remember if we shared the bacon on the other half[?][?][?] So...count on 10 to 15 lbs per side. Sorry, no price for you...just sweat equity - feel like shoveling the hog barn? "Wooo-Pig-Soooie"MW

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> And when you are curing it do you use ziplock bags or what, whats the best containers to keep the Hen Mallard happy...???<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Believe it or not, after seeing the drawings in the instructions for Buck Board Bacon, Mrs Whitetail suggested that we use the fridge crisper for curing the meat. This is the second time I have done this, as I did the BBB on a butt in the crisper as well. Works real well, no real smell or other unpleasant, easy to monitor your progress, AND super easy to clean. I recommend it if hen mallard will agree to it.

Good Luck, and I think theres some other stuff in my picture thread, I'm going to respond to that next.[8D]

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · March 16, 2005, 12:57:48 AM

i use the fridge crisper also for all my curing. use you foodsaver and put the bacon in vacuum bags but dont suck all the air out, works very well for curing, then wash bags and back in she goes when smoked,

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · March 16, 2005, 03:12:31 AM

sorry MallardWacker i need to get rid of my sig, Olds and I have had our fun now.[:D]

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · March 16, 2005, 03:13:11 AM

oh man we did it again.[:D] sorry LOL

MallardWacker · March 16, 2005, 01:59:11 PM

Thaks guys, I have to go to El Paso the rest of this week and get my belly next Thursday. After going to one of the Little Rock's meat market(the one that been around the longest) and getting the answer I got from him I thought I would go to my local (little) store to ask if they can get it for me, oh ya no problem we'll get it from "Petit Jean Meats" this is one of the best(local) packing plant around. Sometimes the larger cities don't have everything.....At least the guy knew what I was talking about and didn't give any strange face.(any way more than usual)...Anyway, everyone have a good weekend...

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

Oldman · March 17, 2005, 08:23:22 PM

Duck Man you know SmokeHouse Rob and I lov' ya~~~! Next time it will be your turn--LOL! To protect myself I'm not going to show my bacon!!!

Opps I think I hear a Chez coming after that last statement--Heh heheheheh!

Olds

http://rminor.com

Cold Smoke · March 18, 2005, 05:21:33 AM

Mallard- The last time I made bacon with pork bellies I asked for 20 lbs and that worked out to be about one full side and a half. The skin had been removed- it was very lean bacon.[:p] I made my own version of a maple cure and all worked out great though it was very salty even after soaking for a long time.[V] I have not tried the belly thing since- still frying up the salty stuff every now and then- too cheap to throw it out.[;)] I believe it was about $2.50/lb Canadian rubles. I'll be making more of the stuff for sure though.

Good luck!

Cold Smoke

Oldman · March 18, 2005, 06:03:33 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I made my own version of a maple cure and all <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Cold Smoke are you holding out on us? What an ole family recipe that is a secrete~? LOL!

What is you own version?

Olds

http://rminor.com

Cold Smoke · March 30, 2005, 12:26:39 AM

Sorry Olds- must have missed this earlier. I simply used a maple flavoring (in powder form) that I added to some coarse salt, cure and then rubbed into the bellies and let them sit a while. Results were marginal but I'm no giver-upper! I'll likely add some pure maple syrup to the rest of the ingredients next time. Oh yeah, and wear some rubber gloves or something next time. Then I'll be trying Mallard's kicked up jalapeno blend to make my breakfast interesting.[8D][:D]

Here's my post from last time I tried this maple stuff.
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=485&SearchTerms=maple,flavoring

Cold Smoke