Makin' Bacon -need some help

[GusRobin]

Or I should say want to make bacon. Can't seem to find any pork belly locally, anyone suggest an alternate?  Prefer to make "regular" bacon not Canadian. (no offense meant to our Canadian bretheren.) Also can someone point me to a recipe that uses a dry cure with TQ? Most of the ones I found start with a a brine/wet cure. Thanks  for any help.

[FLBentRider]

The basic recipe is 1T of MTQ per lb of belly. You can add other seasonings as you desire. I usually cure 5 to 7 days.

I'm not sure if I can help you find belly. I ask the manager of the meat dept of my supermarket to order it for me.

There is "buckboard" bacon which I believe is sliced pork shoulder - you could probably use when they call "Country style" ribs which is the same thing.

After curing you will need to soak/test fry in 30 minute intervals - until it is not too salty.

After that, let it dry in the fridge to form a tacky surface - pellicle.

smoke @180-200F until an IT of 145F if you are going to fry before eating, 152F for eating "straight up"

you can find bacon recipes here - http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=180

[KyNola]

My standard MTQ cure is the same as FLBR's with the exception of I add 1TBSP of brown sugar to every TBSP of MTQ that you use in order to offset the saltiness of the MTQ.

KyNola

[FLBentRider]

Thanks KyNola - I do brown sugar too. I stared at that post trying to figure out what was missing.

[KyNola]

FLBR,
That's what great about this forum.  We always have each others back! ;) :)

GusRobin, It makes some great bacon and you can always pour about a quarter cup of pure maple syrup in the bag with the belly while it's curing if you're looking for a HICKORY smoked maple cured bacon. :P :D

KyNola

[rcger]

We recently butchered 2 LARGE hogs during deer season.  Since no one else knew what to do with it, guess who got the belly???  I used the basic recipe of 1 TBS TQ with 1 TBS of brown sugar.  I also added some maple syrup.  I cured it for about 10 days before I could smoke it.  I gave it 4 hours of maple smoke and an IT of 140 degrees.  Well, needless to say, it was delicious.  I'll definitely do it again soon.

[KyNola]

There you go!  An unsolicited testimonial. ;D

KyNola

[classicrockgriller]

It just dawned on me that I have a large supply of free pork belly.

We get about 40 to 50 hogs during our Hunting season and as far as I know

no one makes bacon so it gets grinded up when the hogs get processed.

[KyNola]

Jump all over it CRG!  With your Bradley, Traeger and your 9 other smokers you could smoke a serious amount of bacon.  Once you make your first batch and let your hunting buddies taste it, you won't have a problem with them trying to keep the bellies.  Of course you may have to share a bit with them from time to time. :)

KyNola

[classicrockgriller]

Jump all over it CRG!  With your Bradley, Traeger and your 9 other smokers you could smoke a serious amount of bacon.  Once you make your first batch and let your hunting buddies taste it, you won't have a problem with them trying to keep the bellies.  Of course you may have to share a bit with them from time to time. :)

KyNola

I'll tell them it's for research. ;D ;D

[KyNola]

Make up whatever lie you think you need to tell them but get your paws on those bellies. :D

KyNola

[GusRobin]

went to Wal-Mart and asked for pork bellies and they had something called pork Stomach. Assuming that it is the same thing. Bad news it was frozen. Since it was cheap I bought 2 of them. In the process of defrosting them so I can start the curing. What the heck, if it is meat it can be smoked. If nothing else it will be an adventure to see how it turns out. Pictures to follow once I get started.

Thanks for all the info, help, and advice.

[FLBentRider]

Or at least you can make Haggis!

;D

[KyNola]

I don't think it's the same thing. I think you most likely got the actual stomach of the hog.

KyNola

[ronbeaux]

Have you tried the Chinese grocery?? That's the only place I can find them here.