Should my bacon take this long?

punchlock · August 15, 2010, 07:11:56 PM

Today I started to smoke a pork belly I had been curing the week previous. The cure worked well and this afternoon I started the smoke/cooking process. I smoked for two hours at 120 and then bumped the temp up to 160.

It has now been 5hrs and the IT is only at 116. Should this really take this long? It seems to me a pork belly is a rather thin piece of meat and should react to the cabinet temp more quickly? I have tested it the bacon with three different themos and they all seem to be within realative proximity of echother.

Any thoughts?

Oh yeah... I have to 5# slabs in.

GusRobin · August 15, 2010, 07:16:48 PM

I am not an expert, but the times I made bacon I cooked at 225F (of course it seems I cook everything at that temp). ;D Which probe are you using to get the cabinet temp? Depending where it is located, your meat could be seeing lower temps than what is being read. Last suggestion - do you have the vent open? A vent that is not open enough will retain moisture in the cabinet and actually cause the temp remain lower.

Tenpoint5 · August 15, 2010, 07:24:38 PM

Quote from: punchlock on August 15, 2010, 07:11:56 PM

Any thoughts?

Oh yeah... I have to 5# slabs in.

Yep I have one thought. STAY THE HELL OUT OF THE CABINET!!

Every time you open the door you loose what heat you do have in there. You are finishing a cured piece of meat. You are not cooking it. That is why you are using a low temp of 160º. It is going to take a while to get to 152º. If you jack up the temp you will start melting the fat out of your bacon. Relax and enjoy the ride. As I have mentioned before to other members. Patience Young Grasshopper Patience it will work out in the end.

Tenpoint5 · August 15, 2010, 07:37:18 PM

Although you could probably go to 170º without any ill effects to the bacon

punchlock · August 15, 2010, 07:37:46 PM

Maverick is mounted below the bacon and vent is open 3/4. I have had so many probes in this thing it looks like a science experiment gone bad.

It appears I have been a tad bit impatient and there in lies the problem "my bad". Thanks for the reassurance tenpoint as well as the pictorial and thanks to Habs for the recipe.

Tenpoint5 · August 15, 2010, 07:53:54 PM

No Problem PL If your not the patient type don't do a 10# Bologna smoke or a 30+ hour home cured Ham. You will hurt yourself.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=8442.0 Home Cured Ham

punchlock · August 15, 2010, 08:08:56 PM

That's a great thread tenpoint, now you got me thinking about making ham. Maybe I will get the bacon under my belt first, saved the thread to favorites just in case.

classicrockgriller · August 15, 2010, 08:22:35 PM

It's hard not to look sometimes, but Chris is right.

It's been said that everytime you open your cabinet door,

it takes approx 30 minutes to get your temps back right again.

Trust your smoker and your Maverick.

punchlock · August 15, 2010, 08:38:29 PM

Dear God please grant me patience,

And I need it RIGHT NOW!

punchlock · August 16, 2010, 06:06:09 AM

Well it's been a long night waiting for the bacon and I am still waiting. The wife thinks I'm nuts sitting up most the night waiting for bacon. Seven more degrees to go and I will have a nap.

Tenpoint5 · August 16, 2010, 06:12:25 AM

Ok now you have me wondering why after a minimum of 10 hours your bacon hasn't come to temp. It should be there by now. What is your cabinet temp set at? Have you been peeking again? What IT are you shooting for?

KyNola · August 16, 2010, 06:46:51 AM

PL,
I got to go with 10.5 on this one. There's no way it should be taking this long. Something is definitely askew here. One of our members Stickbowcrafter posted a thread about smoking bacon that I have followed many times without fail. The smoking temp is 200 and you take the IT to 152. Above 152 and you begin to render out the fat.

Is your heating element working properly?

punchlock · August 16, 2010, 07:03:23 AM

I have the cabinet set at 160 and I am shooting for an internal temp of 150. I have the puck burner rinning and the cabinet temp seems to be spot on. ???

I am following the directions from the recipe database for maple cured bacon.

Should I increase the temp?

punchlock · August 16, 2010, 07:08:51 AM

Oh yeah I have not peeked since I was last chastised ;D

KyNola · August 16, 2010, 07:11:40 AM

I'm a bit reluctant to to advise you on this as it is your bacon and has been going on for quite some time but I would bump the temp a bit. Keep a close eye on the IT as Chris correct that you could begin to render out the fat if you're not careful.