First attempt at Maple Cured Bacon

Poolshark · January 02, 2011, 08:42:10 AM

First off, I wanted to wish everyone and happy and healthy new year!

So, my buddy 10.5 convinced me that this bacon thing was a snap. He was pretty spot on with that comment. I even took his advice and brought my kiddo into the mix. She did all the prep work and all the loading and unloading of the smoker, as well as ensuring temps were right in the smoker, as well as the IT. So after a week, here is the finished product as it came out of the smoker. My slicing was not as I'd hoped, but hey, there is always next time, and the time after that to get it down pat. Besides, when it is in the pan, do ya think anyone will care how neatly it was sliced and packaged?? ;D

We also HAD to try it, so we fried some up and it was a big hit! I plan on doing a lot more of this, as well as other variations. Thanks 10.5!

KyNola · January 02, 2011, 08:44:33 AM

Nice Poolshark. Homemade bacon is so very good.

BuyLowSellHigh · January 02, 2011, 08:51:10 AM

If there is one thing that will get you hooked it is homemade bacon. Now there is no turning back.

Great work, Poolshark !

GusRobin · January 02, 2011, 08:54:30 AM

looks really good. Sure wish I could find a source of good pork bellies around here. I have found some in the Asian markets around here but they were mostly fat, more so than normal bacon.

Poolshark · January 02, 2011, 09:08:48 AM

Gus, I was concerned about the quality of the meats from the Asian market, but this was surprisingly the opposite for me. This was meatier than what I would find int eh grocery stores...I was very pleased. I wished I had done more of it now. But there will be more to come for sure!

FLBentRider · January 02, 2011, 09:54:30 AM

Welcome to the club.

Store-bought bacon will never "do" again.

SamuelG · January 02, 2011, 10:47:48 PM

Great job Poolshark!

Can't go wrong with 10.5 recipe.

SamuelG

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

hal4uk · January 02, 2011, 11:20:03 PM

That looks mighty fine, Poolshark!
Post some BIGGER pics if you get a chance!

wkahler · January 05, 2011, 04:04:39 AM

Well this gives me hope!!!! I plan on putting my order in today for some pork belly at the butcher, and will wait until next week to get my order and start the process!!

Tenpoint5 · January 05, 2011, 07:13:30 AM

Glad everything worked out for you PoolShark. See spending some quality time with the yardapes does have some really good results. Wait until we get you to make sausage at home!!

TMB · January 05, 2011, 10:20:22 AM

Poolshark, great looking bacon. 10.5 is very good at teaching stuff like this and yes i'll be trying bacon very soon.
I just need to get a few things and find a little time, kimmie has kept me busy over the passed few weeks and looks like I maybe tied up for a few more. I'll be contacting you about your experience and pick your brain to see how you did it and what you would change if you could

TestRocket · January 05, 2011, 11:59:00 AM

Nice job on the bacon there Poolshark! ;D

Poolshark · January 05, 2011, 01:20:34 PM

10.5...it was a breeze. And I am still enjoying it. I look forward to the sausage. I really want to take a stab at curing a ham...and a venison ham. I have a buddy going on a hunt in Tx soon, and he doesn't like venison...poor guy...i guess I'll have to take all that he harvests...haha.

Tommy...look forward to hearing from you, as always.

Thanks TR!

love the smoke · January 06, 2011, 07:02:22 AM

Just a FYI

I have made several batches of this bacon and it always turns out excellent, except this last time. My wife is very good at "blending" stufff, half of bag of peanuts left she will blend with the half bag of M&M (this is ok) blends half of box of Cheerios with a half box of corn flakes, bugs the crap out of me

Well i was in the process of mixing up the ingrediants for the bacon cure/rub and got to the 100% pure maple syrup took the lid off and tried to pour the syrup out, came out like Karo syrup thick and gooy, hey this is not the right stuff, woman what did you do to the maple syrup, did you "blend' it, oh I added a little Mrs butterworths to it fill up the bottle :o syrup is syrup just put it in the bacon recipe it will be fine.

Well I did it reluctantly and I am here to tell you it is not the same taste way diffrent so next time my syrup is going downstairs in my "meat/smoking room so ther will be NO MORE BLENDING

LTS

SoCalBuilder · January 06, 2011, 08:51:06 AM

LTS - I'm trying not to snicker, but I have a vision of my wife doing the same thing at our house. I'm not a syrup afficiando and here in SoCal, we don't have much in the way of maple syrup production, so I've wondered if there was a real difference between 'the real thing' or Aunt Jamima. In the back of my little mind, I knew there was, but now I know to start looking now for the good stuff. Thanks for running that little experiment for the rest of us :D