My second go at making bacon

[ratherbboating]

My second go at making bacon.
The slab weigh in at 11lb 2oz.  It was almost too big to fit into the refrigerator, had to move things off the shelf to get the door to close.

Cut in half to brine.

One slab weigh 5 lbs and the other 6lbs.  Used 10points brine solution:
2 oz. Kosher salt (about 1/4 cup)
2 tsp. Cure #1 (aka pink salt, InstaCure #1, Prague Powder #1)
1/4 C. Maple sugar or packed brown sugar
1/4 C. Maple syrup
For 5 lbs of meat.  I added a little water, it seemed a little thick this time.
Put in brine solution for 5 days.

After brine.

Into smoker at 120, first hour no smoke (the slab was still cool, so I let it warm up and dry).  Second hour started applying hickory smoke. Increase the temp to 160 for two hours, applying smoke.  Raised temp to 175 (still adding smoke), until IT got to 160.

Slice it with my new slicer (it made fast work out the all that bacon, nice even slices).  The weight out of smoker was 9lbs 4 oz.

Put most of it up for later.

Now for the money shots.

But the real money shot was that night for supper, a good BLT (and cheese).  The tomatoes and lettuce came from my greenhouse which still has things growing, even in this freezing weather.


My next project is in the smoker right this minute.  Bacon wrap, wild goose breast, but that another post.

[mwilliams7967]

That looks awesome.  Would most butchers carry that bacon cut? 

[ratherbboating]

That is part of one of the hogs that I raised, top out at 345 live weight, 240 dressed.   I still have the other slab in the freezer.  Got a lot of port steaks and chops out of him.  I got both hams (about 30-35 lbs) in the freezer to take care of.  They are big, going to have to cut them in two so that I can smoke them.
Will be raising a cow this spring/summer/winter to butcher next spring.  More pigs in the spring.

[cgaengineer]

That looks awesome.  Would most butchers carry that bacon cut?

I have found that most butchers around here don't have pork bellies...try an Asian market...also check with your grocery store, my grocery store can get them from Hollidield Farms who makes their sausage.


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[ghost9mm]

Nice job on the bacon, it really looks super good...job well done...

[mwilliams7967]

Thanks guys! I will be checking with local butchers this week!!

[beefmann]

awesome bacon

[bluedog20175]

nice looking bacon and a perfect sandwich

[Drac]

Looks good.  The sandwich, even better.  Now I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow.

Jim

[OldHickory]

Good job, looks great.  Now I'm hungry for a BLT  :'( :'(

[OU812]

Looks great, even though you put maple syrup on it.  ;D

Thats the only to have a BLT,,,,,,,,,,,with cheese on it

[RFT]

Looks great. 


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[sparky1]

that is so cool.  you made your own bacon.  i need to learn how to do that. 

[ratherbboating]

This is the first of two slabs.  The next one I am gong to just use brown sugar and lots of apple smoke.  Got plenty of bacon right now (or until my daughter comes down for a visit), so it will be a while before I make the next slab. Making beef peperoni  right now, will try to post over the weekend when it finishes resting.
And it is no that hard to make, just follow the recipe on this forum (from 10point).

[cgaengineer]

This is the first of two slabs.  The next one I am gong to just use brown sugar and lots of apple smoke.  Got plenty of bacon right now (or until my daughter comes down for a visit), so it will be a while before I make the next slab. Making beef peperoni  right now, will try to post over the weekend when it finishes resting.
And it is no that hard to make, just follow the recipe on this forum (from 10point).

I liked the flavor of my brown sugar bacon the best, I too used applewood smoke.


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