Maple Bacon Pictorial

[Tenpoint5]

Maple Bacon

Cure
2 oz. Kosher salt (about 1/4 cup)
2 tsp. Cure #1 (pink salt, InstaCure #1, Prague Powder #1)
¼ C. Maple sugar or packed brown sugar
¼ C. Maple syrup
(Makes enough for a 5 lb. belly)

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add syrup and stir until well combined.


2. Rub cure mixture on belly making sure to cover the entire surface. Place skin side down in a 2 gallon sealable bag, and expel all air, and fold the empty end of the bag under so that the belly is in close contact with the bag. During the curing time the belly will release liquid, and it is important that this liquid stay in contact with the meat.


    ***Note - The skin was already removed at the Locker Plant on this one.

3. Refrigerate at 34 – 40°F (the closer to 40°F the better) for 5 – 7 days, until belly is firm to the touch with no soft spots. During the curing time, turn the bag over once a day or once every other day to redistribute the cure.


4. When belly is fully cured, rinse it thoroughly, and pat it dry. *Place it on an inverted Bradley rack set over a baking sheet, and air dry in the refrigerator overnight (12 – 24 hours).



    * *If you don't have the refrigerator space to air dry the bacon you can do this step in the Bradley. Preheat the Bradley to 100 – 120°F with vent wide open, and place your room temperature bacon in the smoker. To get these low temperatures you will need to use the "cold smoke setup". Do not apply smoke at this time. You just want to dry the bellies until they are tacky when touched. This generally takes about 2 hours, depending on the load.


Smoking/Cooking

1. Once bacon has been "air dried" allow it set at room temperature for 1 -2 hours, then place into a 120 - 140° preheated smoker with vent half open.

    * *If you air dried it in the Bradley, increase the temperature to 120 - 140°, close to vent to half open, and begin to apply your smoke. The amount of smoke is up to you. I generally will only apply 2 hours, using maple.


2. After you have applied your smoke, increase the heat to 160°F, and smoke/cook the bacon until an internal temperature of 150°F is reached.
Or increase the temperature to 150°F, and smoke/cook until an IT of 140°F is reached.




3.  After the desired internal temperature has been reached, remove from smoker and allow to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, but still warm pull the skin off (you may need a sharp knife to help) making sure you leave as much fat on the bacon as possible.

[Tenpoint5]

As an added note I put 2 teaspoons of Maple Powder in the dry cure.
I will also post a pic of the bacon cut after it sits in the fridge wrapped in plastic for the night. So the smoke has a chance to penetrate.

Habs, I hope this what you pictured, when I said that I would put this together for everyone. Thanks for the recipe.

[Gizmo]

No Fair, No Fair,
I am out of bacon!!!!!!

Will have to call the butcher to order some for starting next weekend.
;D

[Tenpoint5]

No Fair, No Fair,
I am out of bacon!!!!!!

Will have to call the butcher to order some for starting next weekend.
;D

NANNER NANNER NANNER I gots three more just like this one in my FREEZER!!!!!! :P :P ;D ;D

[Scotty-G]

Awww Man 10.5 - I AM DROOLIN HERE!!!!
Gotta try that!  Thank you for sharing.
Scotty-G

[Habanero Smoker]

It looks great. I'll begin formatting it for the recipe site.

[chrispy]

10.5,

That looks great.  I am buying some belly today, I think I will try your recipe!!! 

Chrispy

[Tenpoint5]

10.5,

That looks great.  I am buying some belly today, I think I will try your recipe!!! 

Chrispy

I would love to take all the credit for the recipe but IT AIN'T Mine. The recipe came from Habanero Smoker. I just took the pictures to go along with it.

[coleman]

That's some good looking bacon.  Nice job with the pictures.  Has me wanting to make some more.


Dan

[Tenpoint5]

Here is a couple update pics

Sliced up


Ready for a freezer paper wrap and into the freezer.

[Mr Walleye]

"Very" nice job 10.5!  ;)

Two thumbs up!  8)

Mike

PS
Everybody knows that Bacon is the other food group.

[beefmann]

10-5


loogs great... caught my puppy licking the screen.... WAIT... THAT WAS  ME

great  job

Beefmann

[Smokin Soon]

That is, quite honestly the best looking bacon I have ever seen. I gotta find a butcher shop somewhere, they are scarce here. Has anyone ever tried to do a special order from a major chain like Safeway?

[Tenpoint5]

That is, quite honestly the best looking bacon I have ever seen. I gotta find a butcher shop somewhere, they are scarce here. Has anyone ever tried to do a special order from a major chain like Safeway?

Smoking where you at? I have Fareway here and the guy's in the meat dept are always great to work with. I haven't had a problem with ordering anything.

[FLBentRider]

That is, quite honestly the best looking bacon I have ever seen. I gotta find a butcher shop somewhere, they are scarce here. Has anyone ever tried to do a special order from a major chain like Safeway?

I have been able to special order pork bellies from my local Publix supermarket.