Bill W. Michigan
TVWBB Guru
I finally finished my first batch of Bacon. I had a few setbacks but it came out good. The first problem I had was when I ordered my pork belly from a Hispanic market it came with all of the meat trimmed off. They use it for Chichirones or pork skins (cracklins) not to good for making bacon. I finally talked with a local butcher and he knew exactly what it needed. Here is the 16lb belly that cut into 3 sections of a little over 5lbs each
After brining for 3 day in a solution of salt,sugar,pickling spice and prauge powder #1 it came out for a day of drying. I used a coathanger and formed some "S" hooks and poked them into the meat
Then I hung it in the fridge to dry for a day.
The next day was smoking day. I used the Smokenator and the Minon method with some hickory chunks. Oh that is snow in the background so I guess I was kind of "Cold Smoking"
After an two hour the temp hit 150 degrees and it was ready to pull off. I cooled it using a wire rack and a snowy shelf to keep it above the snow.
After it cooled I used an aquired meat slicer on the recommondation from Dave in Denver and made some nice 1/4" slices. The rest is history.
I froze one of the remaining pieces of belly and started another batch of Maple Bacon using a dry cure method and I should be smoking that one on Sunday.
Thanks for everyone who helped me with my posts and made this an enjoyable experience
Then I hung it in the fridge to dry for a day.
The next day was smoking day. I used the Smokenator and the Minon method with some hickory chunks. Oh that is snow in the background so I guess I was kind of "Cold Smoking"
After an two hour the temp hit 150 degrees and it was ready to pull off. I cooled it using a wire rack and a snowy shelf to keep it above the snow.
After it cooled I used an aquired meat slicer on the recommondation from Dave in Denver and made some nice 1/4" slices. The rest is history.
Thanks for everyone who helped me with my posts and made this an enjoyable experience
