COOOLD smoke


 
j biesinger

j biesinger

TVWBB Platinum Member
I planned to do some bacon and sausage today and figured ambient temps were about ideal. I opened my garage and was startled by several inches of new snow that fell that I was oblivious too. A quick snow blow and the car was out of the way and I broke out the BACONATOR!

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I thought this arrangement might be a good way to cook massive amounts of bacon, since belly slabs are hard to fit in a wsm whole. I picked up some bacon hangers from the local sausage making supply store and have been eager to try it out since.

Here is a 1/2 belly cut into two hanging from the top grate:

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which left me room to do a couple pounds of andouille on the top grate:

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We got a new 5lb stuff for xmas and it made short work of the 15 lbs of andouille, chorizo and linguica we made. I can't believe how much of difference it is over stuffing with a grinder. After three cranks my wife said "oh yeah, this is sooo worth it."

The baconator worked well, and I'm wondering how much she'll be able to smoke when I get around to getting some more belly and try to really fill her up. Next time I'll stab the hangers lower on the slab, as they take up a lot of room. These half pieces were close to the pan mostly due to how low they hung.

finished andouille:

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">looks great, where did you get the rack that is holding the bacon from??? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I bought these from their retail store. I'm sure you can find them elsewhere for a buck or two cheaper, I don't bother as the gentleman that mans the store usually cuts you a nice discount.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Love the set up! Great idea taking advantage of the outside temps too! Genius!!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm not sure what the ambient was but it was below 32* with little wind. I used a small pile of old briquettes, couldn't have been more than a half chimney's worth, did a mini minion, and had no problems keeping it between 150* and 200* for the 2.5 hours it took to get the slabs to 140*.

I pulled one slab off at the 2 hr point and finished it in the oven because I needed it chilled, sliced, vac-packed, and out the door in that 2.5 hours. The other one stayed on and I tossed it in the fridge before I left. I've got to slice it this morning, I'm wondering how much won't make it into a bag
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Did you brine this bacon like the last batch? What container will hold a half slab?

Great idea on the double stack !!
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Fantastic, J!! Simply fantastic!

Question: Do you have to mod the WSMs in any way to stack them or is it as simple as placing the middle section of one on another? A friend of mine, who also has a WSM, and I have been wanting to try bacon and this would be a fun "project" to do.

Again, fantastic!!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Did you brine this bacon like the last batch? What container will hold a half slab? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

yes, used a big ziploc (2 gal...I think). They sell bigger ones for storage, that they sell by dimension (12"x24"?) which probably could take even larger pieces.

I'm going to do some math and figure out a nice size that will brine and hang easily. any trimmings will become tasso or pancetta. As you know, some parts of the belly are better suited to other things rather than bacon.

And Bill, I'm going to be ready for some more belly maybe in feb or march
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Question: Do you have to mod the WSMs in any way to stack them or is it as simple as placing the middle section of one on another? A friend of mine, who also has a WSM, and I have been wanting to try bacon and this would be a fun "project" to do.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

they don't fit all that well and are a bit wobbly. If you're one to worry you might want to make a gasket out of foil so they're a bit more snug.

it sure was great working at chest height though.
 
Looking nice. My question is what stuffer did you get. Been checking reviews myself, would like to get one as we make more sausage in the winter than other seasons.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Looking nice. My question is what stuffer did you get. Been checking reviews myself, would like to get one as we make more sausage in the winter than other seasons. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

5 lb stuffer

there's no comparison to using a grinder as your stuffer to this. It takes a stuffing from a real PITA to the easiest part of the whole process.
 
Very cool J. I like the baconader! I keep reading these belly treads.....I hope to try it someday.

I would like to see some video of the 5lb stuffer in action! When using it I assume that you grind the meat first and then it goes into the stuffer. I have often thought it would be cool to make my own. Nice work. Vince
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I would like to see some video of the 5lb stuffer in action! When using it I assume that you grind the meat first and then it goes into the stuffer. I have often thought it would be cool to make my own. Nice work. Vince </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

its turning out to be a bit of an investment. You figure $1-150 for an entry level grinder and another $1-150 for an entry level stuffer. Your in for 300 and only have basic small batch stuff.

Its also helpful to have a big mixer like a kitchen aid. we borrowed one for a few months and it helped improve the consistency of the sausage and made short work of mixing the spices into the meat which can wear your wrists out fast.

and you'll want some large containers to hold the mix and the finished links. we made three kinds at a time and its helpful to have something that can hold a few pounds of mix in the fridge.

but it sure isn't hard once you got the gear and you are only limited by your imagination.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Cash:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Vince B:
I would like to see some video of the 5lb stuffer in action! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Looks like there are a bunch on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/results...er&search_type=&aq=f </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Don. I just got me an education there! LOL I have never seen it done so that was a treat. I can understand J's wifes point where she said it was money well spent.

I agree where it is quite an investment but man look at all the sausage you can make and how much fun it is to do. I personally think this a great thing for the diehard doityourselfer! I think the satisfaction of saying I made that would be cool. Looks like an art for sure keep up the great work. Vince
 
Looking good, JB! I hear you on the acquisition of gear....I don't factor in equipment when calculating a batch of homebrew, but I KNOW I have well more than $300 invested in equipment. Then again, I try my best to steer people toward what I need/want when birthdays and such come around.

Your bacon and sausages look great. I have an old cast iron Enterprise stuffer that works ok, but I need to do some work with it to get it more efficient (or I'll just sell it and the other one I have on eBay and get a new one like you have.)

I need to find a source for "artisanal" pork around here (and probably a buddy to go in on some pig with me.....any takers??)
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Rich
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I need to find a source for "artisanal" pork around here (and probably a buddy to go in on some pig with me.....any takers??) Smiler </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I hear you there. The thing I find with the small pig guys is that they all have their bellies smoked so they can get a premium for the cut, selling it as bacon. I was just talking to the people who I occasionally buy beef from, and they were telling me how they started raising pigs. So I made sure to tell them how hard it is for me to get belly and how much I'd love to get some.

once my skills improve, I'd say in the next year or so, I might be in the market for a pig. I'm going to have to get better with dry curing sausage, because that's the stuff that really exposes the quality of the pork. For now (with my basic skills) I'm happy playing with .99/lb butts and bellies.
 
J...stuff looks great.

About buying a pig...you can always get half a pig...It's less than a buck a pound hanging weight. Plus processing (i.e. butchering and vac packing) and you'll be somewhere around $1.50/lb for your pork. I can't believe the size of the bellies I got from mine. I made bacon and pancetta galore.

FYI...I love my vertical stuffer too. Makes quick work of 5lb sausage batches. 5 minutes vs. 1/2 hour easy with the kitchenaid stuffer.

Keep us tuned re: your drying sausage. I want to make some, but I really don't have the right environment.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">About buying a pig...you can always get half a pig...It's less than a buck a pound hanging weight. Plus processing (i.e. butchering and vac packing) and you'll be somewhere around $1.50/lb for your pork. I can't believe the size of the bellies I got from mine. I made bacon and pancetta galore.

FYI...I love my vertical stuffer too. Makes quick work of 5lb sausage batches. 5 minutes vs. 1/2 hour easy with the kitchenaid stuffer.

Keep us tuned re: your drying sausage. I want to make some, but I really don't have the right environment. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

thanks for the info. its been a while since I looked at the price for pigs.

yeah, I can't believe how long we held out. and my wife was always at the feeding end so she usually had the worst of it, trying to force sticky mush down into the auger.

I've dried a few things (bresaola, coppa, pancetta, etc) so I know it can be done, but like you I'm working on the ambient conditions. I currently have 3 fridges and a freezer running, so I'm trying to work with what I have rather than get another fridge going for a curing chamber.
 
Nice job - thanks for posting your results. Looks like I should be able to do something similar with the WSM expander unit. Those hooks seemed to have worked just fine hanging from the top food grate. Looks like they might work OK for hanging fish as well.
 
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