I wander if you could explain the difference between your temps. and mine. I use dry cure and after 7 days hot smoke it with apple and about 5 hours ago (and the time before that) it's texture was pretty perfect (to me). my temp. climbed from 80's & 90's slowly up to 220 and about then was off and done to 150-158 (i had 4 slabs on) I lost about 20 drops of fat from all of them, no more. just wanderin' i love bacon. (i was thinking like Brandon was, mines never that dark either, I guess its a possibility he used cherry or misquite...but i dont have a clue).