Flavors for Bacon
- Thread starter Josh Z.
- Start date
Al Silverman
TVWBB Pro
How about apple. Smoked over applewood?
Al
Al
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Josh Z.:
Hi,
I was gonna buy some more pork bellies and cure some bacon. I was going to make maple cured bacon, a savory bacon with bay, garlic and pepper, but I'm lookikng for a third flavor. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Josh </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Josh - Have you seen Alton Brown's recipes? He has several variations on the FoodTV website. Here's the link.
jrp
Hi,
I was gonna buy some more pork bellies and cure some bacon. I was going to make maple cured bacon, a savory bacon with bay, garlic and pepper, but I'm lookikng for a third flavor. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Josh </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Josh - Have you seen Alton Brown's recipes? He has several variations on the FoodTV website. Here's the link.
jrp
JRP,
Thanks for the Abrown info. I used the molasses and black pepper cure. I love molasses and having it as a side by side comparison to my maple cured bacon will be excellent. I just had to adjust the recipe to the way that I've been curing (less salt longer cure).
I'm still looking for creative ideas for next time I make bacon. SO PLEASE give me some ideas.
Thanks,
Josh
Thanks for the Abrown info. I used the molasses and black pepper cure. I love molasses and having it as a side by side comparison to my maple cured bacon will be excellent. I just had to adjust the recipe to the way that I've been curing (less salt longer cure).
I'm still looking for creative ideas for next time I make bacon. SO PLEASE give me some ideas.
Thanks,
Josh
Jim,
There is a supermarket, Micheal's Fresh Market in Naperville/Aurora, that sells all kinds of stuff. They carry lots of things that the asian and hispanic communities use in cooking.
I talked to the butcher today and he gets in fresh meat twice a week and can get me anything I want. They do however always have fresh pork bellies, but I had to ask to get it by the slab instead of one inch stips. I was very impressed. They have the largest briskets I've ever seen, and two varities of fresh hams in at all times (boneless skinless, and bone-in with skin). Best of all I can place an order for hog jowels so I can make jowel bacon! I've been looking all over to find someone who could hook me up with this stuff.
It was a very good day for me and I was very pleased with this supermarket and it even got better once I finally got into contact with the buthcer.
I don't know if that will help you out, but I'd look around for any store that sells a lot of the interesting things that come from pigs (snouts, ears, intestines, stomaches, etc) and ask the person who does the ordering if they can get it for you. Asking the guy behind the counter is little to no good becuase all they do is walk back and look at the list of things in stock and come back and say no. The butcher I talked to was very helpful and brought out several cuts of meat to show me what they had to offer and what to ask for next time I came in. I wish I got that kind of service everywhere I went.
EDIT IN THE PRICE! I payed a $1.99 per pound for the fresh bellies. That sure beats $6 a pound for store bought bacon that is saltier and not as tasty as my own bacon.
I hope this helps,
Josh
There is a supermarket, Micheal's Fresh Market in Naperville/Aurora, that sells all kinds of stuff. They carry lots of things that the asian and hispanic communities use in cooking.
I talked to the butcher today and he gets in fresh meat twice a week and can get me anything I want. They do however always have fresh pork bellies, but I had to ask to get it by the slab instead of one inch stips. I was very impressed. They have the largest briskets I've ever seen, and two varities of fresh hams in at all times (boneless skinless, and bone-in with skin). Best of all I can place an order for hog jowels so I can make jowel bacon! I've been looking all over to find someone who could hook me up with this stuff.
It was a very good day for me and I was very pleased with this supermarket and it even got better once I finally got into contact with the buthcer.
I don't know if that will help you out, but I'd look around for any store that sells a lot of the interesting things that come from pigs (snouts, ears, intestines, stomaches, etc) and ask the person who does the ordering if they can get it for you. Asking the guy behind the counter is little to no good becuase all they do is walk back and look at the list of things in stock and come back and say no. The butcher I talked to was very helpful and brought out several cuts of meat to show me what they had to offer and what to ask for next time I came in. I wish I got that kind of service everywhere I went.
EDIT IN THE PRICE! I payed a $1.99 per pound for the fresh bellies. That sure beats $6 a pound for store bought bacon that is saltier and not as tasty as my own bacon.
I hope this helps,
Josh
Al Silverman
TVWBB Pro
Josh,
I was thinking of perhaps adding some apple juice concentrate to your brine. It works really well on poultry brines. Come on give it a shot !! LOL
Al
I was thinking of perhaps adding some apple juice concentrate to your brine. It works really well on poultry brines. Come on give it a shot !! LOL
Al
Al,
Consider it done for the next round. I'm willing to try just about anything. I'm sadly surprised that you are one of the only people who will give a suggestion. This is normally a hot bed of creativity.
People must be keeping their ideas to themselves. They want to horde all the tasty bacon
Josh
Consider it done for the next round. I'm willing to try just about anything. I'm sadly surprised that you are one of the only people who will give a suggestion. This is normally a hot bed of creativity.
People must be keeping their ideas to themselves. They want to horde all the tasty bacon
Josh
Craig Castille
TVWBB Wizard
wrong....never done it before, but my curiuosity is up.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by craig castille:
wrong....never done it before, but my curiuosity is up. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
ditto. how big are the bellies you get. i assume the fit on your wsm. also doesn't bacon require cooler temps than butts, brisket, etc? thanks.
wrong....never done it before, but my curiuosity is up. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
ditto. how big are the bellies you get. i assume the fit on your wsm. also doesn't bacon require cooler temps than butts, brisket, etc? thanks.
I bought a slab of bellies, about 8 pounds with ribs. I'm guessing I had about 4-5 pounds once I removed the ribs (I'm gonna try to smoke these too). I then cut the slab into 3 parts for three different flavors. The recipe I have calls for curing for 7 days inthe fridge and then smoking the bacon to 150 degrees. I did this on my wsm at about 190-200 degrees lid temp. Following that is a cooling period before the slice and fry. I got the idea/recipe from this book Charcuterie... which if I recall correctly Rita pointed out before christmas (THANKS)
I've really enjoyed it and recommend it to all home cooks who are interested in curing meats, but don't know a lick about it. The book goes into great detail on many subjects and has not dissapointed me so far. After the bacon I'm hoping to make jowel bacon and cure my own ham.
I found a place that does cajun bacon. What do you think I might add to make the recipe cajun. Right now it has salt, sugar, curing salts and you can add whatever you want. I'll have to look into what is in cajun seasoning and try that.
Josh
I've really enjoyed it and recommend it to all home cooks who are interested in curing meats, but don't know a lick about it. The book goes into great detail on many subjects and has not dissapointed me so far. After the bacon I'm hoping to make jowel bacon and cure my own ham.
I found a place that does cajun bacon. What do you think I might add to make the recipe cajun. Right now it has salt, sugar, curing salts and you can add whatever you want. I'll have to look into what is in cajun seasoning and try that.
Josh
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Honey is a good idea. Sassafras for the smokewood makes it quite distinctive. Apple is great as is other less traditional fruit--pomegranate and tamarind, e.g.--spiced, of course.
'Cajun' seasonings vary by producer. The one I make contains salt, onion and garlic powders, black and white pepper, cayenne, paprika and thyme. I include oregano for some applications.
I was hoping to do what you're doing last week. But my guy had just sold his last belly.
'Cajun' seasonings vary by producer. The one I make contains salt, onion and garlic powders, black and white pepper, cayenne, paprika and thyme. I include oregano for some applications.
I was hoping to do what you're doing last week. But my guy had just sold his last belly.
Richard Batey
TVWBB Fan
Thanks for pointing me to the book Charcuterie. I just ordered it from Amazon.
In Paul Bertolli's book, Cooking by Hand, he gives a recipe for making Italian bacon called Tesa (on page 202). I'll probably try it now that I'm heading down the bacon makin' road.
So, how did the bacon turn out? Photos please and a taste review.
Now I'll have to start looking around here to see who sells or can order pork bellies.
Richard
In Paul Bertolli's book, Cooking by Hand, he gives a recipe for making Italian bacon called Tesa (on page 202). I'll probably try it now that I'm heading down the bacon makin' road.
So, how did the bacon turn out? Photos please and a taste review.
Now I'll have to start looking around here to see who sells or can order pork bellies.
Richard
Richard Batey
TVWBB Fan
The flavoring in the Italian bacon, Tesa, is peppercorns, cloves, allspice berries, nutmeg, red pepper, juniper berries, salt, garlic, red wine. Copyright forbids me to post recipe here but write for more details.
Richard
Richard
Hunter Lewis
TVWBB Member
in Alton Brown's recipe, it says to place the bacon in a cold smoker, I am not familiar with this. Can we just smoke it at a low temp in the WSM?
smoke on
Hunter
smoke on
Hunter
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hunter Lewis:
in Alton Brown's recipe, it says to place the bacon in a cold smoker, I am not familiar with this. Can we just smoke it at a low temp in the WSM?
smoke on
Hunter </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
To cold smoke something is 140 degrees or less.
in Alton Brown's recipe, it says to place the bacon in a cold smoker, I am not familiar with this. Can we just smoke it at a low temp in the WSM?
smoke on
Hunter </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
To cold smoke something is 140 degrees or less.
Richard,
I can give a pictoral/taste review in a few days, but till wednesday I'm still in curing mode. I'm hoping to smoke them up wednesday night.
Hunter,
As far as the cold smoke.. The recipe I used calls to smoke the bacon to 150 so it is not a cold smoke. I just used low temps to give it a little more time in the smoke.
I'm thinking honey would have been a great choice. This time around with maple syrup and molasses I've got sweet covered. Next time honey will be a must.
Thanks for the tips and recipe ideas! Keep em coming
Josh
I can give a pictoral/taste review in a few days, but till wednesday I'm still in curing mode. I'm hoping to smoke them up wednesday night.
Hunter,
As far as the cold smoke.. The recipe I used calls to smoke the bacon to 150 so it is not a cold smoke. I just used low temps to give it a little more time in the smoke.
I'm thinking honey would have been a great choice. This time around with maple syrup and molasses I've got sweet covered. Next time honey will be a must.
Thanks for the tips and recipe ideas! Keep em coming
Josh