Bacon - question about the cook cycle
- Thread starter k walsh
- Start date
Bill W. Michigan
TVWBB Guru
Ken,
I just finished a batch of bacon yesterday and at 250 degrees you do get some of the fat melting. Cook to an internal temp of 150 degrees. That is the recommondation I got from the Site and it turned out great.
I just finished a batch of bacon yesterday and at 250 degrees you do get some of the fat melting. Cook to an internal temp of 150 degrees. That is the recommondation I got from the Site and it turned out great.
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
This shouldn't affect the quality of your final product but if you're worried about it just cook your next batch at 220 (or 200, or 185 or ..)
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ron... L.:
I shoot for 180-200 measured at the vent.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Me too, although I have not done bellies, only canadian bacon using clay saucer.
I shoot for 180-200 measured at the vent.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Me too, although I have not done bellies, only canadian bacon using clay saucer.
Brian, Although its cooler then we usually run the smoker at, lid temps of 180-200 degrees is not cold smoking. Take a look at this thread.
In particular go to the eleventh post down on page one, "Link to Maple Bacon pics."
There are a couple of photos of the charcoal set up showing one way to achieve the desired lower temps.
In particular go to the eleventh post down on page one, "Link to Maple Bacon pics."
There are a couple of photos of the charcoal set up showing one way to achieve the desired lower temps.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Those temps are still considered hot smoking.
If you mini-Minion with a chimney of unlit and just a few lit, plus cool-to-tepid water you will have a slow rise, especially if ambient temps are cold. How many lit depends on ambient temps. Start with maybe a half dozen and go from there if needed.
If you mini-Minion with a chimney of unlit and just a few lit, plus cool-to-tepid water you will have a slow rise, especially if ambient temps are cold. How many lit depends on ambient temps. Start with maybe a half dozen and go from there if needed.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Marc:
Brian, Although its cooler then we usually run the smoker at, lid temps of 180-200 degrees is not cold smoking. Take a look at this thread.
In particular go to the eleventh post down on page one, "Link to Maple Bacon pics."
There are a couple of photos of the charcoal set up showing one way to achieve the desired lower temps. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's how I've been doing it.
Brian, Although its cooler then we usually run the smoker at, lid temps of 180-200 degrees is not cold smoking. Take a look at this thread.
In particular go to the eleventh post down on page one, "Link to Maple Bacon pics."
There are a couple of photos of the charcoal set up showing one way to achieve the desired lower temps. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's how I've been doing it.
If you would like a little more data, I have some going right now. It's a ring like in the picture but with lump charcoal, hickory and a little pecan because I had less hickory than I thought, oops. Started 2:00 with some hot pieces in the center, 2 vents open on the bottom, top vent open. At 2:15 it was up to 145 and I killed another vent (so just one's open). It settled to 160-165 by 2:30 and has stayed there without adjustment for the last half hour.
Basically I'll check it every half hour. If it goes above 190 I'll start closing that last vent. If it goes below 150 I'll probably pop the door and peek because it may very well get a little low on fuel. The meat's at 86 degrees after an hour. I'll pull it in the 145-150 range.
Update: Another hour and it's at... 165. That's an hour and a half between 160-170 after one initial, planned adjustment. Aren't these things great?
Basically I'll check it every half hour. If it goes above 190 I'll start closing that last vent. If it goes below 150 I'll probably pop the door and peek because it may very well get a little low on fuel. The meat's at 86 degrees after an hour. I'll pull it in the 145-150 range.
Update: Another hour and it's at... 165. That's an hour and a half between 160-170 after one initial, planned adjustment. Aren't these things great?
May as well fill you in on the rest. At 2.5 hours it dropped to 150, so I took a peak at the coals and they were looking a bit sparse and there were some isolated unlit pieces of charcoal and wood that had fallen out of the ring or whatever. So I pushed things together, threw a bit more charcoal on, and closed it back up.
Basically with the new momentum it ramped up to 190, then drifted back down to 160 over the next two hours, then settled out at 160 until the bacon was done, a little less than 5 hours total. After the first 15 minutes I never touched the vents.
I'll slice it tomorrow.
Oh, and I forgot to put water in the pan, but luckily I also forgot to take out my saucer so that helped with the stability. 22" WSM. The original belly was 11.5 pounds but less after trimming and skinning.
Basically with the new momentum it ramped up to 190, then drifted back down to 160 over the next two hours, then settled out at 160 until the bacon was done, a little less than 5 hours total. After the first 15 minutes I never touched the vents.
I'll slice it tomorrow.
Oh, and I forgot to put water in the pan, but luckily I also forgot to take out my saucer so that helped with the stability. 22" WSM. The original belly was 11.5 pounds but less after trimming and skinning.