New batch of bacon up


 
Michael G. (Canada Mike)

Michael G. (Canada Mike)

TVWBB All-Star
Just put up a new batch of bacon , about 11 lbs in 4 slabs. Real nice meaty looking stuff. I use Ruhlman, plus a sprinkle of maple sugar, fresh crushed garlic cloves and crushed pepper.

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Exactly the path I'm planning on taking, i.e., 11-12 lbs put up using Ruhlman.

Too much work doing 3-5 lbs. Might as well "fill the Bullet."
 
Looks great so far Mike! I think i will pepper crust one slab next time im smoking a belly.
 
I'm doing a batch right now too, quick question.

I am not a novice of how meat is processed I've helped with a couple lambs a few times but never a pig.

The rind on my slab has a patch with some thick black coarse stubble on it like whats on my face. It grosses me out to even think about it and I have been trying not to look at it even.

The rind on this piece is thinner than last so I am hoping I will have no problem slicing it off after the smoke this weekend.

What do you think? If I just need to be told to man up and slice it off and you'll be fine I'm fine with that too.
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The thick stubble is there because the butcher did not shave the pig as he should have done. The meat once was an animal, you know.
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It's easy to remove if you have a weed burner or any other propane flame thingy.

If you want, you can slice the rind off before smoking. If you are not going to eat it as I do, it's better to slice it of before smoking. Gives more area exposed to the smoke.
 
thanks.. its already curing I may just throw a couple extra chunks of applewood on to give it extra smoke then slice the skin off after.

hair on animals is no surprise I just did not expect them to be that coarse.
 
I would burn that off before smoking it as Geir suggested. I wouldn't want that gross burning hair smell filling up my smoker and stinking up the glorious bacon. But then again, it's just stubble so it might be fine. If I showed my wife the stubble, I bet she would never eat bacon ever again.
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stubble's nothing, it's the nipples that get me. that's when i am reminded that this was in fact an animal.
 
When I remove my rind I use an extremely sharp high quality 10" chef's knife. I do it slowly and often one half at a time. What I want t avoid is going too deep into the meat or fat.
 
When my slab was warm, I didn't seem to have any problem staying close to the skin, i.e., leaving most of the fat alone.

Boy, that smoked rind is good in a slow-cooked beanpot! I'll be sorry when I'm out.
 
I use a sharp knife, ie as sharp as a Victorinox can be. Then it is easier to cut with a small angle against the rind without cutting through it.
I can not do that with my Masahiro. The knife cuts through the rind like butter, and the whole process is much more difficult.
If I'm removing the rind, I do it before smoking or cooking. It is easier to get a clean cut then, because the rind is harder.
 
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