Best bacon ever!


 
Gary H. NJ

Gary H. NJ

TVWBB Platinum Member
And I made it myself. Thanks to all who inspired and offered advice: Jeff, Kevin, Bob. Heck, everyone on the site. It seems there is a lot of bacon posts lately. No wonder; it's so darn easy! I used this simple brine recipe. I started with only 5 lb of pork belly, so I halved the recipe. Having heard that it can get too salty, I brined for two days only, then let the belly dry in the frig for a day before smoking: some hickory and apple for two hours at 250 to internal temp of 150. That was last night. Tonight had a late dinner of bacon and my wife's home-made deep dish apple pie. To be truthful, her pie was much prettier, but here are the bacon pics. Thanks for looking.
If you haven't made bacon yet, get started. You do need the pink curing salt, a big (2.5 gallon) tupperware and a food scale that measures grams ($19 at BedBathBeyond) or Amazon.
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Gary, Well done! The hardest part (IMO) is finding good belly. Did you cure skin on or....?
btw: your link to the brine brings me to a bigger photo of bacon.
Not a bad thing just not sure if that was your intention!
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Thanks Marc, I fixed the link. And yes, I brined skin on. The skin slices neatly off when warm, after smoking.
 
Congrats Gary, fantastic looking bacon!!

My next partial slab will be with a brine.
The sugar content in mine, both TQ with brown sugar, and the maple cure is higher than I prefer.
It's a PITA to cook without burning.

I may even try just a TQ pickle with added spices.
 
Thanks much Bob. This brine recipe with spices is a nice, basic, savory recipe. The spices are very mild, just a touch to enhance flavor. I think Jeff B. had recommended to brine for two days only with this one (as opposed to the 3 recommended in the recipe). A good move -- worked just right.
 
nice Gary! that brine and 48 hrs is pretty much spot on. I had one bit of really thick belly that didn't get fully cured but I'm not sure if I did a 24 rest with it. I think letting it hang out for the extra 24 hrs keeps the cure distribution going.

Me and Bill Hayes, since we have been ordering cases, have been buying skinless bellies. At first I wasn't so sure, but they work any seem to turn out a lot smokier. Since we are hot smoking for short durations, any little thing helps.
 
Looks great Gary!

Bob: i have no xp in sweet bacon and i think it can take away to mutch of the "to me" bacon feel.

I was set on maple cure but if anyone come up with another great brine/rub/cure i would be really thankfull couse i have to make some new bacon soon.
 
since we have been ordering cases, have been buying skinless bellies
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Holy cow Jeff. Who's eating all that bacon?
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Clint, I don't have enough experience here to recommend, but I feel it may be best to start real simple and basic, then try the experimental stuff. The recipe I used is just black pepper, coriander, allspice, bay leaf. I don't think bacon needs much more than that, imho.
Thanks to all for the kind words of support. Cheers y'all!
 
Holy cow Jeff. Who's eating all that bacon? Wink
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we've been splitting it 2-3 ways (that's the benefit to membership here, you hook up with like minded individuals). My last share, a big hunk went to the porchetta I made, and all the bacon gets shared.

IMO, I keep the bacon fairly neutral so I work it into recipes and not have to worry about other flavors other than pork and smoke.
 
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