question about curing / smoking bacon


 
J

jd brooks

New member
i have noticed when you guys smoke your bacon its is in 3 - 5lb slabs ..any reason why you guys do not have the bacon sliced first... ? will the slice bacon not cure as well as a slab of bacon ?? my pig is at the butcher and will be processd on monday , i was just wondering whats the best way i should have the bacon cut
 
Because we cure the belly then smoke it to make bacon. After the bacon is made/smoked, then it's sliced and either put in the fridge or freezer ready to be cooked and then eaten. Not sure how you would smoke 5lbs. of sliced bacon without cooking it somewhat.
 
If you sliced first it would likely dry and toughen during the curing phase, and be made even worse during smoking. I usually cut bellies into 2- or 3-lb pieces and cure 2-4 at a time, each with its own flavoring. You can do this yourself, or you can have the belly cut into pieces of ~ 4-5 lbs for easier storage till you're reaqdy to cure.
 
i have been told a cold smoke is the best way to do bacon ... has anybody tried this ? how did it turn out ? anybody have direction fora cold smoke
 
jd,

The first time I made ho'made bacon I cold smoked it. Cold smoking did not provide enough smoke flavor and I ended up hot smoking the bacon again.

As a rule, if Alton Brown says there is a best way to do something, he is possibly wrong.

Jim
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">i have been told a cold smoke is the best way to do bacon </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
It isn't. Bacon is not typically cold smoked. The texture isn't very good. Low end of the hot smoke range is better.
 
I forgot to add that I use a 16" pizza stone resting on the lower tabs in place of the water pan. This only leaves about a 1/4" gap around the entire stone which helps too keep the temps low. I try and not smoke the bacon over 200º pit temp. That's a challenge sometimes. Winter is easier to keep the temps low, so that's when I make my bacon.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
I try and keep the pit temp at 175-180 when smoking bacon. I use the guru and very little charcoal for fuel. My ratio is prob 60/40 coal to smoke wood. Here's a link to some pics that shows my charcoal and wood set-up on a maple bacon smoke. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bryan, as to size of your slab, what are it's measurements on each side? This, I need to know so that my local meat supplier can cut the frozen pork side into the appropriate size rectangles to fit my WSM.

Was your temperature measured at the lid or the grate AND for how long did you smoke the slab?

And prior to smoking, for about how long do you cure the slab?

Thanks,
T
 
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