1st Adventure with Pork Belly to Bacon

[Greg Fountaine]

9 day cure, salt/pepper/bay leaf/nutmeg/brown sugar, overnight in the fridge to dry out, on the smoker going with apple for the first one.

Using Bob Correll's smoking approach - doing 6 hours @ 135 and bumping pit temp to 160 until the meat hits 140F.

Using the HeaterMeter for this event -

 

[Greg Fountaine]

Getting close! I want to peek and lift the lid so BAD!!!

 

[Greg Fountaine]

 

[Greg Fountaine]

Lesson learned - I had a terrible time controlling the temperature because I piled the charcoal and the wood. My smokers leak enough air and with only 6lbs of meat in the smoker, as soon as I added fuel it would want to spike, a couple times I put too much on and it got 20 degs over target. Should have used a ring of 2 or 3 coals width around the perimeter of the smoker and had the smoke wood on top lined up and let it progress along vs a pile.

 

[ErikBailey]

For what it's worth, a couple weeks ago I did bacon on my 14.5 with temp controlled by CyberQ and was able to hold a perfect 135 indefinitely. I piled charcoal in just like normal, but had the top vent 90% closed. Worked like a charm, and the bacon was delicious!

 

[Rich Dahl]

Great first time effort. I use a snake when I smoke bacon, just so much easier to control.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Rich, do you snake on the performer or the WSM?

 

[Robert-R]

Great first time effort. I use a snake when I smoke bacon, just so much easier to control.

X2. Next time will go much better, I'm sure.

 

[Cliff Bartlett]

That's some great looking bacon Greg!

 

[Barb D]

Greg, outstanding first cook. Home made bacon is the very best.

 

[Rich Dahl]

Rich, do you snake on the performer or the WSM?

I usually do my bacon on my 18.5 WSM. I have done bacon on the performer and on both I use a snake. A two wide on the WSM and a three wide on the performer.

I also use a minion tin can start on the WSM if it's really windy, works a little belter with the coals burning from the center out in the wind.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

I usually do my bacon on my 18.5 WSM. I have done bacon on the performer and on both I use a snake. A two wide on the WSM and a three wide on the performer.

I also use a minion tin can start on the WSM if it's really windy, works a little belter with the coals burning from the center out in the wind.

Thanks Rich!

 

[ChuckO]

Bacon with crust...Genius Genius Genius!!!!

 

[Monty House]

I'm smoking bacon 175-200 (with no **known** adverse events).