I've peppered after the cure (but I use a brine cure) before it hangs to dry and peppering after drying but before smoking, both work. Just remember that you'll lose pepper when you cut and cook it, so what looks like way to much may turn out to be just right. Normally, I do mine after brining, before I set it to hang and dry overnight. As the pellicle sets during drying it holds the pepper in place.
Bacon made easy
- Thread starter Bob Correll
- Start date
I've peppered after the cure (but I use a brine cure) before it hangs to dry and peppering after drying but before smoking, both work. Just remember that you'll lose pepper when you cut and cook it, so what looks like way to much may turn out to be just right. Normally, I do mine after brining, before I set it to hang and dry overnight. As the pellicle sets during drying it holds the pepper in place.
Bob Correll
R.I.P. 3/31/2022
Jon,
Poke around on the slab with your finger.
If it feels firm, even in the thickest part, then it's probably fully cured already.
7 days is a pretty good guide for a larger piece/slab, but at 2 lbs I'll bet that 5 days is plenty of time to cure unless it is very thick.
Poke around on the slab with your finger.
If it feels firm, even in the thickest part, then it's probably fully cured already.
7 days is a pretty good guide for a larger piece/slab, but at 2 lbs I'll bet that 5 days is plenty of time to cure unless it is very thick.
OK, just tried a second round of frying samples. Maybe a little salty, but close enough. It's in the fridge to dry overnight. A few more questions:
1- would it be less salty if it wasn't cured as long?
2- I added some brown sugar (along with garlic powder and black and white pepper) to the cure mix. When I fried it the sugar burned quickly. Any idea if that was the result of the brown sugar or the sugar in the MTQ?
So far it's been awesome, and I can't wait to try it smoked. I can see why everyone says you'll never buy store-bought bacon again.
Thanks for your help.
1- would it be less salty if it wasn't cured as long?
2- I added some brown sugar (along with garlic powder and black and white pepper) to the cure mix. When I fried it the sugar burned quickly. Any idea if that was the result of the brown sugar or the sugar in the MTQ?
So far it's been awesome, and I can't wait to try it smoked. I can see why everyone says you'll never buy store-bought bacon again.
Thanks for your help.
Bob Correll
R.I.P. 3/31/2022
Jon,
I doubt if a couple of days one way or the other would change the saltiness.
Cold water rinses help, but it will be somewhat salty.
The best way that I've found to help keep the sugar from burning is to fry at a lower heat and turn often.
Oven 'frying' at around 350 is a great way to make any bacon, but tend and turn the slices.
Parchment paper on a jelly roll pan works well.
Strain off the grease and save in the fridge, if you would like to use it for other purposes.
Hope to see the final product soon!
I doubt if a couple of days one way or the other would change the saltiness.
Cold water rinses help, but it will be somewhat salty.
The best way that I've found to help keep the sugar from burning is to fry at a lower heat and turn often.
Oven 'frying' at around 350 is a great way to make any bacon, but tend and turn the slices.
Parchment paper on a jelly roll pan works well.
Strain off the grease and save in the fridge, if you would like to use it for other purposes.
Hope to see the final product soon!
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
you are going to want to remove the skin before you eat it. This is best accomplished when the belly is still warm from the smoker. If I can, I prefer to get my bellies skinless so I have two fully smoked sides and I don't have to worry about skinning it myself. Pre-skinned can be pretty thin though and I usually have to special order it.
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
Thinner belly = thinner bacon
I would say that dry cure is way more easy than figuring out a brine for a beginner.
S Mulcahey
New member
I tried making my own bacon with the wrong salt and holy SALT batman! It still tasted good though.... kind of like a salty country ham. I'm going to rush right out and get some of this quick tender stuff good to know. Does anyone in the western suburbs of Chicago know of a place to get cheap pork belly in large qty? I found some at my local grocery store but it wasn't too cheap and was puny in size...
Steve_A (Tatoosh)
TVWBB Super Fan
I have made bacon on my Weber and I did a brine that came out a bit salty. Edible but I would have dialed it back some. There are ways of doing that, I'm told. Some guys will soak their bacon in water from an hour to 5 or 6 hours to help lower the salt content after curing and/or smoking.
I plan to start doing this as well. And I did a wet brine last time. Next time I will do a dry brine or do both so I can compare the results when I smoke them on the Weber.
I plan to start doing this as well. And I did a wet brine last time. Next time I will do a dry brine or do both so I can compare the results when I smoke them on the Weber.
Bob Correll
R.I.P. 3/31/2022
It will be fine Gregg, just rinse/soak in cool water after the cure time.
You can then dry it, trim off a couple of pieces to fry and taste test for saltiness.
Keep in mind that an outside piece will be more salty.
TQ is a pretty potent mix of sugar, salt, and cure agents.
Good luck!
I have a small piece (I think about 3lb) of belly in the freezer I think I'll try this with.
Rather than ordering TQ can I do a straight up sub with #1 Pink Salt?
I like keeping it simple for the first run or so. Then you start to play and it get's complicated
But that's OK, because you know the simple method and can always just drop back.
I should just get a box of TQ and keep it on the shelf. I keep looking when I'm shopping around but have yet to find it on the shelf in my area.
Rather than ordering TQ can I do a straight up sub with #1 Pink Salt?
I like keeping it simple for the first run or so. Then you start to play and it get's complicated
I should just get a box of TQ and keep it on the shelf. I keep looking when I'm shopping around but have yet to find it on the shelf in my area.
Bob Correll
R.I.P. 3/31/2022
Bob Correll
R.I.P. 3/31/2022
Gregg,
A full slab should be fully cured in 7 days, a smaller piece, maybe a little less.
It should feel pretty firm, but if in doubt, let it go a day or two longer.
A full slab should be fully cured in 7 days, a smaller piece, maybe a little less.
It should feel pretty firm, but if in doubt, let it go a day or two longer.
Steve_A (Tatoosh)
TVWBB Super Fan
I just finished second bacon effort and my first try at dry cured bacon. It went very well. I was worried it would be quite salty and need to be soaked but we fried a test piece and it was very edible as it was.
It was a 3 1/2 pound pork belly, cured with the local sea salt, Prague Powder, honey and brown sugar. I cured it for 6 1/2 days, then did a warm smoke (110F - 140F) in my Weber/Smokenator setup using hickory. I smoked it between 5 and 6 hours.
My wife had wanted a sweeter bacon and this one came out pretty much spot on for her preference. While the wet cure is less hassle in terms of turning the bacon every day, the dry cure took less ingredients and produced an excellent bacon.
I also tried smoking raw eggs and sea salt at the same time. The salt picked up some flavor. The eggs smelled smoky but they tasted was pretty much the same un-smoked eggs. I think for eggs, it will take at least 12 hours with a pretty stable source of smoke to effect their flavor.
It was a 3 1/2 pound pork belly, cured with the local sea salt, Prague Powder, honey and brown sugar. I cured it for 6 1/2 days, then did a warm smoke (110F - 140F) in my Weber/Smokenator setup using hickory. I smoked it between 5 and 6 hours.
My wife had wanted a sweeter bacon and this one came out pretty much spot on for her preference. While the wet cure is less hassle in terms of turning the bacon every day, the dry cure took less ingredients and produced an excellent bacon.
I also tried smoking raw eggs and sea salt at the same time. The salt picked up some flavor. The eggs smelled smoky but they tasted was pretty much the same un-smoked eggs. I think for eggs, it will take at least 12 hours with a pretty stable source of smoke to effect their flavor.