Carbonara with Equilibrium Brined Pepper Bacon


 
J

Jon Des.

TVWBB Gold Member
For some time I've been following j beisinger and MartinF's posts on equilibrium brining over in Charcuterie, and simultaneously running low on homemade bacon. Time to remedy both situations.

Here's my brine of curing salt, salt, sugar and garlic powder.

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Belly in the pool to hang out for a week.

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After 8 days in the brine, I did my normal next step of slicing a piece off to check saltiness. It was perfect right away with no need for soaking, so I dried it overnight in the fridge. This morning it was covered with a coarse 4-pepper blend and went on the WSM.

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Smoked.

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Sliced.

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Ends cooking down with onion and garlic.

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Pasta and peas added to the sauce (no eggs, it's an easy and slightly lighter version of Carbonara).

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And plated.

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Thanks for looking!
 
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Jon that looks really great! I like the way you have combined the sides and everything seems to compliment the other choices. Thanks for sharing this one.
 
Rolf Jacobsen said:
Jon that looks really great! I like the way you have combined the sides and everything seems to compliment the other choices. Thanks for sharing this one.
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Erin is really big on peas in it, and they do add a nice texture and sweetness. We might've gotten a little carried away with them this time.
 
jon, you're auditioning for some cooking show AREN'T YOU??!!
Your BACON looks ABSOLUTELY kickMYtushAWESOMEpleaseSEND(SELL)meFIVEpoundsOFitTODAY!
 
Great looking bacon!.
Where can I find the recipe for the sauce? I usually do Carbonara with just eggs, and I'd love to try this approach.
 
Geir Widar said:
Great looking bacon!.
Where can I find the recipe for the sauce? I usually do Carbonara with just eggs, and I'd love to try this approach.
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This is the inspiration for the sauce, but we've simplified the recipe. This was one bacon end chopped, cook that about halfway and then add onion. When the onion starts turning translucent add garlic and cook for a minute. Then I add 2 heaping tablespoons of flour and stir until that disappears, then add milk (2% milk and flour in place of Emeril's heavy cream). Season to taste, add cheese, toss with the cooked pasta and peas (toss frozen peas in your pasta pot about 2 minutes before the noodles are done) and some reserved cooking liquid. It's not real carbonara, but its very good. And even better with homemade bacon!
 
Thank you for the recipe.
There is no such thing as "one genuine" recipe for Spagetti Carbonara. Try to discuss the subject with an Italian, or much more interresting, several Italians at once, preferably from different parts of the country, you will find that there are about as many "genuine" recipes as there are Carbonara cooks in Italy. :) The conversation can be pretty lively, that's for sure.
In some districts they use butter and cream, others use olive oil and egg yolks, and so on. Some insist that you shall not use bacon, but panchetta. The variations are almost endless.

In my experience, they all taste great. That's a good thing.
 
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