Christmas bacon and ham

[RichardWhitmill]

Doing a bacon and ham Christmas cure. I've done a lot of curing over last few years but not really combined with smoking so looking forward to firing these up on the WSM.

A pork belly and a pork leg joint been in a brine for one week. Butcher did me well and a nice fat cap. I removed the rind, I didn't make scratchings. This time I boiled it up as it makes such a good base for gravy. Really adds some body to a sauce.

In terms of the brine it's my standard cure but added more sugar and more Christmas spices into the mix (cloves, cinnamon, etc).

The ham I have trussed (quite badly!) and thrown in the freezer for a boxing day smoke and glaze.

Bacon I have drying out in the fridge ready for a smoke and slice. Will post some more pics but plan is to do couple of hours on the WSM with apple wood. And then will be used in EVERYTHING over the holidays.

Some pics from initial purchased meat through to out of brine. Will post some updates as I go.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Nothing wrong with that trussing! You have done fine. Looking forward to the results!
Merry Christmas!

 

[RichardWhitmill]

Nothing wrong with that trussing! You have done fine. Looking forward to the results!
Merry Christmas!

Thanks and Merry Christmas to you too.

Smoked up the bacon today. It is looking and tasting good! Had a little piece and the smoke had taken nicely with Christmas spices still coming through.

I'd forgotten I'd only got some dodgy crumbly lump charcoal in the shed. So more time faffing around than I would have liked. So have reordered some decent quality briquettes for other holiday smokes.

Wrapped in cling now, will slice it up tomorrow.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Looks a treat!
Pray, how is your weather in Manchester? I’m under the impression that Aberdeen is pretty wet these past few days.

 

[AndyK]

Those look nice.
We do our own bacon but I’ve never done a ham.
I now want to do a ham.
Is a home cured/smoked ham head and shoulders above store bought like home made bacon?

 

[RichardWhitmill]

Looks a treat!
Pray, how is your weather in Manchester? I’m under the impression that Aberdeen is pretty wet these past few days.

A good question! Usually very wet in Manchester, but actually over last few days been quite dry and cold. Which I am happy with honestly. Manchester had it's own microclimate. I grew up in Sheffield which is about 30 miles away. My mum sends me pictures of snow where they can't get up their road. And I look out the window and it's just a bit rainy. Very odd. Anyway that's Manchester. How about where you are?

Andy it's a good question. I would think so. Bacon joint was always a family staple for us though was from a butcher. This will be my first time smoking my own so will let you know!

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

A good question! Usually very wet in Manchester, but actually over last few days been quite dry and cold. Which I am happy with honestly. Manchester had it's own microclimate. I grew up in Sheffield which is about 30 miles away. My mum sends me pictures of snow where they can't get up their road. And I look out the window and it's just a bit rainy. Very odd. Anyway that's Manchester. How about where you are?

Andy it's a good question. I would think so. Bacon joint was always a family staple for us though was from a butcher. This will be my first time smoking my own so will let you know!

I’m in Kalamazoo, MI. USA and today is a balmy 42* (F) and sunny! Oft times it’s -10 with a windchill of -30 or at least it feels like it! I have a member friend in Aberdeen who I email often. Michigan is an interesting place climate wise, we are surrounded by the Great Lakes and they can be unusual to say the least.
I think the bacon joint sounds very interesting!

 

[RichardWhitmill]

So here's the bacon all sliced up on the trusty meat slicer (cheap and cheerful model but does the job).

Have separated into the better slices, the fattier ones and then various lardons. As well as for breakfast think will use for

Pigs in blankets. Not sure if you have this in the US but different from your pig in a blanket. These are basically sausages wrapped in bacon and served with Christmas dinner. Usually on chipolatas.

The bacon fat I think I will in burgers, mince in with some beef for extra fat and smoke. Pretty excited by that idea.

Carbonara

What do other folk like to do with their bacon?

Timothy that sounds cold! I must admit I had to look up that temperature. Since I got into BBQ my most googled search term is probably "Fahrenheit to Celsius"! I bet it's cold in Aberdeen, not made it that far north but my mate in Scotland always cold.

Bacon joint may just be what my mum called a ham. Not sure what cut but definitely a lean cured pork and we always had it boiled or cooked in the pressure cooker.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Yes, very different from pigs in blankets here! I’m trying some!!!
Looks like dandy bacon to me!
Chipolata isn’t a term used here, like “bangers”, we just call them sausages. The common language barrier at its peak of confusion!