BrianCal
TVWBB Pro
Ok, so I decided to take the plunge. Read a ton of recipes here and elsewhere, watch a lot of YouTube videos.
Found what seemed a pretty simple recipe, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon pink salt #1. Also a thin coating of real maple syrup. Was about a five pound belly, about an inch thick. Cured for 6 days. Rinsed it (I thought) pretty well, air dryed it overnight in the fridge.
Smoked it mostly between 175-200, with a little over/under variance. Was taking FOREVER to get to 150, stalled at about 130 for like two hours.
The results? Meh. Not great, not terrible....was pretty salty, and some parts of it were pretty dried out, so was a little tough when cooked. Almost bacon jerky. Tried cooking it both in a frying pan and in the oven.
Thoughts, suggestions?
My next try I think I will go shorter on the cure, and back off on the salt. But was hoping the more experienced folks here could help me learn for the next one
Found what seemed a pretty simple recipe, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon pink salt #1. Also a thin coating of real maple syrup. Was about a five pound belly, about an inch thick. Cured for 6 days. Rinsed it (I thought) pretty well, air dryed it overnight in the fridge.
Smoked it mostly between 175-200, with a little over/under variance. Was taking FOREVER to get to 150, stalled at about 130 for like two hours.
The results? Meh. Not great, not terrible....was pretty salty, and some parts of it were pretty dried out, so was a little tough when cooked. Almost bacon jerky. Tried cooking it both in a frying pan and in the oven.
Thoughts, suggestions?
My next try I think I will go shorter on the cure, and back off on the salt. But was hoping the more experienced folks here could help me learn for the next one
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