Makin' Bacon (w/ PrOn)

["Bone to Bark" BBQ]

No curing salt.... The look isn't much different than store bought bacon, and as far as taste, I just pulled one piece out of the bag and rinsed it really good. Dried it and sliced a couple slices and fried it up. Of course I haven't smoked it yet, so it didn't have that classic bacon taste, but I was mainly checking for the saltiness. I discovered that I need to soak it for an hour or so, which is what I'm doing now, and I'll probably smoke this piece tomorrow with applewood!

[samfsu]

Originally Posted by "Bone to Bark" BBQ

No curing salt.... The look isn't much different than store bought bacon, and as far as taste, I just pulled one piece out of the bag and rinsed it really good. Dried it and sliced a couple slices and fried it up. Of course I haven't smoked it yet, so it didn't have that classic bacon taste, but I was mainly checking for the saltiness. I discovered that I need to soak it for an hour or so, which is what I'm doing now, and I'll probably smoke this piece tomorrow with applewood!

Cant wait to hear how it tastes vs using curing salt.

["Bone to Bark" BBQ]

Ok, here's half the pork belly, fresh off the smoker. Did it with hickory & applewood. Hopefully we're gonna have some for breakfast Saturday! I still have another half to smoke Saturday..... can't wait!

[jsperk]

That looks real good.
I just started a a pork belly for the first time. I think mine was a lot thinner. Maybe I need to find another place. That looks pretty thick.

I wonder if I shouldn't cure for a full 7 days since seems thinner.

["Bone to Bark" BBQ]

Originally Posted by jsperk

That looks real good.
I just started a a pork belly for the first time. I think mine was a lot thinner. Maybe I need to find another place. That looks pretty thick.

I wonder if I shouldn't cure for a full 7 days since seems thinner.

I don't think 7 days would be too long, but you could try for 5.

[jsperk]

Originally Posted by "Bone to Bark" BBQ

I don't think 7 days would be too long, but you could try for 5.

Thanks. I thought maybe since it was thinner. I'll stick it out for the 7 days.

[CustomBBQ]

Hey Bone, what temperature did you smoke the bacon at? I'm trying my own bacon as well and I keep tossing around the idea of cold smoking it, not sure what I want to do yet. I'm also just using salt as well. You should send me a piece of your bacon, I'll taste test, haha.

[BBQ Bacon]

Mmmmmmm Bacon. Looks great. Going to have to try and make my own.

["Bone to Bark" BBQ]

Originally Posted by CustomBBQ

Hey Bone, what temperature did you smoke the bacon at? I'm trying my own bacon as well and I keep tossing around the idea of cold smoking it, not sure what I want to do yet. I'm also just using salt as well. You should send me a piece of your bacon, I'll taste test, haha.

I ran my temp right around 200 or a little below, and it only took about 2.5 hours. Now keep in mind I only smoked half of the 7# belly...... I let the other half cure an extra couple days just to see if there was a taste difference. I brought the IT up to 150, then pulled it off cooled it and vacu-sealed it for a couple days to let the smoke flavor penetrate more deeply. Cold smoking, as I understand it, takes days at a much lower temp and a steady flow of smoke! I don't have time for all that.

[CustomBBQ]

I'm assuming that it wasn't cooked through, correct? My first attempt at this I didn't cure nearly long enough, and my temps were way to high, haha, oooops. I cooked it all the way, insanely tender and juicy, but by no means was it bacon. Thanks for the info.

[Hog]

That's what i am talking about! Yummy!

["Bone to Bark" BBQ]

Originally Posted by CustomBBQ

I'm assuming that it wasn't cooked through, correct? My first attempt at this I didn't cure nearly long enough, and my temps were way to high, haha, oooops. I cooked it all the way, insanely tender and juicy, but by no means was it bacon. Thanks for the info.

No it was not cooked during the smoking process.... I had my first taste of the finished product this morning, and I'll probably never use store bought bacon again! Here's a few pics!