Bacon on BGE

igallant · Feb 7, 2010

Here is my first go at Bacon on the BGE. I got it as a gift from my amazing girlfriend.

I started with 10lbs of fresh pork bellies

I rubbed in a mixture:
2 part kosher salt and
1 part brilliant yellow sugar.

Then i gave it a good massage for a few minutes.

Packed it in big ziplock bags and put it in the fridge.

I let one section sit in there for 5 days. I took it out today. I washed it off in luke warm running water for a few minutes. Then i dried it with paper towel and it is sitting in the fridge.

I am going to leave it in there until my brisket is done and then smoke it with apple chips.As for the rest of it...I am going to do the 3 different cuts differently. I am going to wait a couple more days to take the other ones out of the bags. And i am going to let them hang dry in the fridge for different times (8 hrs and 16 hrs) respectively.

I will let you know what one is best, in my opinion.

Brauma · Feb 7, 2010

Very nice pictorial. What temp will you smoke?

igallant · Feb 7, 2010

I have yet to decide what temp. Any suggestions? I was thinking about 225-250.

chimmike · Feb 7, 2010

how long?

igallant · Feb 7, 2010

until it reaches 150

bocephus · Feb 7, 2010

so really just salt and sugar... no TQ?

igallant · Feb 7, 2010

what is TQ?

bocephus · Feb 7, 2010

tenderquick (Curing agent)

igallant · Feb 7, 2010

Off the Egg _Pron

So here it is before the skin is off. It is cooling right now. Cooked at 200-225 for 5 hours. Ended up a little over 150f. :icon_blush:

I am still trying to get a slicer off CL. In the meantime i am going to remove the skin and let it cool over night to slice tomorrow...

Does anyone know a good way to use the skin?

dwmckay99 · Feb 8, 2010

igallant said:
So here it is before the skin is off. It is cooling right now. Cooked at 200-225 for 5 hours. Ended up a little over 150f. :icon_blush:
View attachment 36913

I am still trying to get a slicer off CL. In the meantime i am going to remove the skin and let it cool over night to slice tomorrow...

Does anyone know a good way to use the skin?

View attachment 36914

You can use the skin to season beans and greens.

I do my bacon a bit differently.

igallant · Feb 8, 2010

dw, What do you do differently?

Ron_L · Feb 8, 2010

igallant said:
Here is my first go at Bacon on the BGE. I got it as a gift from my amazing girlfriend.

I just want to clarify one thing. Did your girlfriend give you the bacon or the BGE? :biggrin:

Either way she is amazing

igallant · Feb 8, 2010

To clarify, she gave me both the bacon and the egg.

aquablue22 · Feb 8, 2010

Igallant, that look great, how long did the actual smoke take?

igallant · Feb 8, 2010

I smoked it for about 5 hours.

I had a brisket on the grill before it so i was sure that it was all just charcoal smoke. Tonight i am doing one with additional smoking chips. I am thinking apple.

Bacon_99 · Feb 8, 2010

Looks good Ian..... Nice pics.... Can't wait to taste it ; )

dwmckay99 · Feb 9, 2010

igallant said:
dw, What do you do differently?

I use pink salt and some other ingredients (pm me if you want to know more). I cure for a longer period of time. I also smoke at a lower temp to 160.

I also only use middling/belly fat that I trust from a local source. I have given it to friends as a gift and they always say that it is the best bacon that they have ever had.

PM sent.

Edit: Your message service is off. Shoot me a message if you want to know more.

igallant · Feb 14, 2010

The Final Product

So the first section of the belly that I did was no prize winner. It had cured for only 5 days and wasnt pink throughout. :sad:

The second batch (of 2 sections) was MUCH better

.

I removed it from the cure and soaked it in cold water for 2 hours. Rinsed it, soaked it for another 1/2 hour and then dried it on paper towel.

I rubbed in some fresh cracked pepper.

I smoked it with apple chips at 175 for about 5 hours until it came up to 145 degrees. It hung at 113 for about 3 of those hours. I thought that my digital thermometer had frozen with 113 on the screen. :icon_bugeyed Luckily that was not the case, it started moving again and here is the result.

After the taste test the girlfriend and i agree that it is a little salty so i will have to adjust the cure and/or the soaking times after it comes out of the cure.

Regardless of the salt, it is still the best bacon i have ever eaten. The idea that it could be improved is welcomed and scary. BETTER THAN THIS? no way!?

thanks for all the help along the way fellow BBQers

Bacon_99 · Feb 14, 2010

Damn - I had some of your first batch this morning and it was really good, but this second batch looks even better and if it tastes better (assuming this is possible), then it must be amazing.... Congrats!

Now off to finish my trigg style ribs.... should be interesting to see what happens...

kckirwan · Feb 14, 2010

I LOVE this food pron..... EVERYTHING tastes better with bacon!!!!

Bacon on BGE

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