Bacon- Before I Start......

[deerslayer8153]

I decided I need to make some bacon after reading all about it here. Maybe some sausage too!

Question is do you think I can successfully smoke at 180 degrees on my UDS?
I have a BBQ Guru but I've never tried to go that low.

My UDS has 2 racks, would you use both racks?

For a normal cook I use 3-4 fist size chunks of wood, would you do anything different for bacon or sausage?

I'm having quite a time finding fresh pork bellies here. Sam's and 2 groceries looked at me like I was an alien. Think I'll try a small town custom meat packer about 30 minutes away and see.

Thanks!!

[IamMadMan]

Originally Posted by deerslayer8153

I decided I need to make some bacon after reading all about it here. Maybe some sausage too!

Question is do you think I can successfully smoke at 180 degrees on my UDS?
I have a BBQ Guru but I've never tried to go that low.

Maybe try a test run with a pan of water. If it doesn't go to 180, turn off the guru and adjust the settings manually

Originally Posted by deerslayer8153

My UDS has 2 racks, would you use both racks?

You can use both racks or hang the bellies.

Originally Posted by deerslayer8153

For a normal cook I use 3-4 fist size chunks of wood, would you do anything different for bacon or sausage?

I like to cold smoke bacon and smoked sausage for a few hour before I raise to finishing temperatures. But to each his/her own method...

Originally Posted by deerslayer8153

I'm having quite a time finding fresh pork bellies here. Sam's and 2 groceries looked at me like I was an alien. Think I'll try a small town custom meat packer about 30 minutes away and see.
Thanks!!

Try Restaurant Depot, or local slaughter houses.

[Hoss]

Only place I can get them here is $4 per pound.Cheaper to buy a hog and butcher it myself.Now everyone is sold out of hogs!!!

[sfbbqguy]

Just finished a 5lb. Pork belly after a 5day cure and about 4 hours on the Weber kettle. I decided to use the kettle instead of the uds just for simplicity but I think you could use the same concept I did to run low smoke in you uds.

I made a snake of charcoal that gradually got bigger. Started with only 4 lit coals, then stacked them onto 4 unlit coals then gradually grew the snake up to about 10 lit coals. I put the belly on when temp was about 140 and it gradually grew to 225ish all the while smoking the belly with cold smoke generator but you could use chips.

Depending on your coal basket you could likely do something similar with uds. I'd use a defuser plate so no direct heat gets the bellies.

Let us know how things work as I'd like to try using the uds for multiple bellies at some point.

BTW I used Thirdeye's recipe and it turned out very good. Best bacon I ever ate.

[chrischandler71]

I have a 5 pound belly in the fridge curing. I got mine at a local Hispanic grocery. Check your local Asian, and Hispanic grocery stores. I was having the same problem finding them. I had a butcher who wanted 3.79 pound, but the Hispanic grocery sold it to me for 1.99 pound. Anyway, this is my first attempt at Bacon. My belly has been curing for 5 days. How much liquid should I see in the bag? I do have some liquid, just not a bunch. I bought a Buckboard bacon cure from BassPro to do mine. Will this work okay?


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[deerslayer8153]

Thanks guys for the info!

I've got to order some curing salt and keep looking for the bellies. We don't have Restaurant Depot in this part of the world.

[Pugi]

Look for my thread " making bacon ", It was my first try at bacon. My belly produced about 2/3 cup of liquid and it was about a 6 pounder. My UDS holds 180* no problem. Start with about 6 lit coals and watch closely. I usually have only the valve open about half way. I paid $1.99 per pound from local grocer, he had to order it in as usual, I live in the sticks.

[jrn]

Howdy neighbor! Try J.R. Harris Grocery in Lauderdale. They are a complete meat market. Its behind the big convenience store. I like that place. Nice folks.

[deerslayer8153]

Thanks Pugi, that may be the ticket- starting with 6 coals. I start regular cooks with 12.

jrn, Thanks so much! I will try them next week, really didn't want to go to Newton!