PDA

View Full Version : Bacon advice please!


robbq
10-31-2014, 08:13 PM
I've been wanting to try making bacon, and I finally found a butcher that sells pork belly. So I have a little 3-pounder thawing in the fridge, and I am going to start curing it tomorrow. I could use some advice!

It looks like a lot of people like the Ruhlman recipe, so I figure I'll try that. He recommends cooking in an oven at 200 degrees for 90 minutes and that sounds like too short a time to smoke it. What time/temps have other people used?

I have 2 choices for equipment to smoke it - an electric smoker and a big green egg. I have never run the egg lower than 225, is it possible to have it run below 200? Would you just use a tiny amount of charcoal and wood?

If I use the electric, it can run at low temps but I am worried that it might produce bad quality smoke. Anybody have experience running an electric smoker at a low temp? Does it produce decent smoke or the white stuff?

I usually use chunks of smoking wood, but if running at a really low temp would you use chips instead?

Ruhlman's recipe says to just rinse it after it cures, but other recipes call for soaking to remove salt. What do you suggest?

I would appreciate any advice for this bacon adventure!

oifmarine2003
10-31-2014, 08:25 PM
I make Ruhlman's quite a bit. Do not soak. Just a rinse is all you need. I do mine in the smokehouse at about 180 or so. Between the two choices you listed, I would do a trial run on the egg and see if you can run at the low temps. If so, I have seen a lot of guys use the rib racks for bellies. If you can get the egg that low, I guess I would use that but the lectric one would work ok too.

oifmarine2003
10-31-2014, 08:28 PM
You can do the bacon at 225. It will just be done faster (150 IT) and won't have as much time in the smoke but should be fine.

2dumb2kwit
11-01-2014, 12:08 AM
You can do the bacon at 225. It will just be done faster (150 IT) and won't have as much time in the smoke but should be fine.

I do mine on my Weber kettle at about 225°, with a few chunks of apple and it seems to have plenty of smoke.

Note: After rinsing, I leave mine drying in the fridge overnight, so it's cold when it goes on the kettle. I want to say, that the last batch took about 2 to 2 1/2 hours to get from cold to 150° internal.

captndan
11-01-2014, 08:35 AM
Check out Thirdeyes site. Look for Lynn.

robbq
11-01-2014, 09:00 AM
Check out Thirdeyes site. Look for Lynn.

Thanks, I read that one last night. It looks great but that's why I was wondering if you can run a big green egg that low and get good quality smoke. Seems like at some point you're choking off so much air that it would have trouble maintaining a decent fire.

captndan
11-02-2014, 07:10 AM
I smoke it in the Kamado wit no problems. The BGE would be even better. Are you using lump?

robbq
11-02-2014, 07:26 AM
Yes I use lump, works great in the egg with so little ash left over.

Smoking Westy
11-02-2014, 08:15 AM
You will have no problems smoking the belly at 225 or 250 for that matter, I do it all the time with fantastic results. I use Rulhman's base cure, give it a quick rinse after 7 days. Don't soak it, the salt content is spot on as it is.

I've got a batch started last Thursday and plan on smoking it Friday!

legendaryhog
11-02-2014, 09:17 AM
Don't worry about the temp too much with bacon. You can smoke it at 200 or 225 and it will still come out fine. If you are going to follow Ruhlman's recipe, cut back on the salt (in my opinion). His recipe is salt overkill. Also, don't worry about cure time. You can't really judge when it is done by time, but you can by feel. Flip your belly over every night that it is in the cure in your fridge. Every day you will feel it getting firmer. Once it feels very firm and not floppy at all it is ready. It could take five days or ten days with the same weight. I don't really know why, it just is that way. Once it is firm rinse off the cure (do not soak), let dry and get it in the smoker.

Cold vs hot smoking is very important for many different end products, but bacon is not one of them. It is very forgiving as far as temp goes. Just be sure to pull it off when it is still raw or you will get a huge piece of salty cooked belly. Also, if you do end up smoking at 200 or so, you will find removing the skin after smoking a breeze.

robbq
11-02-2014, 10:26 AM
So I am still pretty confused. I've been reading over both recipes. Lynne's recipe uses TenderQuick and I have cure #1 so I was reading up trying to figure out the conversion. Looking at this site http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?736-Curing-Salts, both Ruhlman and Lynne's recipes seem to be wrong. Lots of sources say to use 1tsp of #1 for 5 lbs, Ruhlman says to use twice that amount. Then for TenderQuick I read that you're supposed to use 2 1/2 Tbsp for 5 lbs, and Lynne's recipe only calls for 1. Is it really that forgiving? I keep reading that if you use too much it is basically poison and if you use too little you get bacteria.

Help?

IamMadMan
11-02-2014, 10:40 AM
So I am still pretty confused. I've been reading over both recipes. Lynne's recipe uses TenderQuick and I have cure #1 so I was reading up trying to figure out the conversion. Looking at this site http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?736-Curing-Salts, both Ruhlman and Lynne's recipes seem to be wrong. Lots of sources say to use 1tsp of #1 for 5 lbs, Ruhlman says to use twice that amount. Then for TenderQuick I read that you're supposed to use 2 1/2 Tbsp for 5 lbs, and Lynne's recipe only calls for 1. Is it really that forgiving? I keep reading that if you use too much it is basically poison and if you use too little you get bacteria.

Help?

You have the correct concern here..... The cure is NOT FORGIVING !!!!!

if you haven't figured it out yet, Morton Tender Quick and Cure #1 are different products used in different amounts for formulations. They are not directly interchangeable with each other. That being said, there are also different amounts used in a "dry cure" than what is used in a "wet cure".

Your best bet is to find a proven recipe like Lynne's or Ruhmann and follow it to the letter. Don't worry about all of the other sites and what they say. Think of how many times you have found other things in error on the net???

Personally I would suggest that you use Lynne's recipe, I've made her buckboard bacon several times and it's great. Others have also made it with great results. Bottom line is follow a proven recipe.....

robbq
11-02-2014, 11:04 AM
Bottom line is follow a proven recipe.....

Yes that makes sense. I don't have tender quick so I can't do Lynne's unless I can find a conversion, so I think this time I will just follow Ruhlman. Thanks!

pci
11-02-2014, 11:50 AM
http://oi57.tinypic.com/29y1507.jpgI did these on my egg yesterday @225 to a internal temp of 150. I use hickory chunks took 2 hours & 15 min. had some for breakfast & was great
http://oi62.tinypic.com/11tbjp1.jpg

cowgirl
11-02-2014, 11:56 AM
Tenderquick contains salt and soaking is usually necessary after curing.
According to Morton's directions, you use 1 TBs of Tenderquick per 1 pound of meat.

Pink cure doesn't contain salt, you add your own, so soaking is usually not necessary.

I'm a cold smoker. Smoke my bacon's under 85F, then cook it various ways later.

Good luck with yours how ever you do it!

An old post on cold smoked bacons... http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53606&highlight=smokehouse+bacon

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53606&highlight=smokehouse+bacon&page=4

robbq
11-02-2014, 12:22 PM
Pci, great looking bacon. That is what I am shooting for.

Cowgirl, incredible bacon thread. Makes me feel small and meek with my little 3lb slab.

cowgirl
11-02-2014, 12:58 PM
Pci, great looking bacon. That is what I am shooting for.

Cowgirl, incredible bacon thread. Makes me feel small and meek with my little 3lb slab.

Shoot, once you get that 3lb slab smoked you'll be hooked. :-D
I raise pork and get tired of the same ole bacon... once I get the cure amount right I like to experiment with adding flavors. Sometimes it comes out amazing and sometimes it's just "meh"... but it still tastes better than store bought. :-D

Good luck with yours, I'm sure it's going to be tasty!

Smoke Dawg
11-02-2014, 01:09 PM
Tenderquick contains salt and soaking is usually necessary after curing.
According to Morton's directions, you use 1 TBs of Tenderquick per 1 pound of meat.

Pink cure doesn't contain salt, you add your own, so soaking is usually not necessary.

I'm a cold smoker. Smoke my bacon's under 85F, then cook it various ways later.

Good luck with yours how ever you do it!

An old post on cold smoked bacons... http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53606&highlight=smokehouse+bacon



http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53606&highlight=smokehouse+bacon&page=4


Thanks for posting this - Great thread. I am saving this!