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Offline Nate

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Homemade Bacon
« on: November 01, 2015, 09:27:43 AM »
so here is the recipe / instructions that I am using for my first time EVER making homemade bacon. 

For a 10lb belly (scale this by weight), prepare a cure mixture of:

10g pink salt (instacure #1)
66g salt
33g sugar
125g brown sugar

Mix well.

Set aside a container with 1/4 cup of molasses.

Put the belly in your curing bag skin side down. Apply the cure mixture fairly evenly to the topside, then pour the molasses over top. The molasses just gets swirled around the top -- do not worry if it is not particularly evenly spread.

Squeeze the excess air out of the bag and seal. I the bag is oversized fold the top over to create a package the size of the belly. Put this in your refrigerator.

Each day for 7 days:

Take the bag out of the refrigerator and turn it every which way so all of the edges of the belly are "wetted" by the brine. Put it back in the fridge flipped with the opposite side up this time.

On the last day, take the belly out of the bag and wash it with water. If you do not wash everything off, it will end up too salty. I've not needed to "soak" my bacon. Washing seems to be enough for me.

Pat dry with paper towels.

I put it in the refrigerator on a rack for an hour or two at this point.

Pre-smoke, I take just a tiny bit of brown sugar (1 or 2 tablespoons for a 10lb belly) and gently drop it on top of the belly trying to be as uniform as I can. Then I go over the whole top with maybe twice that much fresh ground pepper.

I dump maybe 1/2 a chimney of coals into my XL BGE and throw in some peachwood chunks. I get that thing smoking and put the belly in the smoker --cold-- the smoker is cold. I do not let it warm up before putting in the belly.

I let the BGE come up very gradually to 200F and leave it there until the belly is 150F at the core.

After it comes off the smoker, if it has skin I trim it while things are still warm. It is much easier to do it then.

Once things cool a bit, I wrap the bacon in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight. It needs to be COLD to slice.


The next day, I pull out the slicer and slice it, relatively thick.


I changed 2 things, 1. I got an already trimmed pork belly (no skin) and 2. I used the shallow hotel pan you see in the picture and used a few paper clamps to ensure that it stays closed (I hate wasting money on foil pans and zip lock bags when not necessary).


here is the thread that I got the information from:  http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=219608


and as this progresses, I will update with pics and how its going.

day 1:

« Last Edit: November 01, 2015, 09:32:11 AM by nmeyer414 »
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Offline BobbyB

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2015, 10:50:19 AM »
Nice.
So, Bobby...being the calculating trained warrior NCO that you are.  Take the appropriate action, Execute!
your standard grunt level CQB is just putting rounds and rounds on scary stuff till it stops scaring you!

Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2015, 07:08:47 PM »
here it is turned for the second time at day 3!

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Offline BobbyB

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2015, 08:30:04 PM »
So...bacon yes? Soon? You ate it already?
So, Bobby...being the calculating trained warrior NCO that you are.  Take the appropriate action, Execute!
your standard grunt level CQB is just putting rounds and rounds on scary stuff till it stops scaring you!

Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2015, 10:06:04 AM »
the cook/smoke has begun!  rinsed, rubbed with brown sugar/fresh ground pepper, temp probe in and on the smoker all by 0630 mountain time!

more pics will come as the smoke progresses!
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Offline Sammconn

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2015, 11:36:24 AM »
Oooh Nate.
Can't wait to see the results.
A buddy of mine makes his own, all I got is wow!
If I get home for some point long enough I NEED to do this too.
I just don't want to wind up missing a digit or limb.  I can sometimes get in a hurry to get results.
Sam

Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2015, 01:01:11 PM »
4 hrs in and 135deg IT

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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2015, 02:34:06 PM »
6 hrs in and 153deg IT

almost done!
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2015, 03:10:32 PM »
complete and chillin in the refrigerator until tomorrow.

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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2015, 05:56:13 PM »
I just could not help myself and then messed myself when it was all over...... :o

I really truly just ruined store bought bacon for myself and family!  kyle, when are you gonna get that pellet pooper up and running and do some of this yourself?!

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Offline KensAuto

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2015, 06:19:55 PM »
Man that looks good. I'll be there with some fresh eggs at 0700 Sunday. :thumbsup
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2015, 06:52:11 PM »
come on, ill have the flat top waitin
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Offline Wilbur

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #12 on: November 07, 2015, 07:12:23 PM »
Darn that looks good! Thanks for sharing this.....so you just buy a slab of pork belly? I HAVE to try this. Might be a fun surprise on fishing trips too. ;)

Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #13 on: May 17, 2018, 05:12:58 PM »
so this morning I started 5lb of bacon.

heres the recipe that I am using for this one:

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/homemade-bacon-3362606
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Offline stlaser

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #14 on: May 17, 2018, 06:15:04 PM »
I need to try that out.....
« Last Edit: May 17, 2018, 06:16:03 PM by stlaser »
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #15 on: May 26, 2018, 10:18:50 AM »
and here it is after 7 days in vac pack and 2 days in the fridge.  I put it on at about 0745 this morning at 150deg and it was done about 0910.  its now cooling in the fridge and will get sliced later this evening.
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #16 on: May 27, 2018, 11:21:39 AM »
so here are the final results:

out of a 5lb belly, i got just about 4.5lbs of slices (they are nice and thick) and the rest is the ends and bits that will get chopped and used in meals.


ill let you know the taste results when i make brunch this morning.... :beercheers:
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #17 on: May 27, 2018, 12:47:08 PM »
It does have a little bit of a backend nip, but it is not a lingering nip.
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Offline TexasRedNeck

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #18 on: May 27, 2018, 01:18:08 PM »
Nate question about making bacon

When you are smoking I assume the temp should be as low as possible and your just trying to get it saturated in smoke?

From a food safety issue meat at temps below 140 for any length of time is no bueno

So does salt play a role in that?

The reason I ask is that I have a smoke tube that puts out a bunch of smoke and I was thinking of maybe not even using the pits flame but just the smoke tube.

Thoughts?


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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #19 on: May 28, 2018, 06:34:35 PM »
Nate question about making bacon

When you are smoking I assume the temp should be as low as possible and your just trying to get it saturated in smoke?

From a food safety issue meat at temps below 140 for any length of time is no bueno

So does salt play a role in that?

The reason I ask is that I have a smoke tube that puts out a bunch of smoke and I was thinking of maybe not even using the pits flame but just the smoke tube.

Thoughts?

1. the smoke is more a flavor kind of thing

2. as far as food safety, the danger zone (according to health depts) is said to be between 40-140deg with a time frame of 4 hours.  if something is kept in that zone for more than 4 hours, it is then considered by health dept standards to be bad.  is this a fact?  no health dept that i have ever dealt with can show me actual scientific proof to back this claim up!  also one of the things that health depts looks at is how long it takes the cooler/fridge to cool it back down to that 40deg temp.

so for example. when i just did this one, my smoker/cooker temp was set at 200deg and it took just shy of 2 hours to hit an internal temp of 150deg.  so according to health dept rules, it did not reside in the danger zone for more than 4 hours going up and when i put it in the fridge it took less than 4 hours going down to 40deg.......so it would be considered good.

3. so I am not using regular salt, I am using #1 (prague powder) curing salt:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curing_salt

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hoosier-Hill-Farm-Prague-Powder-2-1-lb-plastic-jar/110885258?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227050674268&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=146282093236&wl4=pla-260814876882&wl5=9024746&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=110885258&wl13=&veh=sem

note:  attached to this post is a copy of the "texas food establishemnt rules field inspection manual" there is actually some good info in here, as well as a bunch of stupid rules.





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Offline Farmer Jon

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #20 on: May 29, 2018, 06:18:53 AM »
I just picked up a couple more bellies at Costco. I am going to play with my recipe a bit. I thought my last batch was too sweet. Kind of sticky even. Everyone else liked it. I got a hold of real maple syrup from one of my east coast buddies. I'm going to put some of that on one and the other I am going to play around with some garlic.
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #21 on: May 29, 2018, 06:59:10 AM »
Heres a nitrate free recipe that i found last night?

https://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/how-to-cure-bacon
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #22 on: June 20, 2018, 06:15:52 PM »
heres round 2 of bacon making.

I used this recipe this time:  https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3912659&postcount=18

ill let you know how it turns out tomorrow morning when I make some for breakfast..... :beercheers:

a 5lb belly netted me about 4.25lbs of sliced bacon.
« Last Edit: June 20, 2018, 06:16:40 PM by nmeyer414 »
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #23 on: July 26, 2018, 10:39:51 PM »
Since ill be stuck at home tomorrow, i figured i would finish the last 9f the bacon.
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Offline TexasRedNeck

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #24 on: July 27, 2018, 06:36:06 AM »
Bacon makes everything better. Speeds healing I believe


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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #25 on: July 27, 2018, 08:20:50 AM »
Bacon makes everything better. Speeds healing I believe


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well if that's the case...………….
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Offline Flyin6

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #26 on: July 27, 2018, 09:40:10 AM »
Heal quickly Sarge! :wink:
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #27 on: July 27, 2018, 09:45:23 AM »
and the cold smoke is rolling early this morning
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #28 on: July 27, 2018, 02:08:58 PM »
in the fridge chilling down should be slicing tomorrow
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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #29 on: July 27, 2018, 02:26:58 PM »
Nice!  :likebutton:

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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #30 on: July 29, 2018, 02:10:38 PM »
Finished
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #31 on: July 29, 2018, 02:31:16 PM »
Thanks Nate! When should I expect to receive it?

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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #32 on: July 29, 2018, 03:24:33 PM »
Thanks Nate! When should I expect to receive it?

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 :beercheers:
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Offline Farmer Jon

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #33 on: July 29, 2018, 08:29:20 PM »
I have some cureing in the fridge right now. Will be smoking next Saturday.

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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #34 on: July 29, 2018, 08:51:30 PM »
 :likebutton:
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #35 on: May 04, 2019, 07:36:41 PM »
30lbs of belly going into cure...... :beercheers:
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Offline Flyin6

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #36 on: May 06, 2019, 12:37:24 PM »
Nate, you are slowly moving toward industrial production...
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Offline Nate

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Re: Homemade Bacon
« Reply #37 on: May 06, 2019, 06:56:56 PM »
I need a bigger kitchen and fridge/freezer for that....lol
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