Bacon ~ Foamheart ( Experimental)

[jeepdiver]

One of the longest lines at the MS Fair every year in Jackson was the Ag Departments booth where they gave out free biscuits covered with fresh made syrup. They had a mule driven press and a few kettles boiling down the syrup on site next to the booth.

 

[foamheart]

 
I see it a our local grocery store Brookshire's   I use it in one of the BBQ sauces I make

Gary

Thanks Gary. I now know its out there, and I just need to find an outlet.

 

[foamheart]

Update

Well I had some pork pieces and decided if I threw 'em in the brine they might still cure, so I did. Gonna try some Tasso with them. I am sure I will find something there that is hard about making tasso this way. I just can't foresee it though.

When adding the pork, I stirred and mixed and basically sloshed the brine/cure all over the place and rearranged the bacon pieces. ZOMG Its near black! The meat's color is from the molasses I hope. LOL Its always been pretty red before but this is so ugly! The brine/cure tastes alright but its that aweful color!

I hope that is just the outside of the meat. If not, it wouldn't be too appetizing. LOL

Sure is ugly, like it'd been wooped with the ugly stick!

 

[foamheart]

Update:: 2 weeks and 2 days

Pulled, drained and rinsed the belly.

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• foamheart
• Feb 9, 2015

Can you see the difference the molasses makes? Look at that dark color. Those pink spots would not be there had someone gone out and trurned it all just once, but Noooooooooooo............

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• foamheart
• Feb 9, 2015

Note three strips of meat located in the lower part of the collander. Another experiment, we gonna see if tasso is as easy as thing.....LOL I doubt it too. More on that below.

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• foamheart
• Feb 9, 2015

While washing and drying a friend dropped in wanting to top off my box of pecan shells and wondering if I still had any andouille left.  Its just like Christmas!

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• foamheart
• Feb 9, 2015

The ladies are in the reefer just a drying and chillin! Smoke tomorrow.

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• foamheart
• Feb 9, 2015

Another sideline..... Tasso. Cured Lean pork rolled in sausage seasoning.  Its drying in another reefer till tomorrow.

So thats it till tomorrow. Making sausage and smoking bacon.......

 

[gary s]

Hey Looks good, I sure will be watching, I'll be smoking Canadian Bacon tomorrow, Pork belly is curing 

Gary

 

[disco]

Tick Tock. I can hardly wait to see how this turns out.

Disco

 

[bladebuilder]

Lookin good! I think you will be pleased!

 

[pc farmer]

I am still watching this.

Them bellies look good

 

[foamheart]

 
Hey Looks good, I sure will be watching, I'll be smoking Canadian Bacon tomorrow, Pork belly is curing 

Gary

Going to be a busy couple a days. Stuffing sausage tomorrow to smoke Wednesday. AND baby Sister just dropped by with a butt cryo pack, just cause.

 

[foamheart]

 
Lookin good! I think you will be pleased!

Thanks, lets hope so. But never had bad bacon, just some that are not as good.

 
Tick Tock. I can hardly wait to see how this turns out.

Disco

Yep yep yep...... Actually I am more excited about the tasso. Tasso is just bacon without any fat. But no burning bacon would be almost as sweet!

 

[foamheart]

I am still watching this.

Them bellies look good

The color is most difinately different..... tomorrow after the smoke I know more.

 

[woodcutter]

I used molasses in the brine before (I like in CB) but only a couple tablespoons maybe. I like the dark color and can't wait to see how it turns out for you.

 

[foamheart]

 
I used molasses in the brine before (I like in CB) but only a couple tablespoons maybe. I like the dark color and can't wait to see how it turns out for you.

Me too..... Wouldn't it be nice to learn that the different sugars in molasses reduce the fresh bacon burn....... I really like my bacon now. But no one knows, I might like this even better. <shrugs>

And don't forget the tasso!

I'm pumped!

 

[woodcutter]

 

[Bearcarver]

Glad I finally got here-----It's really getting interesting now!!

Bear

 

[welshrarebit]

If this works I am thinking I would like to try a regional flair. Using Steen's cane syrup in the wet cure, and then try adding some sugar cane in the smoke.

I am not to sure about cane smoke though. I hated it when I was a kid living in the middle of a cane field. When they would burn the fields, gwad it was nasty and that black soot and ash settled everywhere. I know thats the leaves burning off and not the cane. 

I grew up surrounded by cane fields as well. When they burned the cane it was like it was snowing but the snow was black!!!

I know I'm late but im in as well...

 

[foamheart]

 
Glad I finally got here-----It's really getting interesting now!!

Bear

The only reason I am not just getting here is it was my thread!

I grew up surrounded by cane fields as well. When they burned the cane it was like it was snowing but the snow was black!!!

I know I'm late but im in as well...

 Funny story, the farmer actually would come by the house and let Mom  know before they torched the cane around the house, and he always said he checked wind direction before he started burning anywhere else. You know how they carry. Turned out good for Mom, she got one of dem fancy gas dryers!  LOL

Most of my Christmas vacations as a kid were spent strippin cane (replanting, on a 3 or 5 year schedule I think). But I got paid like an adult! I worked all day everyday with a big smile on my face! Too young to car date, but makin the money! ROFLMAO

 

[foamheart]

Update::

Ok, I had the day planned. Pull sort, check and rinse casings. into a wet bowl for tonight. Bacon in the smoker to dry (dewater cycle) for an hour, then reduce heat and smoke for 4 hours. During this time I'd make the breakfast sausage, a little andouille, and be cleaned up and ready for cajun sausage tonight.

Its started out well.

Breakfast fried some bacon for a BLT. Can't ya smell that smell?

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• foamheart
• Feb 10, 2015

Now the bacon paper dryed of and moisture left, wasn't any and a really nice pellicle had formed. In the smoker for an hour. Note the first attempt at Tasso on the top shelf.

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• foamheart
• Feb 10, 2015

Above and below are after the hour long dewater cycle. IT of the top right piece was 140, yes a bit hot but it would be the piece with the highest temp because of location. Top right on MES is always the most hot. I was inside doing breafast sausage and forgot I had moved the probe from the box to the bacon or it would not have gotten that high.

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• foamheart
• Feb 10, 2015

I started the sausage. Around here we like Pop's breakfast sausage in links.

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• foamheart
• Feb 10, 2015

Started on 5 lbs of andouille I ground and seasoned yesterday. Added the cure a pinch of water, and start to squeeze.

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• foamheart
• Feb 10, 2015

This is when it all started comming apart. The contractor showed up for the bathroom (he started the job two weeks before Thanksgiving!). The utility showed up and wanted to do a test on my aux generator, something about a backflow preventer, like a check valve for electricity. It actually had one, who knew? The cable company showed up, not even going there.... Anyway it became a zoo. Whomever I wasn't with was waiting to talk with me. I don't do busy! I am retired! Call and make an appointment! Then Sears home repairs showed...LOL

So the bacon is now in the garage reefer after I removed the skins. Then look strange, but its that deep mohogny color of the molasses. The pieces are really nicely smoked and NOT even near cooked except the one piece. I'm liking that.

I still have sausages to make tonight for tomorrows  smoke.  I promise more pictures of the bacon tomorrow while smoking the sausage might be a good time to trim 'em up.

Note: Tasso, didn't work, I am thinking it needs higher heat and to cook it, maybe or the fact that it was a few days behind the bacon curing. Whatever and after cutting it, I don't trust it for consumption. Its close. I just missed it. I'll think on it tonight.

I missd a lot of good pictures today. I will do better tomorrow, please don't throw stuff!

 

[gary s]

I'm watching

Gary

 

[daveomak]

What failed with the Tasso?? With cure #2, you can let it hang for a couple weeks at 48-50 degrees... then smoke it... Not exactly sure how the family made it 50 years ago... maybe they hung it in the smoke house and lit a small fire every few days... kind of like salmon up in Alaska... My buddies wife is the daughter of a Chief... he visits yearly and is treated royally.... He says smoke today and maybe smoke in 2 more days.... for a couple weeks..