Bacon made the easy way...

[boykjo]

 
I grew up there too... South Harbor Rd

 
Wow, who is that masked man?

I thought the same thing.......lol

 

[daveomak]

I grew up there too... South Harbor Rd

Good morning Craig.....

 

[countryboy-q]

So if pepper my bacon would you recommend spray water on for the pepper to stick to the bacon? Or will adhere to it through the smoking process? Never done bacon and would rather get it right the first time. I hope.

 

[mneeley490]

I lay down a thin coat of maple syrup to help the pepper adhere. But if you press down the coarse ground pepper into the bacon, enough should stick w/o anything.

 

[daveomak]

We cook our bacon in the oven on a rack.... We add pepper and molasses to the strips in the oven...

 

[foamheart]

We cook our bacon in the oven on a rack.... We add pepper and molasses to the strips in the oven...

Damn Dave your wife spoils you!

 

[daveomak]

Damn Dave your wife spoils you!

Yes she does..... thank goodness......

 

[chevy16001]

I brined 2 pieces of belly with pops brine 14 days rinsed them off and put them in the smoker 12 hours with apple pellets in the amazen smoker and they came out tan colored not mahogany at all and like wet looking and they smell like an ash tray... smoker temp was 61 degrees... any idea what i did wrong? Is it ruined?

 

[unclejoeyv]

after the rinse you really gotta let them dry off and form a pellicle (like a protein skin) for the smoke to stick to. i think folks usually leave 'em go in the fridge for a day or two to dry out before smoking after brining.

 

[foamheart]

I brined 2 pieces of belly with pops brine 14 days rinsed them off and put them in the smoker 12 hours with apple pellets in the amazen smoker and they came out tan colored not mahogany at all and like wet looking and they smell like an ash tray... smoker temp was 61 degrees... any idea what i did wrong? Is it ruined?

First apple wood does not make mahogany color.Apple is a nice amber color with a hint of red.

Mohogany is more a pecan w/ a bit of cherry. See that red.

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• foamheart
• Jan 23, 2015

This I believe was pecan and apple. Can you see the lighter amber color with the pecan?

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• foamheart
• Jan 23, 2015

This one is just pecan only.

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• foamheart
• Jan 23, 2015

Now thats said, I would recommend that when smoking bacon, you wear blinders. Color although pretty is only an indication of the time spent in the smoker with which wood. You are looking for nothing, you are trying to smell and taste. That is what you are doing, trying to enhance the flavor with the aroma. Nothing more.

People try too hard, myself included, to over smoke meats. look for that aroma thats what the smoke does for you. You find you are much happier that way with the end product.

 

[foamheart]

 
after the rinse you really gotta let them dry off and form a pellicle (like a protein skin) for the smoke to stick to. i think folks usually leave 'em go in the fridge for a day or two to dry out before smoking after brining.

Thats true and then go thru a dee-watering cycle when put in the smoker. The reefer will dehydrate the surface of the meat, its like freezer burn.

I usually de-water for at least the first hour of a smoke when I have used either a brine or a cure with the meat.

 

[daveomak]

I brined 2 pieces of belly with pops brine 14 days rinsed them off and put them in the smoker 12 hours with apple pellets in the amazen smoker and they came out tan colored not mahogany at all and like wet looking and they smell like an ash tray... smoker temp was 61 degrees... any idea what i did wrong? Is it ruined?

The meat was wet.....   You must rinse, dry with toweling, and place the slabs on wire racks in front of a fan, at room temp, to fully dry the surface and form a pellicle....  a pellicle is the soluble proteins, from the meat, that form a "seal" to the meat surface.....   Have the vents wide open on the smoker with lots of air flowing...   NO  water pan, NO wetting any chips....  no moisture introduction to the smoker... 

 

[chevy16001]

So did i ruin them or should i maybe put them in the smoker with no smoke at 100 degrees for a bit to try to dry them out or what?

 

[daveomak]

I've had that happen with sausage..  I rinsed with hot tap water and dried them....  for the bacon, I would rinse under hot tap, dry with paper towel, dry in front of a fan on wire racks to form the pellicle and smoke again at 60 ish degrees....   The bacon has cure in it... it's good for days at 60-70 degrees...  just like it would be in a smoker..

 

[craigdchang]

Is there a reason to leave the skin on? Does it matter if you buy the pork belly with or without the skin?

 

[craigdchang]

Is there a reason to leave the skin on? Does it matter if you buy the pork belly with or without the skin?

 

[mneeley490]

I think it's a personal preference. I remember as a kid in the 60's, having store-bought bacon come rind on. It gave the cooked bacon a little more chew and crunch.

That said, when I do bacon now, I remove the skin (if any) before I brine. I think this gives the smoke a chance to penetrate deeper than if I were to leave the skin on.

But skin-on belly is usually a little cheaper.

 

[foamheart]

Is there a reason to leave the skin on? Does it matter if you buy the pork belly with or without the skin?

If you are using a hanger to smoke, the skin is convient to ensure it doesn't pull thru. If you are shelf smoking there is no reason to leave it on. But We ahve all learned that its much easier to remove it after the smoke than before. Of course you'll be removing one of the flat side's smoke also. The smoked rind is pretty dang good in a pot of beans, especially the pieces with the nipples.

So you can remove the prior to smoking get better smoke and possibly make fried pig skins.

You can leave them on, smoke 'em and use them in beans. And if are using a hanger like some of those old farts around here, its helps insure a good grip on the slab.

I think that covers it, if not I am sure someone will correct me.

 

[dave17a]

 
Thats true and then go thru a dee-watering cycle when put in the smoker. The reefer will dehydrate the surface of the meat, its like freezer burn.

I usually de-water for at least the first hour of a smoke when I have used either a brine or a cure with the meat.

Uncle Foamheart

 

[zzrguy]

MMMMMM BACON looks so good almost took a bite out of the screen.

Maybe I need to eat lunch.