Bacon question

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cmsimonton

Newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2014
10
10
I am making my first attempt at curing bacon. Several resources say that after the curing period, it should be cold smoked at less than 90 degrees for 4 to 8 hours. Other resources say to smoke it until it reaches an internal temp of 150 degrees. These methods seem to be at odds. What am I missing? Also does it have to hang or is it ok to smoke it on a rack?
 
Are you doing belly bacon or Canadian Bacon? If belly bacon skin on or skin off?

Many people will take Canadian Bacon to 150 so they can either heat/fry it for breakfast or eat it cold on a sandwich.

Belly bacon at much above 90 will start rendering the fat
 
Personally when I do skin on belly bacon I keep temps as low as I can usually 70-100 and smoke 9-12 hours
 
 
Are you doing belly bacon or Canadian Bacon? If belly bacon skin on or skin off?

Many people will take Canadian Bacon to 150 so they can either heat/fry it for breakfast or eat it cold on a sandwich.

Belly bacon at much above 90 will start rendering the fat
What Piney said.

However 4 to 8 hours of cold smoke won't give much flavor. I would go for at least 12 or 15, even 20 or more hours with cold smoke.

I use warm smoke on mine & get great flavor & color in 10 or less hours. I have used up to 130* smoker temp, and not had any rendering, but above that I would not go with Belly Bacon.

I have a Step by Step in my Signature below.

Just click on "Bacon Extra Smoky".

Bear
 
 
I cold smoke 40+ hours. I keep the smoker as cool as passable. I do not want to cook my bacon. I also skin it before I cure it. The skin makes tasty pork rind pellets.

Happy smoken.

David
40+ hours--MMMmmmmm----------That's gotta be some Awesome Bacon!!!

How come you never faxed me any?!?!

Bear
 
Thanks for all the help. Now I have to figure out how to cold smoke with the equipment I have. I hot smoke stuff all the time, but cold smokeing will be new to me. I cant wait though...bacon is on day 3 of the curing proccess.
 
Thanks for all the help. Now I have to figure out how to cold smoke with the equipment I have. I hot smoke stuff all the time, but cold smokeing will be new to me. I cant wait though...bacon is on day 3 of the curing proccess.
Not sure what your setup is like or where you are located, but I have a 44" Smoke Hollow propane smoker.  I live in Northeast Florida, so I have to be careful of the weather as we don't get many days that are in the fifties as a high (that's what it takes for my smoker to remain under 70* even with a little sun and a smoke tube burning).  However, when we do have a nice cool day, I can light my 12" tube smoker and set it in the bottom of my smoker with nothing else on.  The warm smoke makes it's own convection up, through, and out of my smoker.  Just check it every 3-4 and add more pellets as needed until you get the smokiness you are looking for.  Hope this helps but there are lots of folks on here that have much more experience at this than myself.  Let them know the specifics of setup, location, etc. and I'm sure they can and will help.
 
I am in Houston, so I have the same temp issues as you do. I have a large competition smoker for doing cookoffs, and I have a small upright charcoal smoker. I'm probably going to make a venturi smoke generator like one I saw on you tube and attach it to my small upright smoker. I cant hang the bacon in it, but it hs 2 racks and I can cut thr belly into smaller slabs.
 
I would cut the belly into slabs now so cure can penetrate -

it's OK to smoke on racks.

I've only warm smoked and it turns out great, but a cold smoker is in the works.

Good luck.
 
I am in Houston, so I have the same temp issues as you do. I have a large competition smoker for doing cookoffs, and I have a small upright charcoal smoker. I'm probably going to make a venturi smoke generator like one I saw on you tube and attach it to my small upright smoker. I cant hang the bacon in it, but it hs 2 racks and I can cut thr belly into smaller slabs.
That's the only way I do mine----Laying Flat:



Bear
 
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