Is Pellicle nessecary?

[realtorterry]

I'm going to try my first BBB today. The butt chuncks have been in the cure for 10 days. Going to rinse & pan fry to test for the salt level. Going to hot smoke it until 150 like Pops & his sons did. The questions I have is on the Pellicle. Now I have read up on it & understand it, but is it nessecary?

 

[pops6927]

I don't wait for it, I hang in my smokehouse and start it right up.  It will dry while it's heating and have never had a problem getting smoke onto or in to the meat.  I have hung the night before and started up in the morning when it's 40° or lower out, and didn't see a difference.  At the store we'd hang and start right up immediately, unless we hung the night before and carried over until morning to start up, but it was not a visible difference..

 

[realtorterry]

Thanks Pops your the man.   

I actually used your brine & using your post from your sons BBB. I have three chunks. I think I'm going to use pure mape sryup on one, straight CBP on the other & garlic/onion powder on the last. Im going to go fire up the smoker now!

 

[chefrob]

I don't wait for it, I hang in my smokehouse and start it right up.  It will dry while it's heating and have never had a problem getting smoke onto or in to the meat.

 pops, i have never really waited either and i have no problem getting any smoke in the meat as well. my question is do you think it is because of our locations with the temp/RH? not what the RH is where your at but here it is bone dry so moisture never really hangs out much here.

 

[poopypuss]

I'm a rookie compared to a lot of other members, I've barely done 100 lbs of bacon, but I have rushed it in the past, and taking a couple hours to let a nice pectile develop does make a significant difference...

 

[chef jimmyj]

On Fish I see a difference because of the short smoke time, it's prettier with a pellicle. With Bacon when I didn't dry a bit it got a little Streaky. Tasted great but it was not as pretty as the one with a Pellicle. Anything I rub goes right in..JJ