making bacon for the first time

[agnuss03]

had a couple questions. I'm trying to smoke bacon for the first time. The pork belly that I bought, seems very thin. Will that thicken as it cures?

Second I had a hard time finding the pink cure salt, and read where the cure out of jerky kits works just fine. Could someone let me know whether that's right or wrong?

Thanks in advance

 

[biscuit32533]

Pink Salt can be had at an Academy or Similar store. Even check your local hardware store.......Not the big boxes

 

[red dog]

I get my pink salt at the local spice shop. Savory Spice Shop. They are similar to Penzy's and also have a online store. You can also order it from Amazon.

 

[talan64]

I got my Pink Salt from Amazon.  However, I asked at my local butcher shop, and was told that they will sell me whatever amount I wanted, so it may be worth asking local.

BTW, I have 3 small slabs in Pop's Brine right now!

 

[daveomak]

Be careful of local meat shops..... usually they order their own "private mix" with cure in it... and it's not the same as cure #1..... be sure it has a label stating 6.25% nitrite...

 

[rexster314]

Unfortunately, you're gonna wind up with skinny bacon.  Did you get it at a Mexican carneceria?

 

[foamheart]

You never know, I have always been worried about how thin my sow bellies were but when they came out the smoker they seemed bigger and I don't know where all the fat went!

These were exceptional thin. This is after cured and smoking.

Before Trim 003.JPG

• foamheart
• Nov 4, 2014

But after the trim, they look as good as any other bacon.

Last bacon 003.JPG

• foamheart
• Nov 4, 2014

And what I trimmed off, a good friend taught me a lesson never trim till its cured and smoked, that trim is great and unwasted in beans veggies, etc.....

Trim 002.JPG

• foamheart
• Nov 4, 2014

If you want really really thick, you can always split a butt open and make buckboard bacon, I think Bear has a great tutorial on it.

Don't worry about thin. You are saving money making it, you are having fun doing it, it will be better than anything you'll ever buy called bacon and you know everything that went into it. But my favorite is you smell like smoke for 2 days!

I got standard Swifts packaged bellies and I was happy.

You have signed the waiver haven't you? Cause once you make bacon there will be no coming back, no 12 steps, no therapy, no help what-so-ever, you'll be an addict! Did I tell how good it smells?

 

[reinhard]

That bacon looks great Foam!!!!  Still haven't smoked a belly.  I've been hanging in there with buckboard bacon, but next time I've got to snag me a belly.  Reinhard

 

[mikewysuph]

Foam, that post was off the charts!! "no 12 steps, no therapy, no help what-so-ever,".....no truer words have been spoken! Had me in stitches. And I love smelling like smoke for 2 days. Sh*t, I've been smoking salt for 4 days now.....2 days aint nothing!

Happy smokin' boys