refrigerating fresh smoked bacon?

[shriv]

I am just getting ready to pull 3 bellies out of the smoker and am wondering if I should bag them and refrigerate for a couple days to enhance the flavor. Do you think it makes better flavor if I refrigerate it or does it not mattter? Thanks for the advice.
Shriv

 

[pineywoods]

I was told by one of the resident bacon experts to pull it out of the smoker and let them cool then refrigerate for several days before slicing. It sure was hard waiting since it was my first ever bacon

 

[desertlites]

not sure how I missed this post-blame it on working outside all day I spose-yes as jerry stated wrap in freezer paper or the likes and let it kick it in the fridge for a few days.lets the flavors catch up.and jerry I never can wait either so yes I fry a taste test.shriv were these 3 whole bellies and how did u prepare them?

 

[shriv]

Thanks for the help. I used 1 Tbsp tenderquick + 1Tbsp dark brown sugar per pound. Some pepper. Bagged them and flipped them daily in the frig for a week and brushed them with maple syrup. Smoked at 150 degree until internal temp was 135 degrees. They turned out great. I just thought letting them rest may enhane the smoke flavor.
Shriv

 

[shriv]

here my first try at qview. Shriv

 

[shriv]

hopefully this is a better picture.
Shriv

 

[pineywoods]

That looks awesome wait till you try it man is that good stuff

 

[pineywoods]

I didn't even smoke that hot and went by the looks never did stick a probe in the meat but yours looks good did you have much fat dripping? It will be cooked when frying it

 

[desertlites]

good looking bacon-I don't hot smoke mine -just over 100 smoker temp-it's gonna get fried in the end anyway and has cure in it.I use prague 1-have never y-used TQ.

 

[shriv]

Piney
I had very little dripping. Almost none. I think you would use much less prague powder compared to tenderquick.

Thanks,
Pat

 

[woodentrout]

When I do bacon, after smoking I cool it down to room temp then refrigerate for 24 hours. After one day of cooling, I put it in the freezer for about one hour ( this time will depend on how cold your freezer is, mine is -10 ) then slice quickly, package, and freeze. The cooler your bacon is at slicing, the easier it will be to handle the slices and the more uniform they will be. I don't think cooling any longer than a day will "enhance" it IMO.

Enjoy the bacon, you'll find that homemade is much better than store bought. Warning-- do not give any to friends and family, they will be pestering you to make more!!!

 

[shriv]

I made the mistake of giving some to friends! Now I use it as tradin' bacon. Generally pound for pound for walleye or salmon! No one has tried it and ever cared for store bought since. Thanks to all you guys.
Thanks,
Shriv

 

[fanciesmom]

Being that I am an admitted over achiever - I smoke at 190 to 200 with a probe in each belly until I hit 150. I bring it in, cool it down and stick it in the fridge for 1 or 2 days (depends on what's going on). Then I take it out and do the whole thing again. This time I cut off the skin after it cools on whatever piece I'm going to slice right away then back in the fridge for all of it (wrapped tightly).

One of these times I'm going to "triple smoke" but that'll have to wait until fall, it's just to darn hot outside. Two days is bad enough.

Here's some Q-view of my bacon.

Yummmmmmmmmmm.

 

[kingudaroad]

Best to taste test before the smoke. That TQ can make it a little salty.

Great job! Hope it tastes great for you.

 

[mballi3011]

That is some fine looking bacon. It is very hard to wait for the bacon I wanted to eat it the day after I put my first one in the frig. Specially after frying a test piece and not start makin a bacon sammies.

 

[fanciesmom]

Thank you! I've got to get another belly in the cure tomorrow! DH's daughter is coming out from Florida for a late celebration of her 40th and my 60th (last year

) with her mother. DH is very anxious for me to show off my wonderful homemade bacon!

(Snicker) Have to figure out the seasoning - maple & black pepper and honey/jalapeno are getting boring. Playtime is coming!

 

[shriv]

very nice looking bacon. Do you have skin on it when you originally smoke it?
Shriv

 

[beer-b-q]

Looks great, Honey Jalapeno sounds great.

 

[fanciesmom]

Skin is on through the final smoke.

Tonight I did black pepper and garlic on half the belly and honey jalapeno on the other half.

Funny - this time we got a girl pig tummy?????