Venison Bacon

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Venison Bacon Recipe – 25 lb. batch

Day 1:
- I use 50 – (approx. 12.5 lbs) venison to 50 – (approx. 12.5 lbs.) 80/20 pork/fat.
- I grind these through the grinder once using a coarse grinder plate, and then do a thorough mix of the meats and then grind one more time through the grinder using a fine grinder plate.
- Then in a tub I add the seasoning to the mix, cure, an ounce of flavor booster and 4 cups of water. This stuff is sticky, reminds me of the perfect meat glue…… The seasoning and flavor booster is a premix that I order from Curleyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s Sausage Kitchen online. Then I pack the seasoned meats into tin foil loaf pans (about 2 inches thick, about the width of a slice of bacon) for the meat to set up over night in the refrigerator and firm up. When setting in the fridge, make sure meat is well covered. I use wax paper and set pans on top of each other and will pack 4 or 5 high.

Day 2:
- Place meat pan upside down onto your smoking racks and gently remove the meat mixture onto your smoking racks. (This is the point why I like to use tinfoil pans. The consistency of the mixture is very sticky and bending the pans to get the meat loaf mixture out in one piece is easier with a tinfoil pan.)
- I put it in the smoker at 130 degreeâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s for an hour with no smoke and damper wide open for drying purposes.
- Then add smoke and move up to 160 degreeâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s for 2 hours with the damper half open.
- Then I remove the smoke and move up to 180 degree for about 4 more hours. I remove it from the smoker when the internal temperature reaches 155 degreeâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s. I have moved up to 200 degreeâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s with no problems if getting the internal temp of 155 is taking too long.
- Take out and let meat cool, then I bag the meat loafs separately and again, refrigerate over night.

Day 3:
- Slice meat to your personal bacon thickness preference, package and freeze. Or if you are anxious and hungry, just start cooking it like you would normal bacon !!!
Had to give it a try.  Everyone said it was hard to beat Curly's so I ordered enough for 25 pounds and their snack stick kit for 25#.  Other than the shipping cost I was not disappointed.  Both came out awesome.

I've got a buddy who makes sausage for a few local restaurants.  He talked me in to using pork jowls.  Figured it couldn't hurt.  Even got a butcher to drop it off in town on his way to the local livestock auction.  Cheaper than pork butt.  Can't say no to that!

Mixed 50% venison with 50% pig jowl.  One batch we coarse ground, mixed in seasoning and then did a second finer grind.  Second batch we did the two grinds and then mixed in seasoning.  Not sure we could tell the difference.  Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Formed into loaves and into fridge for the night.  Pretty much followed the plan as outlined by MossyMO but struggled getting to 155.  Didn't want to go too high with it so stopped at 190.  Took over 12 hours to get to IT of 155.  Only my 3rd go with a smoker so I've got some learning to do.

Pork jowls created quite a bit of grease in the smoker. (MES 40)  Had me a little worried but hey it is bacon after all!!   



Fried some up and had the best BLT ever that night for dinner!!!


I also made the mistake of passing some around to friends.  Now everyone want some!!!!

Not sure I want to mess with a good thing but I've got a couple of thoughts.  Maybe next time split the pork 50% jowl-50 % pork butt?  Only to see if I can get the same great taste with a little less grease.

And debating trying to come up with a recipe to make at home.  The shipping at over $16 adds up.  Not sure I take the chance!  Anyone got a recipe that compares to Curlys?

Anyway, thanks to everyone here that posted info that lead me down the path to such a great tasting finished product!!
 
I have made venison bacon with this recipe 4 times so far. The first time I followed it to the letter. Good results. The past 3 years I have been grinding and keeping the pork and venison separate while it cures. Then when I put it in the foil pans I do it in layers. A layer of pork, a layer of venison until the pan is full. It looks much more like bacon this way and I think it fries up more like bacon also. Excellent results like this. Just a different way of making it that I think adds to the appeal.
 
 
I have made venison bacon with this recipe 4 times so far. The first time I followed it to the letter. Good results. The past 3 years I have been grinding and keeping the pork and venison separate while it cures. Then when I put it in the foil pans I do it in layers. A layer of pork, a layer of venison until the pan is full. It looks much more like bacon this way and I think it fries up more like bacon also. Excellent results like this. Just a different way of making it that I think adds to the appeal.
Any pictures of your process and results? 
 
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Sorry, no pictures, I am making grinding and curing a batch this evening. I will try to get some pictures. I will be smoking all of it tomorrow. I will try to get pictures to post of that also.
 
 
Sorry, no pictures, I am making grinding and curing a batch this evening. I will try to get some pictures. I will be smoking all of it tomorrow. I will try to get pictures to post of that also.
Cool, wish I was doing that instead of work! 
 
I made my first batch of VB a couple weeks ago. I used Cabelas VB mix. I like it, but I wasn't overly impressed with the flavor. Kinda bland. Wounder if curlys mix is any better? The flavor is a tad better when fried, but I like to wrap a cold piece around some 3 yr old smoked cheddar. Great snack.
 
Thinking about stuffing the "Bacon" into large diameter summer sausage casings rather than using the pans.  After smoking, slice on the meat slicer.  Seems it would fry up nice and be perfect on an egg sandwich.  Anyone have any experience with this?
 
I made my first batch of VB a couple weeks ago. I used Cabelas VB mix. I like it, but I wasn't overly impressed with the flavor. Kinda bland. Wounder if curlys mix is any better? The flavor is a tad better when fried, but I like to wrap a cold piece around some 3 yr old smoked cheddar. Great snack.

I started this topic about 8 1/2 years ago, since the original post my wife and I have came up with what we feel it the perfect flavor combination for the seasoning...

 
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