# Son of a Gun,  did I just ruin 24 lbs of bacon  ??



## mark bacon (Jan 22, 2015)

Wondering if I ruined my bellies ??? I have a Char Griller offset smoker.  I tried to toss a ridiculous amount of smoke on the bellies by using chunks, chips and also pellets on a very cold night and put a little snow on top of everything to keep the flames down. 

Guess what didn't work  ?? or maybe I needed more snow or a few water spritzes on the wood.  In any case, I went out about 3 hours later to check to see how things were going and when I opened up the offset barrel, all the wood was ash, and there were almost no coals left smoldering.  Everything had burned up.  Normally, I can get about 3-4 hours per load of chunks and chips, but I had never tossed pellets on the pile as well.

 When I opened the smoker and looked at the bacon, it was BLACK.  Internal temp was only 100, but the exterior of the bellies was an oily black mess.  Not burnt or crispy, but  it was definitely covered in black.  Guessing that when the wood / chips/ pellets caught flame, it also burned all the soot off the offset barrel and then this drifted across the bellies leaving a black residue that smelled like a house fire as the outside of the offset smoker now has the paint burnt off.

Since it was cold, 35-38 that day, I left the bellies in the smoker but opened all the dampers and flue in an effort to air them out.  That nite, I literally scrubbed and washed off as much of the black as I could and then let them air dry for another 36 hours.  This morning I tossed some pecan into my AMNPS and I am hoping the 36 hour air dry and the follow up pecan smoke will make the burnt house smell go away.   Every time I try to rush bacon, it does not come out as well as when I take my time.

Any other suggestions  ?   soak in maple syrup ?  soak overnite in water and then re-smoke,  Let it air age for another few days or week ? or chalk it up to stupidity and toss out 24 lbs of pork belly and start over ?

Suggestions ?????


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## timberjet (Jan 22, 2015)

Oh man. I am gonna bet all that moisture on the bacon and in the smoker created a nice layer of creosote on your bacon. I don't know if there is a remedy for this.


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## Bearcarver (Jan 22, 2015)

*  When I opened the smoker and looked at the bacon, it was BLACK.  Internal temp was only 100, but the exterior of the bellies was an oily black mess.  Not burnt or crispy, but  it was definitely covered in black.  Guessing that when the wood / chips/ pellets caught flame, it also burned all the soot off the offset barrel and then this drifted across the bellies leaving a black residue that smelled like a house fire as the outside of the offset smoker now has the paint burnt off.*

If it is as bad as you say above, my guess is you can't wash, soak, or air it into anything you would want to eat.

If there was a way to slice off the outside 1/8" on all sides, the inside might be edible, but that's not an easy chore.

Sorry I don't have good news or better ideas,

Bear


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## red dog (Jan 22, 2015)

Care to share a photo? Bear's idea of trimming the outside off might be worth a try. Even if you have to cut it into chunks it could be used for cooking in beans and such. Or go ahead and slice then trim before using. I would try that before chucking it.


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## dave17a (Jan 22, 2015)

Bearcarver said:


> *  When I opened the smoker and looked at the bacon, it was BLACK.  Internal temp was only 100, but the exterior of the bellies was an oily black mess.  Not burnt or crispy, but  it was definitely covered in black.  Guessing that when the wood / chips/ pellets caught flame, it also burned all the soot off the offset barrel and then this drifted across the bellies leaving a black residue that smelled like a house fire as the outside of the offset smoker now has the paint burnt off.*
> 
> If it is as bad as you say above, my guess is you can't wash, soak, or air it into anything you would want to eat.
> 
> ...





Red Dog said:


> Care to share a photo? Bear's idea of trimming the outside off might be worth a try. Even if you have to cut it into chunks it could be used for cooking in beans and such. Or go ahead and slice then trim before using. I would try that before chucking it.


Do it. Have we ever done it on other meat we burnt?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 22, 2015)

Try cold smoking. That's my only suggestion.


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## themule69 (Jan 23, 2015)

As said above cut the outside off. Next time try using TBS not all the bad smoke you can throw at it. It only takes a few min of bad smoke to ruin it and make it taste like an ash tray.

BY THE WAY THIS IS A FAMILY FORUM! COULD YOU NOT FIND A BETTER NAME FOR THIS THREAD?????

Happy smoken.

David


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## chewmeister (Jan 23, 2015)

themule69 said:


> As said above cut the outside off. Next time try using TBS not all the bad smoke you can throw at it. It only takes a few min of bad smoke to ruin it and make it taste like an ash tray.
> 
> BY THE WAY THIS IS A FAMILY FORUM! COULD YOU NOT FIND A BETTER NAME FOR THIS THREAD?????
> 
> ...


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## themule69 (Jan 23, 2015)

Thanks Mods for changing the name.

Happy smoken.

David


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## gary s (Jan 23, 2015)

Bummer,    it happens

Gary


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## mark bacon (Jan 23, 2015)

_*First of all I do sincerely apologize to all for my poor language !! *  _    I was really mad  because I have smoked bacon now for 2 1/2 years and have never done this before.  I drive into Chicago from South Bend to hand pick the bellies at a meat packing place and these were drop dead gorgeous bellies.  Even the packing place said these were some nice looking hogs they got.  they had dry cured for 17 days, and then I botched them up.

Here's what I have done, I scrubbed them vigorously under water with a brush getting most of the black residue off, I then lightly re-dusted them with tenderquick so I didn't have any bacteria start growing.  They then sat outside ( 31-35 degrees ) over nite to air out.  I then used the AMNPS and put on some pecan smoke before I left for work this morning.  Will let everyone know what they look and smell like when I get home.

I have some maple sugar that I think I will also dust these with along with some really really fresh  tellicherry pepper that smells amazing and hope that this will make it tolerable.  I will probably air dry these for 4 days as opposed to my normal 2.

again, any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.  I will post some pictures of the botched bellies and also the 2 that have not been creosoted that are going to go on so you can see just how nice this hog was.


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## oldcanalsmoke (Jan 23, 2015)

Where did you get the bellies?


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## wagdog (Jan 24, 2015)

Bring on the pics. Hope it turns out well for ya.


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