# Bacon? Report after 14-Day Cure and Test Fry - Thoughts?



## GrumpyGriller (Mar 11, 2021)

OK....pulled after 14 days. Quick test fry in a pan was a tad salty, so I soaked it for a 1/2 hour.  

Obviously I haven’t smoked any yet so I know taste will change with rub/spices, but the test fry seemed to taste a bit more like Canadian style. I liked the taste, but it wasn't what I was expecting initially 

I’d appreciate any and all feedback


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## smokerjim (Mar 11, 2021)

looks good, flavor will change some when smoked,  i found with pops brine you'll get more of a store bought bacon flavor and if you use a dry brine you'll get a deeper flavored bacon if that makes sense. i've done both and it's all good. keep us posted.


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## SmokinEdge (Mar 11, 2021)

Nice looking bacon. 
If that fry test was a end piece (directly exposed to the brine) that tends to be more salty than what is actually inside the meat. Once smoked, you should bag the bacon and refrigerate another 5-7 days as a resting equalizing step. It takes time to make really good bacon. Enjoy


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## GrumpyGriller (Mar 11, 2021)

SmokinEdge said:


> Nice looking bacon.
> If that fry test was a end piece (directly exposed to the brine) that tends to be more salty than what is actually inside the meat. Once smoked, you should bag the bacon and refrigerate another 5-7 days as a resting equalizing step. It takes time to make really good bacon. Enjoy


Thanks - I've vac-sealed it for now and then will smoke them as needed.  If it rests for the few days before I smoke it, does it have the same effect?

Also - I've seen everything from smoking at 180 for a few hours to smoking for 8-10 hours.  What do you recommend?


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## Brokenhandle (Mar 11, 2021)

Looks good to me also!  Let it sit in fridge uncovered overnight then smoke it. After smoking I let ours rest uncovered in fridge for a couple days. When I first started smoking bacon I would try different methods... using pop's brine, 

 Bearcarver
  s method using tenderquick,  

 disco
  s method until we found what we liked best. Even using pop's brine you can vary the amounts of salt and sugar till you find what you prefer.  

Ryan


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## GrumpyGriller (Mar 11, 2021)

Brokenhandle said:


> Looks good to me also!  Let it sit in fridge uncovered overnight then smoke it. After smoking I let ours rest uncovered in fridge for a couple days. When I first started smoking bacon I would try different methods... using pop's brine,
> 
> Bearcarver
> s method using tenderquick,
> ...


Thanks for the suggestion.  I had already vac-sealed it last night after the test-fry, but it's sitting in the fridge.  I won't be able to start smoking it for a few days, so at least it'll get some rest for now.  As I mentioned in an earlier reply, I've seen people doing a couple of hours and some doing 10+ hours.  I had planned on setting the temp to 180 for 3-4 hours, but open to any experiences you may have had!


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## forktender (Mar 11, 2021)

Looks legit too me, nice job.

If it was salty soak it for an hour or two in my opinion if it taste salty to begin with smoking it will only intensify the salty taste of it in the end.  Soaking is only going to get rid of so much next time cut back on the salt until you find the perfect amount. Don't get discouraged we've all done the very same thing. The fun part experimenting and tweaking the recipe until you find what you like best.

Freezing them will also intensify the salt flavor, have you ever froze corned beef? It always tastes saltier after it was frozen. (Below is what I've found to be the best way of dealing with the saltiness).

When you thaw the chunks that you've saved remove them from the plastic and soak them in the refer to thaw them out.

After they are thawed out dry them off and place them on a rack uncovered for at least 24 hours in the refer before you smoke them. (to harden them off a bit).

Have fun with it brother.
Dan


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## Brokenhandle (Mar 11, 2021)

Length of smoke and temp used is also a personal preference.  I usually cold smoke all of our bacon, try to keep temps under 76 degrees F,  sometimes gets up to around 100 degrees. Smoke for approximately 12 hours and we're happy.  Others take temps to around 120 or even fully cooked.  Everybody prefers something different.  Either way I've never smoked any bacon I didn't like and was always better than store bought!

Ryan


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## forktender (Mar 11, 2021)

TheGrumpyGriller said:


> Thanks for the suggestion.  I had already vac-sealed it last night after the test-fry, but it's sitting in the fridge.  I won't be able to start smoking it for a few days, so at least it'll get some rest for now.  As I mentioned in an earlier reply, I've seen people doing a couple of hours and some doing 10+ hours.  I had planned on setting the temp to 180 for 3-4 hours, but open to any experiences you may have had!


I cold smoke them using an amazing smoke tube AND an amazing smoke try. The tube has pellets in it and the maze has dust. I like lots of smoke flavor so I smoke run them through a two part cycle using a fully loaded smoke tube and the maze. Then it goes back into the refer on an uncovered rack for 24 hours then back into the smoker for another round with the full tube and maze. Sometimes I will then throw it onto the pellet grill set to the lowest temp high smoke setting on my Camp Chef for 2 to 4 hours.

You have to mess around until you find what works best for your family and friends, it's part of the journey into curing and smoking that I like best of all...only second to the amazing flavors and pride that comes along with it when you nail and lock down a new recipe for the recipe book.


Enjoy the journey.
Dan


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## GrumpyGriller (Mar 11, 2021)

Brokenhandle said:


> Length of smoke and temp used is also a personal preference.  I usually cold smoke all of our bacon, try to keep temps under 76 degrees F,  sometimes gets up to around 100 degrees. Smoke for approximately 12 hours and we're happy.  Others take temps to around 120 or even fully cooked.  Everybody prefers something different.  Either way I've never smoked any bacon I didn't like and was always better than store bought!
> 
> Ryan


I'll be doing this on a Traeger, so 165 is the lowest I can go.  Maybe I'll give that a shot for 5-6 hours.  Is there a good IT target so I don't dry out the bacon?


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## SmokinEdge (Mar 11, 2021)

TheGrumpyGriller said:


> I'll be doing this on a Traeger, so 165 is the lowest I can go.  Maybe I'll give that a shot for 5-6 hours.  Is there a good IT target so I don't dry out the bacon?


145* IT is fully pasteurized with no melting of fat.
You can smoke in the pellet grill with a tube for a few hours before you light the grill. The cooking process will help later when frying to not burn the sugars in the pan.


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## Bearcarver (Mar 11, 2021)

TheGrumpyGriller said:


> I'll be doing this on a Traeger, so 165 is the lowest I can go.  Maybe I'll give that a shot for 5-6 hours.  Is there a good IT target so I don't dry out the bacon?




Below is a Step by Step of one of my Best Ever Belly Bacons, including all needed info (Timing, Temp, Order, etc, etc):
Bacon (Extra Smoky)

Hope it helps.

Bear


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## GrumpyGriller (Mar 11, 2021)

Bearcarver said:


> Below is a Step by Step of one of my Best Ever Belly Bacons, including all needed info (Timing, Temp, Order, etc, etc):
> Bacon (Extra Smoky)
> 
> Hope it helps.
> ...


That looks amazing!


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## indaswamp (Mar 11, 2021)

TheGrumpyGriller said:


> What do you recommend?


I like to cold smoke bacon under 71*F. Best to do this at night when the RH% spikes high. I cold smoke 4 nights in a row; 12 hours each night. Cold smoking allows for optimum smoke penetration...the absorbed smoke keeps penetrating the raw meat during the rest period, much like cure will do...1/4" per day.
Also, the cold smoking is a drying step as well so the end product is a concentrated smokey and porky product....


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## GrumpyGriller (Mar 15, 2021)

Ok...I smoked 2 of the pieces, 1 w/ pepper/garlic/thyme, and the other in Meat Church Honey Hog. Just went into fridge uncovered...planning to let them sit uncovered in the fridge until Saturday .  They smell great... hopefully the taste is just as good!!!


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