# Last weekend Bacon



## dazdnaz (Aug 19, 2020)

Well I needed an excuse or motivation I guess to get my old SLICER into working order so I dry brined (sp) some bacon.
Almost 12 pound skin off belly from Costco, brined for 2 weeks in foodsaver bags, soaked for 2 hours in a water bath, into the fridge uncovered over night.  The brine was a combo of different recipes I found on SMF also pink cure.
During this period I took to cleaning up my slicer.
And on the final day a 5 hour smoke to 145° at 180° I let it cool to room temp and firm up over night in the fridge before slicing.
Pretty darn tasty if I say so myself and it was fantastic frying it up for some BLT's and having an endless supply of bacon on a tray.
The Belly:






The Brine:





The Smoke (MES 40 with AMZNPS):





The sway on the MES is 20°:





Internal temp.:





The Final Product:





This is the tray O' bacon missing a few stacks for the BLT's (no shots of them had to eat). I did to some full length strips but listening to the wise advice provided on this forum I cut the slabs in half (much easier to package and cook).:





Thanks for lookin.


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## thirdeye (Aug 19, 2020)

Fantastic!  I wish I was there for the taste test.  I use the same rigging with the cooking string and it's short work with my trussing needle.  For many years I did a warm/hot smoke in one session.  Now I do a 2-day cold smoke, but things change and it's all good.


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## pc farmer (Aug 19, 2020)

Great looking bacon for sure.  That Globe slicer I bet is a beast.


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## dazdnaz (Aug 19, 2020)

pc farmer said:


> Great looking bacon for sure.  That Globe slicer I bet is a beast.


That is the reason it stayed on the top shelf, I don't know why I put it there and was fearful of dropping it bringing it back down.
Sliced through the bacon with ease.


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## pc farmer (Aug 19, 2020)

Top shelf?  I have a table that my Hobart sits on all the time.  Too heavey to move.


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## dazdnaz (Aug 19, 2020)

pc farmer said:


> Top shelf?  I have a table that my Hobart sits on all the time.  Too heavey to move.


I thought it was smart to store it over head height until I could get around to messing with it, it is now counter hsight so as not to throw out my back moving it.


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## pc farmer (Aug 19, 2020)

LOL.   I replied to your slicer question also.


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## flatbroke (Aug 19, 2020)

Looks beautiful. Congratulations on the ride


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## jcam222 (Aug 19, 2020)

Great looking bacon. Love that slicer too!!


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## Brokenhandle (Aug 19, 2020)

That bacon is just beautiful! Very nice color on it. Nice job and congrats on the carousel ride!

Ryan


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## Steve H (Aug 20, 2020)

You did a fantastic job on that bacon! Like! What was in the brine?


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## Misplaced Nebraskan (Aug 20, 2020)

Looks Great!  Ron Swanson would approve!


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## dazdnaz (Aug 20, 2020)

Steve H said:


> You did a fantastic job on that bacon! Like! What was in the brine?


I kept the brine simple:
per slab:
1 TBS salt
1TBS pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
and approx. 1/4 tsp cure #1 (pink cure) done by weight
2 bay leaves


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## HalfSmoked (Aug 20, 2020)

Nice looking bacon. Recipe sounds interesting.

Warren


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## HalfSmoked (Aug 20, 2020)

Thanks for the like flatbroke it is appreciated.

Warren


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## sandyut (Aug 20, 2020)

WOW that looks killer!  Nice work!


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## robrpb (Aug 20, 2020)

Looks great, nice job. I have never made bacon, but you have perked my interest.


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## Bearcarver (Aug 20, 2020)

Bacon looks Great, Daz!!!
Like!
Better get more going---That won't last long!
Got one question: Is it an optical illusion, or do you have 3 smoker racks together under the Drip Tray? Do you enjoy washing them?
I only ever put a rack in my MES if I have something to set on it.
Just curious.

Bear


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## dazdnaz (Aug 20, 2020)

The stack of racks was pure laziness. Lol


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## Bearcarver (Aug 20, 2020)

dazdnaz said:


> The stack of racks was pure laziness. Lol




OK---Laziness causes more work!!!
Mrs Bear washes my Racks. That's why if it's not going to have meat on it, I don't put it in.
I keep one old Dirty one on the bottom position, just for my AMNPS.
Then I put 1 clean one on #2 or #3 position, depending on how big the roast is.
Then only one rack needs washing, and I don't get any complaints. LOL

Bear


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## dazdnaz (Aug 20, 2020)

Happy wife as they say.
I throw them in the dishwasher after a smoke and that usually does the trick. 
And yes, more work for sure.


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## dazdnaz (Aug 20, 2020)

Bear, on another note, I have been placing the AMZPS on the bottom of my MES sitting on a fire brick.
I see that you use the bottom rack, do you have good luck with that more so that placing it lower?
The AMZPS did snuff itself after the first row on my bacon smoke.


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## texomakid (Aug 20, 2020)

Very nice and a great write up and post. I bet the bacon was perfect.


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## xray (Aug 21, 2020)

That’s some beautiful looking bacon! I’m look forward to doing more soon. Congrats on the carousel ride.


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## Bearcarver (Aug 21, 2020)

dazdnaz said:


> Bear, on another note, I have been placing the AMZPS on the bottom of my MES sitting on a fire brick.
> I see that you use the bottom rack, do you have good luck with that more so that placing it lower?
> The AMZPS did snuff itself after the first row on my bacon smoke.




The place I put it, with the chip dumper pulled out about 3", allows air to come in the Dumper hole, and pass by the AMNPS.
Putting it on a brick, or anything solid, blocks air flow from below the AMNPS.

Bear


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## zwiller (Aug 21, 2020)

Looks great!  Mind if I ask what therm setup?


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## Just4SmokinGrillin (Aug 22, 2020)

dazdnaz said:


> Well I needed an excuse or motivation I guess to get my old SLICER into working order so I dry brined (sp) some bacon.
> Almost 12 pound skin off belly from Costco, brined for 2 weeks in foodsaver bags, soaked for 2 hours in a water bath, into the fridge uncovered over night.  The brine was a combo of different recipes I found on SMF also pink cure.
> During this period I took to cleaning up my slicer.
> And on the final day a 5 hour smoke to 145° at 180° I let it cool to room temp and firm up over night in the fridge before slicing.
> ...


Wow ! Looks Delicious


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## dazdnaz (Aug 22, 2020)

zwiller said:


> Looks great!  Mind if I ask what therm setup?


The thermometer is an iGrill 2 from before Weber bought them out and before everyone else started coming out with reasonably priced units.
I like it but the range could use a little help.


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## hoity toit (Aug 24, 2020)

looks wonderfull. I have 1 slab left I need to get done. , congrats on the carosel ride to bro/ , you ought to try it with the skin on next time...,.its really good that way too.

HT


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## dazdnaz (Aug 24, 2020)

hoity toit said:


> looks wonderfull. I have 1 slab left I need to get done. , congrats on the carosel ride to bro/ , you ought to try it with the skin on next time...,.its really good that way too.
> 
> HT


Thanks, the carousel ride was a surprise. 
Bacon on everything for weeks to come.


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## uncle eddie (Aug 26, 2020)

wow...your bacon looks fantastic!  Like!


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