# Smokey Bacon?



## jbchurchill (Aug 1, 2020)

I do Pop's brine on my pork belly and really love the results.

When I hot smoke using applewood on a Trager, on smoke setting (~160 degrees), after 4-5 hours, the bacon comes off and has a nice, smokey smell.

However, after slicing and freezing, the re-opened bacon has lost that smokey smell. Any thoughts on how to retain it for future consumption?

Thanks!!!


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## SmokinAl (Aug 1, 2020)

I use a dry cure & cure for 14 days, rest in fridge for 4 days uncovered, cold smoke for 10-12 hours, then another rest in fridge for 4 days. Then into the freezer for 2-3 hours & slice. Vac pack & freeze. There are several other methods, but this is the one that my family, friends & myself like the best. Plenty of smoke flavor. Great texture! I have some bacon in the freezer now that is over 1 year old & it still tastes like it just came off the smoker!
Al


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## Brokenhandle (Aug 1, 2020)

I also cold smoke my bacon...try to keep under 90 degrees,  for at least 10 hours.  Maybe get an AMNPS tray so you can use it to cold smoke your bacon for longer time periods.  Have some beef bacon in the smoker now that was also cured in pop's brine.

Ryan


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## jbchurchill (Aug 1, 2020)

Brokenhandle said:


> I also cold smoke my bacon...try to keep under 90 degrees,  for at least 10 hours.  Maybe get an AMNPS tray so you can use it to cold smoke your bacon for longer time periods.  Have some beef bacon in the smoker now that was also cured in pop's brine.
> 
> Ryan



I can try the AMNPS again... my problem with that system has always been keeping it lit. Mind you the last time i tried it was when I had my upright electric. Maybe with Trager it will work better?


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## jbchurchill (Aug 1, 2020)

SmokinAl said:


> I use a dry cure & cure for 14 days, rest in fridge for 4 days uncovered, cold smoke for 10-12 hours, then another rest in fridge for 4 days. Then into the freezer for 2-3 hours & slice. Vac pack & freeze. There are several other methods, but this is the one that my family, friends & myself like the best. Plenty of smoke flavor. Great texture! I have some bacon in the freezer now that is over 1 year old & it still tastes like it just came off the smoker!
> Al


Thanks - I haven't tried a cold smoke. Might try Ryan's advice and give the AMNPS another go


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## smokerjim (Aug 1, 2020)

jbchurchill said:


> Thanks - I haven't tried a cold smoke. Might try Ryan's advice and give the AMNPS another go


If your using a pellet grill you might want to try the amnps tube,


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## bill ace 350 (Aug 1, 2020)

Cold smoke.


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## tallbm (Aug 1, 2020)

Hi there and welcome!
I would imagine just using some hickory in your mix would do the trick.  My favorite bacon smoke flavor is 70% apple 30% hickory.  I also hot smoke mine (using sausage smoking steps) until my bacon hits 145F internal temp (IT) that way I can eat it as I slice it and right out of the package.  It still feels like non cooked bacon but is direclty edible mmmmm.

90% of my bacon never hits a skillet hahaha I tell people its "bacon coldcuts" so they arent weirded out by it being called bacon but not fried in a skillet when they try a piece.  They try 1 piece and they cant stop eating it and never think twice about questioning it again hahahaha


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## jbchurchill (Aug 2, 2020)

I used my A-Maze-N today with ribs. Another 2 hours until I can taste 'em though!!!


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## Jabiru (Aug 2, 2020)

jbchurchill
  On my pellet grill I cold smoke using a tube for 8 hours, fridge overnight wrapped in cling film then hot smoke next day. Or sometimes I just hot smoke at 180F until i reach internal of 145 -150F.

When cold smoking and traeger is not running, If you put a small fan under your hopper blowing air into it, that air will push into the cabinet and keep your tube going and also circulate the smoke better.

I also vacuum pack my bacon, comes out as fresh as the day I smoked it.


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## jbchurchill (Aug 5, 2020)

Thanks!

For those that are cold smoking, I have in the past taken the belly out of brine to air dry the night before. A bit of a pelicle forms. Do you guys do this as well? or air dry longer than say 8 hrs?



 Jabiru
 thanks for the advice! Do you put the tube under the drip pan? When i was doing the ribs, I put it on the grill top and it seemed like the smoke generated mainly hung above the meat.


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## Brokenhandle (Aug 5, 2020)

I take the bacon out of cure the day before,  rinse and then dry with paper towels. Also take a slice or two and do fry test to make sure it's not too salty...if it is can soak in water longer,  if it's too salty and you smoke it you can't do anything about it.  Once dried add any seasonings you may want to then place in fridge on racks uncovered overnight to form pellicle. 

Ryan


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## tallbm (Aug 5, 2020)

jbchurchill said:


> Thanks!
> 
> For those that are cold smoking, I have in the past taken the belly out of brine to air dry the night before. A bit of a pelicle forms. Do you guys do this as well? or air dry longer than say 8 hrs?
> 
> ...



I dont cold smoke bacon but FYI for hot smoking, I have experimented with pelicle and no pelicle and couldnt tell a difference so I avoid pelicle for the most part.

If I remember correctly, I have also done pelicle vs no pelicle when doing cold smoked salmon lox and again no difference.


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## Jabiru (Aug 8, 2020)

jbchurchill
 I put it on the grill as far left as possible to reduce any heat, I bought a rack and put meats on that raises them higher in the smoker.

just need a small bit of air flow pointing Into the bottom of the hopper, I use a small deskfan.

cold and hot smoked gives a flavour like nothing else.


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