# Bacon Smoking Temps



## hog warden (Dec 14, 2009)

What is the max temp you would allow to smoke a slab of bacon?

What is final internal temp you want your slab of bacon to get to and how long does it take to get there?


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## blue (Dec 14, 2009)

I assume you are talking about bacon that you cured?  If so, you are not cooking the bacon but rather flavoring the meat with the smoke of your choice.  I smoked my bacon at 150 for eight hours.  Some will smoke at a lower temp. Some do it at 135 and some even lower.  150 worked for me.


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## hog warden (Dec 14, 2009)

Yes........cured. 

Two versions. One, a salt/nitrite/honey cure mix.

The other, dredged in Morton's Sugar cure. Two mistakes with this one. First, I didn't know they made a "smoke flavored" version. Found that out after I got it home. As this was a test, I went ahead with it. Second mistake was "dredging it". It should be so many oz cure for so many pounds bacon. Mine came out way to salty. Way to much. It's soaking in water now trying to draw some of it out. The honey version likewise has too much salt. I may soak it as well.

I smoked them at around 130* to 140* for about 6 hours. Then cranked the heat to around 150* to 155* and brought the bacon temp up to 128*. 

Still learning. Not sure I really need to "cook it" that much.


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## pineywoods (Dec 14, 2009)

I don't worry about internal temp for bellies I'm wanting the smoke and the color it will be cooked later. I try to keep the smokehouse temps under 120 and after about 8 hours start checking for color when it gets right then the internal temp is of no concern to me.


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## walle (Dec 14, 2009)

HW,
On the batch I did, I smoked at 140 for eight hours.  Plenty of smoke for me.  Not sure what the "max" temp is, but no need to push the limit as you will be cooking it anyway.


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## mballi3011 (Dec 14, 2009)

Do what piney says to. He has done a bunch of bellies for bacon and he knows his stuff too.


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