# Is this what i need?!?!?!



## mattyoc20 (Dec 4, 2013)

I just picked this up from sausagemaker.com.  Looking to make some bacon starting this weekend and i want to make sure i have the right stuff to do it













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__ mattyoc20
__ Dec 4, 2013






Also, I saw some stuff on not letting it set in a regular 5 gallon bucket.  It must be a food grade bucket whick i think i have in my beer brewing kit but if i just use a steel pot with lid would that work?  Thanks for all the help!


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## ldrus (Dec 4, 2013)

I would stay clear of metal pot unless its stainless, u can go to your local grocery store bakery and ask for there empty frosting bucket, they r food grade and they just throw them away so should be a freebie!


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## mattyoc20 (Dec 4, 2013)

lkrus said:


> I would stay clear of metal pot unless its stainless, u can go to your local grocery store bakery and ask for there empty frosting bucket, they r food grade and they just throw them away so should be a freebie!


wow...good look.  I didn't even think of that.  Will def do that this week


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## pc farmer (Dec 4, 2013)

That is cure #1.  ( pink salt )

Using pops brine?

I bought food grade buckets at Lowes.


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## mattyoc20 (Dec 4, 2013)

c farmer said:


> That is cure #1. ( pink salt )
> 
> Using pops brine?
> 
> I bought food grade buckets at Lowes.


yea i think pops brine for my first go.  Would like to do some dry rubs at some point.  So i am good to go with this pink salt then?


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## pc farmer (Dec 4, 2013)

Yup just follow his recipe.

I cut the salt and sugar back some but try it the way it is first.


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## pc farmer (Dec 4, 2013)

Bearcarver has a good dry cure.


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## voodoochile (Dec 4, 2013)

porcelain pots such as a canning boiler are OK to cure in as well


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## delfuegosr (Jan 2, 2014)

If you cant find a bucket, you could just use your Igloo cooler, then wash it out. That's what I use when I brine whole turkeys.


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## dave17a (Jan 3, 2014)

Pops brine is great! Luckily my sweet wife works at the middle school and  I got 4 buckets now plus lids. Good luck! I was scared to death at first, thinking somebody wasgoing to die. Just keep reading once you've  done bacon you will want to do lots more. Inspired me to do my cold smoker build.  Read up on boutilism especialy. That is where I checked and double checked on food safety, plus my wife working at cafeteria at the school helped. Always thought she was a freek on this temp stuff. I'm a big boy now.













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__ dave17a
__ Jan 1, 2014


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## knuckle47 (Jan 11, 2014)

[quote name="dave17a" url="/t/153610/is-this-what-i-need#post_1115686" Good luck! I was scared to death at first, thinking somebody wasgoing to die. Just












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__ dave17a
__ Jan 1, 2014






[/quote]

This is the second time I'm reading about safety issues.  Of course, this one is a bit more dramatic BUT either way,  are you referring to bacterial contamination.  The other safety concern I had a great explanation on is nitrates.....yet, everyone keeps doing it


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## foamheart (Jan 11, 2014)

Bacon

There is two excellent tutorials here. Pops which is a brine and BearCarvers which is a rub.

Here is what I understand, max heat allowable is approx. 140 degrees. The warmer the bacon the better the smoke holds on, but you don't want to "Cook" it or render the fat. So from what I have seen some do cold smoke with a smoke generator the entire smoke. Some of the more seasoned veterans do extended smokes gradually increasing the temp from 100 to approx. 130 carefully watching to not render the bacon. An carefully and observant  smoker can do this in approx. 6 to 8 hours of actually smoke

Some small amounts of weight loss are generally given to loss of water from curing. Less than 5% seems acceptable.

Cold smoking can but doesn't require a cooling medium like ice. More normally its achieved by just using a smoke generator with no additional heat from the smoker.

If you still have questions and don't we all, I would suggest you read either:

Bearcarvers Tutorial (Dry Rub)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/108099/bacon-extra-smoky

Craigs Tutorial (Pops Brine)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/124885/bacon-made-the-easy-way

These guys are ahead of the curve on makin bacon.

Hope it helps.

Remember to take notes, brine, time, poundage, smoke, etc.... you are going to want to know exactly because you are going to want to tweak your formula with the next bacon. Best to always keep notes on all smokes.

Making bacon is really no different than any other culinary methods, clean and sanitary. I buy Clorox by the case and use it freely, its only really salt but in high concentration. All our lives we are taught we can't keep meat long without it making us sick, now we have traveled that road to one excessive end and are starting to realize the meats today can last must longer than previously thought. Although we are still safe, we believe we can manage your "due dates" better.

You will never be the same after your first finished slab of bacon. You want to take it to the neighbors and show them what you can now do.....We all go thru it.

Just remember to enjoy the smoke.


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## foamheart (Jan 12, 2014)

mattyoc20 said:


> I just picked this up from sausagemaker.com.  Looking to make some bacon starting this weekend and i want to make sure i have the right stuff to do it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes........

As to your brine/cure bucket, I have a matching set of 12, so there is never any excuse for waiting. You'll love 'em, they are no doubt NSF LOL.

Here is a photo of the specs.













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__ foamheart
__ Jan 12, 2014






Its been steamed cleaned and thoroughly scrubbed with antibiotic soap and rinsed in Clorox. LOL.. its needs to be sturdy, smooth walled, non-reactive, and clean. You can even line a dirty bucket with a couple of clean trash bags and use them if you are careful not to puncture 'em. All that salt is going to kill anything in that bucket but cleanliness is next to..... you know that I am sure.


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## voodoochile (Jan 12, 2014)

no offense but I would by a plastic storage container and use it before I would even consider using an oil bucket


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## foamheart (Jan 12, 2014)

voodoochile said:


> no offense but I would by a plastic storage container and use it before I would even consider using an oil bucket


No offense taken.... just a redneck country boy, a 5 gallon bucket has many purposes.


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