# Bacon



## joed617 (Aug 6, 2006)

Here is my final project, I made this bacon without nitrates <salt peter>
It's dry cured and hand rubbed and I had hand sliced it. <time to buy a slicer>

Joe


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## smokemack (Aug 6, 2006)

Oh my, that looks PERFECT, Joe. What cut did you use to make that? Where did you buy the cut? Smoked for how long..?


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## joed617 (Aug 6, 2006)

we only made a lb of to try out a the recipe. It's a pork belly, the wife got it at a grocery store, was cured in equal parts salt and sugar for 3 days, rinsed and pat dry and left uncovered in the fridge for a day and smoked for 4 hours using hickory at 110 deg.

Joe


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 6, 2006)

Looks great Joe,

Have you tried it out yet?


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## joed617 (Aug 6, 2006)

Welcome back Rodger, We had it and it was pretty good. I do need a meat slicer to cut it thin.. I may experiment some with the formula some before the next batch. 



Joe


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 6, 2006)

I just wondered.  The colors look real good.  I could not tell if the pic was fried or just sliced.  I like my bacon nearly burned up, but most normal :roll:  people like theirs cooked a little bit "as my nephew says" Wimpier. :D When it looked like your pic, he thought it was perfect.


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## joed617 (Aug 6, 2006)

Rodger, that bacon was just sliced and not cooked yet. 



Joe


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 6, 2006)

Like I said, my nephew liked his bacon a little rare  :shock: .

I'm glad to hear it wasn't cooked yet, cause that means it looked perfect. 8)


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## bob-bqn (Aug 7, 2006)

Let me add my compliments as well. :D Very nice job on the bacon. 8) 

Homemade bacon is something I haven't made yet but get tempted every time I see pictures like yours.

What were some of the adjustments you're thinking about?


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## joed617 (Aug 8, 2006)

Hi Bob, I put maple syrup in the cure and wasn't happy with the results. Other than that It was good.. I'm going to try again when I get a chance.

   You can make a pruscuitto ham the same way but <always a but> it takes about 8 months and having that hang around our condo my wife wouldn't be too happy. 



Joe


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## Dutch (Aug 8, 2006)

Nice pic of the sliced bacon. Brings back memories when we used to do full bellies and load the smokehouse with 25-30 slabs at a time. Smoked with applewood and the neighborhood sure smelled great. For some reason that applewood smoke always smelled better in the fall.


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## joed617 (Aug 8, 2006)

Thanks Dutch, I smoked that bacon with hickory.. I am going to try apple next time. I'll also have a meat slicer by then also.. It's difficutl to find the cuts of meat I'd like to have.. I continue to seek out new sources.


Joe


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## Dutch (Aug 8, 2006)

Joe, what type of cuts are you looking for?


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## joed617 (Aug 8, 2006)

Dutch, here is the problem my wife has a thing for all natural beef, pork, chciken and so on. I'd like to find a source for certain cuts .. like "Pork Bellies"  Boston Butts <I live close to Boston and can only find shoulders, I think the grind the all the butts to make sausages>  There are meat packing plants in Boston but there only open until 10am on saturdays, closed sundays. We did find a farm out here but they think thier selling gold .. close to 5.00 per lb for all natural pork, chops, butts or roast. The beef ribs I smoked were 1.99 per lb again all natural and the all natural ribs I get are close to 6.00 per lb.. I have a choice .. continue buying this all natural meat <the flavor is excelent as well as the tenderness, color and marbeling> or hmm naww I'll keep the wife, she is worth it. 

Joe


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 8, 2006)

Hey Joe,

Sounds like you have some understanding neighbors, how you think they would feel about you puttin a couple pigs, maybe a _small_ cow and a few chickens out in the back yard :lol: 

Tell'em you'll share when slaughter time gets here. 8)

Seriously, here is a link that may help you http://www.eatwild.com/products/massachusetts.html


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## joed617 (Aug 8, 2006)

Rodger, I fell over laughing at that. I have no back yard, However I did ask the wife if I use the spare bedroom and I'd get some straw. She said if I keep it up I'll be useing the spare bedroom sooner than I thought and not for farm animals either. So I said what about the basement? I got the "are you crazy look" and I said <actually mumbeled> But you like veal don't ya.. 


Joe


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## Dutch (Aug 8, 2006)

Short of buying a farm and raising your own livestock. . .but then that can get expensive too!!


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## joed617 (Aug 8, 2006)

Yep, I know what you mean Dutch.. For my own saftey <looking over my shoulder> I'll give up on raising the critters.. But we do have 2 fat cats <her cats> Nahhhh laugh




Joe


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 8, 2006)

Hey Joe,

I edited my earlier post but I see I was behind the curve so here is a link you might want to check out http://www.eatwild.com/products/massachusetts.html


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## joed617 (Aug 8, 2006)

Thanks Brother Rodger, I have a brother in NH who is on the lookout as well. 


Joe


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## monty (Aug 9, 2006)

Well, Joe, maybe I have a solution. A coworker and his father have a pig farm and they sell "feeder piglets" very reasonably. I am planning on at least two next year but what's one or two more?
Feed is relatively inexpensive and the major expense is butchering. There are several services in the area which will pick up the pig from your dooryard and call you when it is ready to pick up all flash frozen. (They obviouisly keep all the offal and stuff most of us would not use) You specify how you want it processed and it comes packaged and weighed. Sooooo, you could have your ribs, belly and butts cut to your specs as well as hams. They will also cure and smoke hams if you are not up to it.
ORRRR, we could work out a deal to give you more butts and belly or whatever and I would take raw hams for cure and smoke. Still have a fridge to convert which would be excellent for hams. I am about five hours north of your location.
Basically you would participate in the grow out by sending a feed check once in a while. I would do the care and feeding.
The only decision you would have to make would be the type of feed. I would send pictures regularly!
And here is the time schedule; buy piglets in April, send to abbatoir in late September and pick up in first week of October. (Hmmnnn! Fall foliage peak in this neck of the woods!)
Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Aug 9, 2006)

Monty you are the best of the best, The wife is at work and we'll have the talk about this adoption and we get pictures too. Sounds good to me. Are we talking a hanging weight of 85 to 110 lbs?  What would be the start-up cost? <I'll know she'll want to know this> I'll get back to you later tonight after I have the talk wiith her, I'll tell her she can even name the pig. <kidding>  This would also give me a year to convince her that I need a larger smoker <grin> but, I'll get her hooked on the pig idea first and then hit her with the larger smoker after.. hehehe

Joe


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## monty (Aug 9, 2006)

Joe, watch for a PM. I will put it together and we'll go from there!
Cheers!
Monty


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## monty (Aug 9, 2006)

And you can also pick up cherry. maple, alder, and apple while you are here!
Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Aug 9, 2006)

Cool, watch for a PM also, I'll give you my e-mail addy


Raising a tall one,

Joe


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## monty (Aug 9, 2006)

Already have it and composing a note! Patience!
Monty


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## monty (Aug 11, 2006)

Sooooo, one pig or two?
 :D 
Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Aug 12, 2006)

Hey Monty,  Due to an illness in the family we've had li'l time to talk about the piggies. She likes the idea but haven't had time to get the green light yet as of yet.  How soon ya need to know and I'll giver her a jump start.

Thanks Brother,

Joe


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## monty (Aug 12, 2006)

Heya, Brother Joe! Nothing is going to happen till next spring. So take care of family business first. My prayers are with your family!
Till whenever!
Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Aug 12, 2006)

Thanks Bro,  I'll be getting a large freezer soon,  meaning I'll have to clean the basement area.. yippee more work for me .. laugh



Thanks again,

Joe


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## monty (Aug 12, 2006)

If I may make a recommendation I would recommend a chest freezer larger than 10 cubic feet. Generally Sears and other major retailers sell that size for under four hundred dollars.

The biggie is that you can take advantage of in season goodies and save a whole pantload of bucks in dong so.

I hunt and fish and my property is loaded with berries of all types. (That helps the hunting!) And my freezer is invaluable. I have a 13.5 cu ft Sears chest type freezer. And in this neck of the woods a chest type is recommended because of frequent power outages. I have a generator but I also work long hours.

Anyway, NUFF SED!
Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Aug 13, 2006)

Sounds about right Monty, We've been thinking about a freezer chest for the basement.  We usually take a trip to NH and take my mom out picking, blueberries, strawberries and right about now I know the corn is ready, We may take a trip up to see her today and grab some corn on the way back. When my kids were young we had a chest freezer and use to shuck the corn, blanch it then freeze it as well as many outher veggies. In the spring I use to tap maple trees and make maple syrup <50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup> Those were the days when I was yoing and foolish and now I'm old and foolish <laugh> some things never change.

Bottoms up,

Joe


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

Joe, you can't go wrong with raising your own pork or in this case, sharing in the cost of raising one. We used to raise our own hogs growing up. Nothing wakes a young lad up faster that having to slop the hogs at 5:30 in the morning before catching the bus to school.  My younger brothers always wanted to name the little piggys-Dad said it was alright as long as they named them all "FOOD". :D


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

Actually, Dutch, in this case I will number them. But not until they go to the butcher. The service will then package them with the critter number on the labeling so you know what came from which!
I have butchered my own pigs in the past but his way is sooo much easier!
And, Joe! Have a great time in NH. Berrying is one of my favorite things to do! Great stuff FREE!
Cheers!
Monty


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

Boy, what I know about butchering hogs. We used to have a custom built 40' kill truck that we used for onsite butchering for beef, pork and sheep. It had a 25K generator, hot and cold pressurized water with a 150 gal. fresh water tank and a refridgerated storage unit that would hold 10 head of beef. Very state of the art for it's time.


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

If the right person had a rig like that in these parts he, or she, could make a killing! Pun intended!
Cheers!
Monty


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

I know if my brothers and I still had that truck around here we would make a killing. The State is making it harder to do custom kill-(person hired to do the butchering vs. doing it yourself). They are really enforcing the "4 hour danger zone". A couple of times a month we get calls from an old customer that needs stock butchered.


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## joed617 (Aug 13, 2006)

The only thing I raised and killed were chickens <nasty birds they are> As far as naming the pigs we can name them "Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner" Looks like the trip to NH is off, The wife wants to clean the house today so maybe next weekend. I still have a gallon bag of blueberries from last year in the freezer. So today I'll get to smoke something, Maybe we'll do a beer can chicken and some pork ribs. We also got some hot peppers yesterday at the market and those have to be smoked as well. Opps almost forgot maybe some corn on the cob too.  So it looks like a Beer and BBQ day :) 

Bottoms up,

Joe


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## joed617 (Aug 13, 2006)

4 hour limit is from the time of kill to gutting and processing the meat? 

Joe


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

Sounds like a relaxin' day to me! Be sure to stay outta your wife's way if she is in the "cleaning mode"!  I learned that one early on! Right now I have a pork butt and a fattie in the smoker. Am trying for the first time Jamison's "Southern Succor Pork Rub". Mixed up a double batch 'cause they also recommend it for chicken and other things. Stay cool!
Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Aug 13, 2006)

Brother Monty, Let me know how the rub is.. I'm going to make some rub now, The wife is cooking bacon and my tummy is growling. I will stay out of her way when she is cleaning. 


Joe


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

Four hours from the kill time to refrigeration. That's what was nice about our kill truck, we could put down an animal, gut, skin and split it in half and wash it and have it under refrigeration within an hour.
With the self contained refregerated unit on the truck we could be out all day and the meat was safe.


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

Monty, anything different about that rub vs the rub recipes that have been posted on SMF? And will you share it? :D


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

The beauty of the service I use is that they pick up the live animal from your site, you can also arrange to drop them off, and they take it all from there! It is all included in the processing price.
Joe, so far I am impressed with how the rub has taken to the meat and am looking forward to the final stages of the smoke. But it will be a while. Butt hit the smoker at 7:30 this morning and will be all day doing its thing!
Cheers!
Monty


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

Dutch, the rub is very simple and basic and there is really nothing unusual about it save for its simplicity. I am not sure if the Jamisons would want me to publish a rub in their book which is currently on the market and I am sure a good part of their livelihood. The book and its contents are copywrite protected. I guess that is also a part of upholding the virtue of knighthood!
Cheers!
Monty


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

Your right there Monty, I though that the recipe may have been one that you gleened off the 'net.


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## cajunsmoker (Aug 13, 2006)

Hey Dutch,

Check this out. http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/pork2.html

Seems the recipe is now public domain. :D


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

That seems to be a "sort of" way around the copywrite. The original recipe as posted doubles all the ingredients, calls for freshly ground black pepper, and also calls for Kosher salt. There, I've done it.
Cheers!
Monty


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

I also forgot to thank you, Rodger, for the excellent link! Thank you! :D 
Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Aug 13, 2006)

Monty we seem to travel in the same circles, I have that book also "Smoke and Spice" are you using the "Basic Black" rub on pg. 31 or the "Cajun Ragin" on page 29?  I put the page numbers in so ya know I have that book.. :)

Joe


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

Joe, I am using the "Southern Succor Pork Rub" on page 27. One little note: Careful when mixing! It will certainly clear your sinuses! My edition is the 2003 revised.
Cheers!
Monty


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## joed617 (Aug 13, 2006)

Same book and revision year Monty, My son got me this book back in January for a B'day gift.  I'm trying the "Poultry Perfect Rub" on page 28 today. I also have an older book here I got back in 94 or so on bbq smoking meats, making sausage.. I'll have to look for that one. 

Joe


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## monty (Aug 13, 2006)

Let me know how it works! I am planning on using it next weekend on several beer can chickens. Only change I will make will be to use turbinado sugar.
Cheers!
Monty


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## Dutch (Aug 13, 2006)

Thanks Rodger, I appreciated the link and thanks Monty for providing the "little" details. :)


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## up in smoke (Nov 7, 2006)

Joe, When you made your nitrate free bacon, what exactly did you end up with? The pictures looked nice, but I was wondering did the bacon taste hammy or was it more like a pork chop, seeing as it was brined but not cured per say? Inquiring tastebuds wanna know! :roll:


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## joed617 (Nov 7, 2006)

Hi Carl,  Hard to explain the taste. It wasn't like a pork chop, wasn't like a ham.  more in line with a pruscutto than anything else, We liked better than regular bacon.  The bacon with nitrates seem to bring out that bacon flavor and color also .. But, with the bacon I made it was a cleaner tasting bacon <if ya know what I mean> The wife wants me to make more of it and when I get a pork belly I will. She likes this bacon much more than the regular type. kinda hard to explain but she thinks it worth doing again and I hear about every weekend now that the nitrate bacon is all gone and she is cooking store bought bacon. My mon who is in her 80's really enjoyed it. So, what can I say.. If I had any left I'd send you some and you could try it.  It's also good in dirty rice. Would it be a waste of time trying it, I don't think so..


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## up in smoke (Nov 7, 2006)

Joe, thank you for your prompt reply, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll have to give it a try, we all know those nitrates and nitrites are not the best things in the world for ya! :roll:


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## deejaydebi (Nov 25, 2006)

Hey thanks for the link! I've been looking all over for something natural. One them is close to the old farm I grew up on - go figure!


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## deejaydebi (Dec 8, 2006)

Joe-

Now that looks like the stuff I grew up on! Yummy! I'm going to try your recipe - I was looking for a bit of maple flavor myself. I bought a pint of pure maple syrup and was going to add it to a liquid brine solution. Maybe I'll try injecting a watered down syrup. 

Anyone try that?

Debi


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## suhidevilsmoker (Jan 17, 2012)

so I am going to try this next week so wish me luck I am going to use a dry cure any suggestions its my first time and I hope we get it right I am so excited can't wait


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## suhidevilsmoker (Feb 14, 2012)

okay I have put my cure on my bacon going to cure for 7 til 9 days and then smoke with apple wood but my question is do I drain the moisture away or leaguer


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