# Bacon



## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

Howdy fellas and non fellas finished up some bacon today. Started with a 3.5lb premium belly from Home place pastures. 
	

		
			
		

		
	







Wish I'd had more but belly is hard to find around here and these are around $10lb which isn't really sustainable for bacon.

Cured for 14 days 
.25% cure #1
1.75% brown sugar
1% kosher salt
	

		
			
		

		
	






Lightly vac sealed so stuff can still move around
	

		
			
		

		
	






14 days later pulled it out, rinsed and pay dry. Then onto the fridge 24hr for a pellicle
	

		
			
		

		
	










Really to hot for cold smoking but I prefer it over hot smoked. Filled up a pan with ice and rock salt, sat another pan on that with ice and salt then a wire rack for the bacon to sit on. Used pecan pellets. Kept the bacon nice and cold. I smoked for 6hrs on day one and 6hrs again on day 2. Then let it bloom in fridge uncovered for 4 days
	

		
			
		

		
	






After the smoke and bloom. Color get so deep during those 4 days
	

		
			
		

		
	










Just sliced it up thick by hand after about an hour in the freezer
	

		
			
		

		
	














Nice and meaty. Also cut up some bacon ends for seasoning stuff. Smells awesome


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## DougE (May 26, 2022)

Man o man, that's some good looking bacon, Jake.


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## jaxgatorz (May 26, 2022)

That's some fine looking bacon !!


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

DougE said:


> Man o man, that's some good looking bacon, Jake.


Appreciate it Doug. Picking up some Cherokee purples tomorrow for some BLT action


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

jaxgatorz said:


> That's some fine looking bacon !!


Thanks bud


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## indaswamp (May 26, 2022)

Looks goo Jake! I too prefer cold smoked bacon...


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## gmc2003 (May 26, 2022)

Most excellent color on that bacon Jake. 

Point for sure
Chris


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## Brokenhandle (May 26, 2022)

Looks mighty tasty Jake! Can't wait for the first fresh maters of the season for blt s,  but it will be awhile for us

Ryan


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## fxsales1959 (May 26, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> Howdy fellas and non fellas finished up some bacon today. Started with a 3.5lb premium belly from Home place pastures.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


that looks awesome. our bellies have been lacking lately, not near as nice. what's pellicle?


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## pineywoods (May 26, 2022)

Looks awesome Jake makes me know I need to make more bacon


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## DougE (May 26, 2022)

fxsales1959 said:


> what's pellicle?


It's the sticky surface that develops on the meat by allowing it to dry uncovered. It helps the smoke stick to the meat when you finish it in the smoker.


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## chopsaw (May 26, 2022)

Dang Jake ! Nice work bud . That's awesome .


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> Looks goo Jake! I too prefer cold smoked bacon...


Appreciate it Keith


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

gmc2003 said:


> View attachment 632955
> 
> 
> Most excellent color on that bacon Jake.
> ...


Thanks Chris. Amazing how much deeper the color gets during the 4 day bloom


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

Brokenhandle said:


> Looks mighty tasty Jake! Can't wait for the first fresh maters of the season for blt s,  but it will be awhile for us
> 
> Ryan


Thanks Ryan. We been getting fresh maters for a couple weeks now. Cherokee purples don't start showing up until around now though. They are hands down our favorite


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

fxsales1959 said:


> that looks awesome. our bellies have been lacking lately, not near as nice. what's pellicle?


Thanks bud. 

 DougE
 has you covered on the pellicle


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

pineywoods said:


> Looks awesome Jake makes me know I need to make more bacon


Thanks Jerry. Come on up for a BLT


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Dang Jake ! Nice work bud . That's awesome .


Thanks Rich. Sure does smell good. Can't wait to try some tomorrow


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## indaswamp (May 26, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> Thanks Ryan. We been getting fresh maters for a couple weeks now. Cherokee purples don't start showing up until around now though. They are hands down our favorite


What type and when did you plant? Cherry tomatoes or early set slicers? I have lots of fruit, but won't pick the first one for at least another 2 weeks...


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> What type and when did you plant? Cherry tomatoes or early set slicers? I have lots of fruit, but won't pick the first one for at least another 2 weeks...


The fresh ones we are getting now mostly come from the Amish and Mennonites around here. They start them early in greenhouses and move to dirt in April so they are already producing. They have auctions and sell to the produce stands and general public. Nobody will actually have a fresh full garden tomato until around the 3rd week in june


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## DRKsmoking (May 26, 2022)

Looks great Jake. Nothing like fresh bacon. I have not done the cold smoke yet.

 I better get one out of the freezer as I'm starting to get to the end of my last batch

David


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## indaswamp (May 26, 2022)

Gotcha...
There is an old retired man that lives on the river road that grows tomatoes in a greenhouse year round. I have been buying his until mine come in. Better flavor than commercially grown maters, but not as good as mine!


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## poacherjoe (May 26, 2022)

Good job Jake ! My Wife or otherwise known as my CEO LOVES bacon ! So if I make some for her it will score me some bonus points ! I should have ripe tomato's in a couple weeks .  Ironically I just bought a pork belly for my first try at bacon so the timing couldn't be any better ! For tomato's I grew several different varieties this year as follows , Champion , Brandywine , Better boy , Black Krim and San Marzano for canning . With all the Salmon  and Bass carcasses I buried under the maters they should be tastey. I hope I spelled everything okay because the Crown Royal  does things to me !!!!! lol


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## WaterinHoleBrew (May 26, 2022)

That looks phenomenal Jake!  Make some good eats… maybe some BLT’s!   Whatever ya do, it’s bacon… Yum!


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

DRKsmoking said:


> Looks great Jake. Nothing like fresh bacon. I have not done the cold smoke yet.
> 
> I better get one out of the freezer as I'm starting to get to the end of my last batch
> 
> David


Thanks David. I'm on the hunt for bellies


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> Gotcha...
> There is an old retired man that lives on the river road that grows tomatoes in a greenhouse year round. I have been buying his until mine come in. Better flavor than commercially grown maters, but not as good as mine!


I hear ya


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

poacherjoe said:


> Good job Jake ! My Wife or otherwise known as my CEO LOVES bacon ! So if I make some for her it will score me some bonus points ! I should have ripe tomato's in a couple weeks .  Ironically I just bought a pork belly for my first try at bacon so the timing couldn't be any better ! For tomato's I grew several different varieties this year as follows , Champion , Brandywine , Better boy , Black Krim and San Marzano for canning . With all the Salmon  and Bass carcasses I buried under the maters they should be tastey. I hope I spelled everything okay because the Crown Royal  does things to me !!!!! lol


Heck yeah joe get that belly in some cure. Ain't nothing to it. You can't buy better bacon than what you can make at home. Them fish are gonna be super food for the garden. I love better boys and black krims. Try the Cherokee purples. They are the best of the "black tomatoes" if you ask me. They also have a black cherry tomato that's delicious. If you have any bacon questions give me a call. Always enjoy talking to you on the phone


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## TNJAKE (May 26, 2022)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> That looks phenomenal Jake!  Make some good eats… maybe some BLT’s!   Whatever ya do, it’s bacon… Yum!


Thanks Justin. BLT's tomorrow!


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## bauchjw (May 26, 2022)

Wow! Man, that looks so incredible I can smell it! Awesome as always Jake!


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## indaswamp (May 26, 2022)

poacherjoe said:


> With all the Salmon and Bass carcasses I buried under the maters they should be tastey.


Yes indeed! I have about 30# of fish carcasses in 11 holes between my tomato plants. Put that in the ground 1 week after the maters so no root damage. by the time the roots made it to the fish, it was already on it's way being broken down. I'll put 3-500# of fish carcasses in my other bed and let that rot to feed the soil for next years tomatoes. Have hot biochar/bone char compost on top with 5 gallons of sea water. the biochar soaks up the nutrients from the hot compoat leaching and the fish in the ground. Only thing I add after the plants are in the ground is a little wood ash after the first tomatoes are about the size of golf balls.


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## poacherjoe (May 26, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> Yes indeed! I have about 30# of fish carcasses in 11 holes between my tomato plants. Put that in the ground 1 week after the maters so no root damage. by the time the roots made it to the fish, it was already on it's way being broken down. I'll put 3-500# of fish carcasses in my other bed and let that rot to feed the soil for next years tomatoes. Have hot biochar/bone char compost on top with 5 gallons of sea water. the biochar soaks up the nutrients from the hot compoat leaching and the fish in the ground. Only thing I add after the plants are in the ground is a little wood ash after the first tomatoes are about the size of golf balls.


I don't need to give you any advice on what to do with your garden !! 50 plus years of gardening have helped me greatly.Nice to see someone else that has done their homework !!  My garden is my life and it's nice living in zone 9 and having more options than  most others but as long as you use all your hunting and fishing  carcasses for the garden you will get plenty back from your work. Feathers from the birds I pluck and all the fish carcasses make a BIG contribution to my garden.  And I can prove it in any taste test !!!!!!!!!!!


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## indaswamp (May 26, 2022)

poacherjoe said:


> And I can prove it in any taste test !!!!!!!!!!!


Yep. I have so many people tell me my tomatoes are the best they have ever tasted. Or if they are up in age it's: "I haven't tasted a tomato that good since I was a child!"

You gotta feed the soil....


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## GaryHibbert (May 27, 2022)

Great looking bacon, Jake.  I only cold smoke mine too.  Just love the smell when I open the fridge after 3 or 4 days of smokey bacon sitting in it.
Now about the maters....You southern boys really have it good--I'm just ready to plant mine.  Only planted the garden and flowers once before the last week of May--woke up the next day to 4" of snow covering everything.
Gary


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## GonnaSmoke (May 27, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> Wish I'd had more but belly is hard to find around here and these are around $10lb which isn't really sustainable for bacon.


Jake, that bacon looks great and curing my own has been on my list ever since I started participating on this forum, but like you, bellies are hard to find around me. Nice work...


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## BrianGSDTexoma (May 27, 2022)

Mighty fine looking bacon.


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## smokerjim (May 27, 2022)

Looks excellant Jake, what time is breakfast


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## JLeonard (May 27, 2022)

Thats some serious BLT bacon! Looks mighty good.
Jim


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## SmokinEdge (May 27, 2022)

That’s a home run on the bacon Jake. Very nicely done. You will enjoy that a bunch.


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## SmokinAl (May 27, 2022)

Nice job on the bacon Jake!
But I don’t think you made enough!
Al


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

bauchjw said:


> Wow! Man, that looks so incredible I can smell it! Awesome as always Jake!
> View attachment 633004


Thanks Jed but maybe bacon is here because of aliens? Hmmmm


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

GaryHibbert said:


> Great looking bacon, Jake.  I only cold smoke mine too.  Just love the smell when I open the fridge after 3 or 4 days of smokey bacon sitting in it.
> Now about the maters....You southern boys really have it good--I'm just ready to plant mine.  Only planted the garden and flowers once before the last week of May--woke up the next day to 4" of snow covering everything.
> Gary


Thanks Gary. Gardens here start getting planted first week of April


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

GonnaSmoke said:


> Jake, that bacon looks great and curing my own has been on my list ever since I started participating on this forum, but like you, bellies are hard to find around me. Nice work...


Thanks Charles. Order a belly from home place and get your feet wet


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> Mighty fine looking bacon.


Thanks Brian


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

smokerjim said:


> Looks excellant Jake, what time is breakfast


Thanks Jim. We don't eat much breakfast around here. Stop by Tonight for a BLT though!


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

JLeonard said:


> Thats some serious BLT bacon! Looks mighty good.
> Jim


Thanks Jim!


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

SmokinEdge said:


> That’s a home run on the bacon Jake. Very nicely done. You will enjoy that a bunch.


Thanks Eric. Looking forward to my BLT tonight


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

SmokinAl said:


> Nice job on the bacon Jake!
> But I don’t think you made enough!
> Al


Appreciate it Al. Wish it was easier to get a belly round here


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## xray (May 27, 2022)

Great looking bacon Jake, now comes the hard part of trying to keep fully stocked up. Excellent job.

Be sure to save that bacon grease, especially if you’re doing the red beans and rice if you haven’t started yet.


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## Bearcarver (May 27, 2022)

Looks Outstanding Jake!!!
I never could use the ends for seasoning stuff, unless you're talking about seasoning the inside of my Mouth!!!
Nice Job!!
Like.

Bear


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## sandyut (May 27, 2022)

Great work Jake!  Looks out of bounds!


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

xray said:


> Great looking bacon Jake, now comes the hard part of trying to keep fully stocked up. Excellent job.
> 
> Be sure to save that bacon grease, especially if you’re doing the red beans and rice if you haven’t started yet.


Thanks Joe. Gonna use some of the bacon ends for the red beans and rice


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

Bearcarver said:


> Looks Outstanding Jake!!!
> I never could use the ends for seasoning stuff, unless you're talking about seasoning the inside of my Mouth!!!
> Nice Job!!
> Like.
> ...


Appreciate it John


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

sandyut said:


> Great work Jake!  Looks out of bounds!


Thanks Dave!


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## tx smoker (May 27, 2022)

Good looking stuff Jake. Maybe we're lucky around here. Pork bellies are readily available and much more cost effective than what you had to pay. Keep up the good work buddy!!

Robert


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## TNJAKE (May 27, 2022)

tx smoker said:


> Good looking stuff Jake. Maybe we're lucky around here. Pork bellies are readily available and much more cost effective than what you had to pay. Keep up the good work buddy!!
> 
> Robert


Thanks bud. All this home place pastures stuff I been posting lately was a gift from my BIL. I'm sure if I dig deeper or head into Nashville I can find affordable bellies. I just hate going to the big city lol


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## BobP325 (Jun 25, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> Then let it bloom in fridge uncovered for 4 days


What is "bloom" & does it also apply for hot smoke too?


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