# First bacon a success, but have questions... with q-view.



## lrfiv (Oct 8, 2012)

Hello, all, thanks for the info that led to my successful bacon - the best bacon I've had. I want to make even better bacon, or at least repeat this batch with less hassle. I have questions... ;)

I used the dry method at 4% salt, using the calculator from the articles section of this site, and the recommended amount of pink salt and (brown) sugar. Yes, my test fry was too salty, but I do like salty bacon (just not this salty). A 2.5 hour soak reduced the salt level to what I'd call close to perfect. I cold smoked it with applewood for 6 hours or so.

1. Can I just reduce the salt to avoid the soak? Will I need to give it more time to equalize?

2. Is Pops' wet method a way to do just that, or does it also need to soak after curing?

3. I liked that the bacon didn't pop like crazy when I fried it - no mess. Is this true of the wet cured bacon as well?

4. On frying, the fat parts turned completely clear, like glass! That was a bit surprising... I am assuming it's because of less water?

I've often wondered why historic cookbooks go on so about bacon drippings... well, now I know! The grease from store bought bacon isn't the first thing I think of when I hear the word "tasty". However, the rendered fat from my bacon (I turn it with my asbestos fingers, and lick them afterward) is dee-licious! Salty, porky, smoky goodness. I get it.

Here are the crudely sliced first pieces - no time to wait for it to firm-up in the freezer!













smoked_sm.jpg



__ lrfiv
__ Oct 8, 2012






Here is a shot of them fried up - very tasty bacon.













bacon_sm.jpg



__ lrfiv
__ Oct 8, 2012






And here's a shot of what I have curing now... BBB. Boning and trimming out a shoulder into BBB is hard! The "extra" bit is curing in a recipe from Ruhlman's Salumi.













bbb_sm.jpg



__ lrfiv
__ Oct 8, 2012






Thanks for the info!

- lfriv


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## daveomak (Oct 9, 2012)

Ir, morning and welcome to the forum.....  good job on the bacon...   
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  ....  Dave


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## mballi3011 (Oct 9, 2012)

Your bacon looks awesome and I know it taste good to. Now I do like the color a good deep dark red.


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## scarbelly (Oct 9, 2012)

Looks like it came out perfect - I know the soak is time consuming but why mess with success


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## lrfiv (Oct 9, 2012)

Scarbelly, I'm beginning to accept that, why mess with success? My roommate fried up some of our last storebought bacon this morning, and I grabbed some for a snack. Compared to mine it's terrible!  It's funny how your perceptions can change.

To everyone else, thanks for the encouragement!


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## jkc64 (Oct 9, 2012)

Some good looking bacon you have there. Where did you find the bellies?

John


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## smokinhusker (Oct 9, 2012)

That is some awesome looking bacon and now you are hooked!


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## lrfiv (Oct 9, 2012)

John, 

I got a locally raised belly from Porter Road Butcher here in Nashville. It was pretty expensive! I like supporting local business, but I will need to source meat from somewhere a bit more down to Earth. Maybe a quarter or half hog farmer direct?

If anyone can point me in the direction of a good source it would be greatly appreciated. 

Lowell
Lrfiv


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## jkc64 (Oct 9, 2012)

Houston's Meat & produce quoted me a good privce for bellies early this year but I would have to buy the case. I don't have that much room.They are in Mt.Juliet.

John


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## fpnmf (Oct 9, 2012)

Take a look at this...

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


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## lrfiv (Oct 9, 2012)

John, maybe you'd be interested in splitting a case? Seeing as how we're so close, it was the first thing that popped into my head. If you're interested, shoot me a PM.

fpnmf, don't think I didn't study your bacon post like a kid cramming for midterms. The color! I have plans to try it that way, too, using that pops[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]6927 [/color]brine. Until then my dry cured BBB is going to get a little of that heavy smoke action. You didn't mention temperatures, and I'd be curious to know, as I'd like my BBB to have that look. I can only cold smoke right now (my smoker is made of a modern fiber-composite engineered material - cardboard). Wow, I just reread that post... 34 hours of smoke. Yes.

Who knew this would be so fun? I just finished stuffing a batch of Italian sausage, and my BBB is in the smoker. Happy.


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## dic1207 (Oct 9, 2012)

lrfiv I am actually using the pops6927 brine right now. I have never done bacon before, but figured it was a good way to start. Ill let you know what i think. I also found a Maple dry rub recipe that I am using as well. The Bacon will be coming out of the Fridge and getting smoked in my smoker the not the upcoming weekend but the next. Hope mine comes out as good as yours!

The Color looks great!


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## roller (Oct 9, 2012)

Looks real good !


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## rowdyrawhide (Oct 9, 2012)

dic1207 said:


> lrfiv I am actually using the pops6927 brine right now. I have never done bacon before, but figured it was a good way to start. Ill let you know what i think. I also found a Maple dry rub recipe that I am using as well. The Bacon will be coming out of the Fridge and getting smoked in my smoker the not the upcoming weekend but the next. Hope mine comes out as good as yours!
> 
> The Color looks great!


would you mind sharing the Maple Dry Rub Recipe, PULLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!!!!

Thanks

Aaron


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## lrfiv (Oct 9, 2012)

dic1207 - I can't wait to hear how your bacon comes out. And I have to echo RowdyRawhide's request for the maple dry rub... you can never look at too many recipes! I learn even from the ones I don't use, especially if I can find feedback about them.


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## daveomak (Oct 10, 2012)

In th middle of the page is a Maple Sugar Cure I got from my meat guy who gets it here....   Use rate 2#'s / 100#'s bellies...

http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-2434-w-maple-bacon-cure.aspx  ...  I haven't tried it yet....   Going on the bellies tomorrow....   I've heard it is very good...     Dave


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## linguica (Oct 10, 2012)

DaveOmak said:


> In th middle of the page is a Maple Sugar Cure I got from my meat guy who gets it here....   Use rate 2#'s / 100#'s bellies...
> 
> http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-2434-w-maple-bacon-cure.aspx  ...  I haven't tried it yet....   Going on the bellies tomorrow....   I've heard it is very good...     Dave


That cure looks good but minimum order for the maple dry rub is 50 lbs. A bit much for the weekend bacon smoker. I ordered a 5 lb package of their dry rub for bacon and will add my own maple sugar to it. Does that sound like it will work? I made brown sugar-maple syrup bacon over the weekend and it was tasty.

                                               http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/128614/brown-sugar-maple-syrup-bacon#post_868730


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## daveomak (Oct 10, 2012)

Linguica, morning...  Your bacon looks great....   Yes on the addition of maple sugar... It should be the same....  The big deal is finding a mix that you like... most recipes from suppliers cater to the masses that buy in a store.... personalizing a recipe is what separates us from the packaged products....  That is what makes this forum great... New ideas and tastes....  Dave


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## linguica (Oct 10, 2012)

Thanks for your help Dave. Will post "smoke view" when finished.


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## pops6927 (Oct 11, 2012)

great looking bacon!


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## lrfiv (Oct 11, 2012)

Pops6927 - From the way you are held in high regard by some of the folks here, I'll take that compliment!

I see from your profile you're retired from Radio Shack. If the moderators will indulge me in a quick off-topic snippet, I think I might tickle your nostalgia bone. This is a small part of the crap I'm surrounded with in my "man cave". No Realistic stuff in this shot, but I occasionally will have a STA-xxx receiver on my bench. I fix them up, sometimes hot rod them a bit, then donate them to old-timer musicians who can't afford decent new stuff. There's something about that vintage sound!













vintage.jpg



__ lrfiv
__ Oct 11, 2012


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## upsman (Oct 13, 2012)

there used to be a butcher place in Columbia i'm not sure if it's still there or not and one in triune going towards murfreesboro give those a try


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## jp61 (Oct 21, 2012)

Nice job, the bacon looks great!


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