# Brit in Tokyo -- bacon smoker



## amy may (Sep 24, 2017)

Hello everyone.

This intro is based on my main intro!

I am from Hampshire originally and have lived in Tokyo for decades. I came to bacon making as I was unable to eat the disgusting stuff they called bacon available in supermarkets here. (that's also the reason I became a baker -- couldn't eat the soft spongy stuff they called English Bread and needed to make hot cross buns!)

I almost exclusively smoke streaky bacon. I have developed my own method over the years, which is basically a dry rub consisting of roughly a level tablespoon of salt to each 400g of meat, a little less than half the quantity of sugar and these days sometimes the appropriate amount of prague powder. I used to add different types of dried herbs , juniper berries etc, but I don't find a significant difference in taste. I apply the rub, wrap the meat and leave in the fridge for a week. Then I unwrap it, and let it dry for a day or so before smoking on a tall stove top smoker for about 40 mins for the smoky flavour. I have to smoke at night, as I live on the ground floor of an apartment building, and don't want to risk complaints about smoky laundry! 

I  want to make back bacon. I have experimented but it usually comes out rather dry.Any tips would be welcome!

I also want to move on to small hams.. One of the challenges here is that it is impossible to get meat on the bone, or meat with the skin still on. I am always looking for good recipes for small pieces of meat. 

Current mission -- find a bacon slicer which is not too expensive, not massive, and is easy to use. I had a hand driven foldable one, but it didn't do the job very well.

Amy May


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## smokin monkey (Sep 24, 2017)

Hi Amy, Welcome to our "Family" and "Addiction"

Plenty of good folk on here, ask any questions you can think of, and you will get your answers.

Please take time to look at the UK Smokers Group,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/3161/uk-smokers

And introduce your self on the UK Roll Call
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/229926/roll-call

The UK Smokers Group Is where UK members can ask and share information that is unique to smoking and curing in the UK and does not obviously fit into any of the main forum categories.

Smokin Monkey [emoji]133660013031[/emoji]


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## amy may (Sep 24, 2017)

Smokin Monkey said:


> Hi Amy, Welcome to our "Family" and "Addiction"
> 
> Plenty of good folk on here, ask any questions you can think of, and you will get your answers.
> 
> ...


Thanks Smokin Monkey. I have posted in Roll Call and will try to delete this post.


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