# I'm making Walton's brand Ground Formed Bacon with some Qviews.



## jipnsmoke (Feb 18, 2017)

I read Curley's and Owen's ground form bacon recipes and Walton's recipe is little different. Add a lot of pork fat. For a 25 pound batch Recipe calls for 10 pounds of (pork, venison or Beef) and 15 pounds of pork fat. I know fat is our friend for flavor but. Wow. Ok my butcher shop was happy to seal me pork fat. So recipe calls for 2 to 3 ratio meat to fat. I going to do 1 to 1 ratio. Only had 2 pounds of venison so can only make a 4 pound batch of venison bacon. I have 6 pounds of pork shoulder so 12 pound batch of pork bacon.  I all ready did the venison with out pictures of process sorry. But here it is plastic rap under the bacon to make it easier to remove and smoke tomorrow.  Yes I had to weigh and divide mix, cure and water to match weights of batches.













DSCN1232.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 18, 2017






So on to grinding the pork.













DSCN1188.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Jan 6, 2017






Now that the pork is ground add the seasoning, sure cure and water. Mix for five minutes.













DSCN1235.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 18, 2017






I kept the meat and the pork fat almost frozen. Making it easier to work with. My finger are frozen also LOL. .













DSCN1236.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 18, 2017






Time to grind the fat.













DSCN1238.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 18, 2017






Now mix in the pork fat for 3 minutes.













DSCN1239.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 18, 2017






I lined two more Baking dishes with plastic rap and formed the mixer. Turned out to be about 2 1/2 inch thick (Height).  













DSCN1241.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 18, 2017






Well competed the first step, Venison is on the right. Off to the refrigerator over night to cure. Then it will be ready to smoke and turn this into bacon. We'll see how it dose. More pics coming as the process continues.

Ok good morning. I got the smoker out and it is pre heated to 100 degrees. Time to get the formed batches out of the frig and in the smoker.

Managed to put on racks ok, the plastic wrap was great help. Put ground pepper on the middle one. Venison is on the left. I had two cooling racks I used on the bigger loafs. The smaller openings of racks will help keep the meat from wanting to fall through the grates. We'll see. 













DSCN1247.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 19, 2017






  Loafs are in the smoker. I'll let them dry a little for one hour with out smoke. Temp about 110 degrees.













DSCN1249.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 19, 2017






Hour is up and time to add some smoke. Got my pellet burner out, going to use a mixer of apple and hickory pellets to finish. 













DSCN1248.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 19, 2017






Good spot for the pellet burner is lower left hand bottom of my MES 30.













DSCN1250.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 19, 2017






We'll smoke at 145 degrees for one hour. Then turn the temp up to 175 degrees till internal temp of bacon is around145.   Walton's recipe says internal temp of 160. Sounds a little high to me.* Any one with comments on this?*

Well be back later with picks after smoking.


----------



## DanMcG (Feb 19, 2017)

Looks good, let use know what you think of the flavor!


----------



## SmokinAl (Feb 19, 2017)

Interesting!

I'm in!

Al


----------



## jipnsmoke (Feb 19, 2017)

DSCN1252.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 19, 2017


















DSCN1251.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 19, 2017






Well after 5 hours of smoke I had to open smoker door and take a peak. What I found was bottom rack was done internal temp 148. Pulled. The top racked drained onto 2nd. rack and center of formed bacon is way under temp about 110 degrees on 2nd. rack. Switch racks around. Increased heat to 190 degrees. Oh and water tray was full of pork grease had to scoop some oil out. This recipe makes no since. Waste of pork fat. Any one ells make this????

I'll let this one rest a couple hours and then into the frig for a couple days. We'll check the others progress in an hour or so.


----------



## jipnsmoke (Feb 19, 2017)

jipnsmoke said:


> DSCN1252.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> ...


​Well I took another look at the recipe and it did say make 1 to 2 pound loafs. And cooking mats would of helped. Learn as we go along.


----------



## ab canuck (Feb 19, 2017)

Chitty, Hopefully you can salvage them....


----------



## mossymo (Feb 19, 2017)

So I had to go check out the Walton’s recipe to see how different it is compared to ours.   We haven’t used the Walton mix but we have Curley’s and of course our own.    I don’t understand at all why Walton’s would call for so much pork fat – or any pork fat for that matter when you are mixing with a fair amount of pork.  Just seems like it would end up with a ton of grease.  I see they have great reviews but many have said that they have cut back the pork fat or completely replaced it with pork trimmings. 

As far as the internal temp goes we found that smoking until the 142° internal temp was best because you will either pan fry this or cook it in some fashion before eating, having a lower internal temp out of the smoker helps the product from becoming dry when you go to cook and serve it.  Walton’s temp you are safe to slice it and eat it like you would summer sausage as it is cooked already to a final temp.  And having so much pork and pork fat in there I would want it cooked to 160° to be safe. 

We have found for the most even cooking with these loaves is to use 8x8 pans (or at least in our smoker these work the best).


----------



## daveomak (Feb 19, 2017)

Smoke the G and F bacon at a lower temp so the fat doesn't melt...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/256546/ground-and-formed-bacon-my-attempt


----------



## jipnsmoke (Feb 19, 2017)

AB Canuck said:


> Chitty, Hopefully you can salvage them....


Yes, was able to salvaged quit a bit. AB.


MossyMO said:


> So I had to go check out the Walton’s recipe to see how different it is compared to ours. We haven’t used the Walton mix but we have Curley’s and of course our own. I don’t understand at all why Walton’s would call for so much pork fat – or any pork fat for that matter when you are mixing with a fair amount of pork. Just seems like it would end up with a ton of grease. I see they have great reviews but many have said that they have cut back the pork fat or completely replaced it with pork trimmings.
> 
> As far as the internal temp goes we found that smoking until the 142° internal temp was best because you will either pan fry this or cook it in some fashion before eating, having a lower internal temp out of the smoker helps the product from becoming dry when you go to cook and serve it. Walton’s temp you are safe to slice it and eat it like you would summer sausage as it is cooked already to a final temp. And having so much pork and pork fat in there I would want it cooked to 160° to be safe.
> 
> We have found for the most even cooking with these loaves is to use 8x8 pans (or at least in our smoker these work the best).


MossyMO, Yes you are right on everything. Adding pork fat is a waste. I cut the big piece in half and it turned out ok. Just happy I didn't have a grease fire lol. I did a little taste test and it was pretty good flavor. In a couple of days when I slice them up I'll do another taste test. Next time I think I'll try Owens. No added fat got to love that after this experiment. LOL


DaveOmak said:


> Smoke the G and F bacon at a lower temp so the fat doesn't melt...
> 
> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/256546/ground-and-formed-bacon-my-attempt


Hey Dave, I did pull them at 145degrees. I figured I still have to fry the slices so no need for 160. Crazy I know.


----------



## jipnsmoke (Feb 19, 2017)

DSCN1254.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 19, 2017


















DSCN1253.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 19, 2017






I should get some pretty good bacon strips out of these. Well I let you all know in a couple of days how good it is.


----------



## ab canuck (Feb 20, 2017)

Looks like they are saved.... Will be waiting...


----------



## whistech (Feb 20, 2017)

The finished product sure looks good.    I am waiting for your sliced pictures and taste test.    Great job.


----------



## jipnsmoke (Feb 21, 2017)

Here's the venison sliced up. Sliced on a 45 degree angle to get some wide slices. Was happy with what I could save. Started with 4 pounds. Finished with 2and1/2 Pounds.













DSCN1255.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 21, 2017













Venison during smoke process was falling through the cooking grates two inches or more. The bag on the left is the meat that was falling through. That will be used in beans and what ever. One zip bag to use now and one vacuum sealed for freezer.













DSCN1257.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 21, 2017






Wow, venison bacon almost tastes like regular bacon. I'm very impressed with the flavor. Two thumbs up.













DSCN1261.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 21, 2017


----------



## ab canuck (Feb 21, 2017)

Looks good..... All the work paid off... Good job


----------



## jipnsmoke (Feb 21, 2017)

Ok now slicing up all the  formed pork bacon. These loaves did alright, I had them on cookie cooling grates in the smoker. Cooking mats would of been nice. I think that's what they are called. Like silicone screen.













DSCN1264.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 21, 2017






Some more pork formed bacon.













DSCN1266.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 21, 2017






All vacuumed pack, ready for the freezer. Started with total weight of 16 pounds, ended up with all most 10 pounds. I scoped out about 30 oz. of oil from the water tray. It was a learning experience for me. Don't follow Walton's recipe when it says add 2 pounds of pork fat to one pound of meat. May be one pound pork fat to five pounds of venison. Zero pounds of pork fat if using pork shoulder.













DSCN1270.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 21, 2017






Taste test, Very good flavor really happy. But I think the venison may of had just a little better flavor. Or it could just be me.













DSCN1262.JPG



__ jipnsmoke
__ Feb 21, 2017


----------



## jipnsmoke (Feb 21, 2017)

AB Canuck said:


> Looks good..... All the work paid off... Good job


​Thanks AB, I am happy with the out come. Could of been very negative.


----------

