# First Attempt At Bacon



## GaryHibbert (Nov 2, 2018)

*First Attempt At Bacon*​
Well, the weather is nice and cool and, because of the wet weather I’m not working, so I decided it was time to dive into the freezer and thaw out half a belly from our pig.  It’s BACON TIME!!








After thawing the belly I cut it into 4 manageable pieces that would fit nicely into the MES 30.







I weighed each piece (total 7 lbs 13.5 oz.) so I could calculate and weigh out the proper amount of Tender Quick for each—1/2 oz. of TQ per pound of meat.  After laughing at me for years for taking pictures of the food I was smoking, Miss Linda snapped this one while I was carefully weighing out the TQ grain by grain—I actually had to put my reading glasses on to read the scale.







Placing each piece on its own plate, I spread the TQ on the meat and rubbed it in evenly.  I then added 1 Tbsp of dark brown sugar per pound, rubbed it in, and added fresh cracked black pepper and garlic powder to the top.







With Miss Linda’s help, I bagged each piece in a large Ziploc, and scraped any remaining TQ from the plate into the bag with the meat.  The bags were then sealed, leaving enough air inside to make it easy to massage the soon to form liquid back into each piece daily.







Then it was into the fridge.  The thickest part of any piece was about 3 inches.  Using Bearcarver’s formula of 1 day for each ½ inch of thickness and then adding 2 extra days, the belly needed remain in the fridge for at least 8 days to ensure the TQ penetrates all the way through.  As it turned out, work interfered and the meat sat in the fridge for a total of 16 days.

On Oct 29 I removed the belly from the fridge, rinsed each piece thoroughly, and soaked them in ice water for one hour.  A one slice fry test reassured me it was good to go.  I patted each piece dry with paper towels and put them on racks to dry.  Three hours with a fan blowing on them formed a nice pellicle on the meat, and it was time to start smoking.

I filled 3 rows of my AMNPS with hickory pellets and lit one end.  While I let the pellets burn for 10 minutes, I plugged the MES 30 Gen 1 into my Auber PID and set the temp for 100* F.  (I always set to 100* as it seems to give me the best convection for cold smoking).  While the MES was warming up, I put the meat on the two top racks.  By this time the AMNPS was smoking nicely, so it went into the “mailbox”.  Eleven hours later, the last of the pellets went up in smoke.

I brought the 4 pieces of belly (actually bacon by now) inside and wrapped each piece individually in plastic wrap.  Then it was back in the fridge for a day and a half.












Halloween afternoon I retrieved the bacon from the fridge.  Both it and the fridge smelled fantastic!!!  I put the 4 pieces into the freezer for 2 hours (I tried 3 hours when I did the back bacon, but that was a bit too long).  Then it was time for my El-Cheapo meat slicer to go to work.   I removed the plastic wrap and in no time at all the bacon was sliced and ready to package.  Since I wanted thick cut bacon, I had set the slicer to ¼ inch.  Each of the 4 pieces sliced up differently—some with lots of meat, and some with little meat and lots of fat.













After weighing out bacon into one pound piles, I vac-sealed them and they went into the freezer—all except 1 pound that was earmarked for supper that night.  I ended up with 6½ bags for the freezer, one ½ pound bag of ends to be used the next time I make some of those delicious GaryS beans, and one ½ pound bag of fat to be rendered down and formed into a brick for the Chickadees this winter—lucky birds.

The bad news is that 4 bags go to our daughter and 1 bag goes to my neighbor, leaving me 1 for supper and a half pound bag in the freezer.  The good news is—I still have half a belly for next time.

That night I fried up the pound of bacon I hadn’t frozen—12 slices to the pound.  You had to be there to believe the fantastic aroma that filled the house when I started frying the bacon.  It was unbelievable!!







Supper that night was bacon, fried potatoes and onions, and sunny side eggs spiced up with garlic and some of my smoked paprika.  *IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!!!!* Miss Linda just couldn’t believe how much better the bacon was than anything you can buy in a store.  We’re both hooked now.







The only change I’ll make next time will be to soak the bacon for an extra hour before smoking.  It was just the tiniest bit too salty.

Thanks for looking.

Gary


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## pc farmer (Nov 2, 2018)

Beautiful bacon Gary.   Love the thick bellies.


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## atomicsmoke (Nov 2, 2018)

Did i read it right? First time bacon? What have you been eating all this time? Store bacon?

Bacon and dinner look awesome. Beginers luck! Kidding...it only gets easier.

If it came out salty why don't you try cure#1 since it allows you control of the salt.


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## TomKnollRFV (Nov 2, 2018)

Out of the park! Looks amazing! 

LIKE!!


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## tropics (Nov 2, 2018)

I don't believe that was a first time looking Perfect.Gary you nailed that one big time. POINTS
Richie


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 2, 2018)

pc farmer said:


> Beautiful bacon Gary.   Love the thick bellies.



Thanks Adam, and thanks for the Point.
This belly came from the 300 pound pig we butchered.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 2, 2018)

atomicsmoke said:


> Did i read it right? First time bacon? What have you been eating all this time? Store bacon?
> 
> Bacon and dinner look awesome. Beginers luck! Kidding...it only gets easier.
> 
> If it came out salty why don't you try cure#1 since it allows you control of the salt.



Thanks.  Ha--probably was beginners luck.  But it is amazingly easy--just takes time.
I used TQ because I don't have an extra fridge to store a bucket of brine in.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 2, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> Out of the park! Looks amazing!
> 
> LIKE!!



Thanks Tom, and thanks for the Point.
Still can't believe how good it tastes.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 2, 2018)

tropics said:


> I don't believe that was a first time looking Perfect.Gary you nailed that one big time. POINTS
> Richie



Thanks Richie, and thanks for the Point.
After eating just one meal of it, there's no question I'll be making more.  And next time maybe I'll get to keep a little more of it.  LOL
Gary


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## Phil Chart (Nov 2, 2018)

Looks awesome. You nailed it good write up and pics too


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## Bearcarver (Nov 2, 2018)

Looks Great, Gary!!
So does the rest of the plate!
Fried Taters look just like the ones we make.
Like.

That extra salt flavor could have been the 16 days in cure.
At 3" Thick I would have cured it for 10 or 11 days, not 8.

About time we got you to make some Bacon!

Bear


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## TomKnollRFV (Nov 2, 2018)

GaryHibbert said:


> Thanks Tom, and thanks for the Point.
> Still can't believe how good it tastes.
> Gary


Homemade will always be better my friend. Always. And if it isn't, don't post it till you make one better, right? ;)


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## gmc2003 (Nov 3, 2018)

That bacon looks freak'n fantastic Gary. Really nice job on it. It looks like Ms Linda caught you with a little grin starting. 
Nice write up and even better results.

Point for sure.
Chris


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## SmokinAl (Nov 3, 2018)

Fantastic looking bacon Gary!
Your hooked now!
No more store bought bacon for you!
That meal is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!!
Great work & congrats on making the carousel!!
Al


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## HalfSmoked (Nov 3, 2018)

Awesome looking bacon there guy in fact I like the whole meal. Bear has already said what I was thinking the long stay in the fridge may have been your salty problem.

Warren


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## chopsaw (Nov 3, 2018)

Gary , that is awesome . Perfect color on those . I use TQ on mine also , but you can use cure 1 in a dry cure . 
Great job !


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## ab canuck (Nov 3, 2018)

That is some beautiful looking bacon Gary. Great job. Points...
Congrats on the carousel ride.


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

Phil Chart said:


> Looks awesome. You nailed it good write up and pics too



Thanks Phil.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

Bearcarver said:


> Looks Great, Gary!!
> So does the rest of the plate!
> Fried Taters look just like the ones we make.
> Like.
> ...



Thanks John, and thanks for the Point.
Good thinking about the extra time in cure making it saltier than normal.  Apparently I need a refresher course in basic math so I can tell how many halfs there are in 3"  LOL
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> That bacon looks freak'n fantastic Gary. Really nice job on it. It looks like Ms Linda caught you with a little grin starting.
> Nice write up and even better results.
> 
> Point for sure.
> Chris



Thanks Chris and thanks for the Point.
Yeah, I was starting to grin at the thought of her starting to take pics now.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Fantastic looking bacon Gary!
> Your hooked now!
> No more store bought bacon for you!
> That meal is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!!
> ...



Thanks Al, and thanks for the Point.  I'll never buy bacon again!!
And the carousel?  Wow, I've never had a ride on the carousel before.  That's a real honour (Canadian spelling  :mad:)
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

HalfSmoked said:


> Awesome looking bacon there guy in fact I like the whole meal. Bear has already said what I was thinking the long stay in the fridge may have been your salty problem.
> 
> Warren



Thanks Warren, and thanks for the Point.
Until John mentioned the longer stay in cure, that fact never crossed my mind.  I'll definitely keep that in mind next time.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> Gary , that is awesome . Perfect color on those . I use TQ on mine also , but you can use cure 1 in a dry cure .
> Great job !



Thanks chopsaw.  I'm real pleased with the color too.  
It took me so long to find TQ here in Alberta that I was determined to use it.
Gary


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## Bearcarver (Nov 3, 2018)

GaryHibbert said:


> Thanks John, and thanks for the Point.
> Good thinking about the extra time in cure making it saltier than normal.  Apparently I need a refresher course in basic math so I can tell how many halfs there are in 3"  LOL
> Gary



Actually you figured right for the "Absolute Minimum" time, but I never use that.
That is the time for the way I learned, but if you read on you can see that I add 2 or 3 more days to that amount.
So instead of 3 inches X 2 = 6 days + 2 days = 8 days. (This is what you did)
My calculations would be 3 inches X 2 = 6 days + 2 days = 8 days + an extra 2 or 3 days I put on for safety---Equals 10 or 11 total days in cure.
I decide on adding 2 or 3, by which day is the most convenient to my schedule.

I hope this makes sense---It's a lot more Simple than it sounds.

Bear


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

ab canuck said:


> That is some beautiful looking bacon Gary. Great job. Points...
> Congrats on the carousel ride.



Thanks Charlie, and thanks for the Point.
It's my first ride on the carousel and I'm just tickled pink about it.
Haven't talked to you for a while.  Been keeping busy all summer?  How's your winter looking with the patch talking about cutting production way back because of the surplus of oil in Alberta?
Gary


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Nov 3, 2018)

Gary, that bacon looks phenomenal my friend!  Very nice job!  That final shot, I could take a plate like that any time!


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

Bearcarver said:


> Actually you figured right for the "Absolute Minimum" time, but I never use that.
> That is the time for the way I learned, but if you read on you can see that I add 2 or 3 more days to that amount.
> So instead of 3 inches X 2 = 6 days + 2 days = 8 days. (This is what you did)
> My calculations would be 3 inches X 2 = 6 days + 2 days = 8 days + an extra 2 or 3 days I put on for safety---Equals 10 or 11 total days in cure.
> ...



Thanks John.  I must have missed that part, but I'll remember it for the next time.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Gary, that bacon looks phenomenal my friend!  Very nice job!  That final shot, I could take a plate like that any time!



Thanks Justin, and thanks for the Point.
That meal was one of the best we've had in ages!!
Gary


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## texomakid (Nov 3, 2018)

I could smell bacon while I read this. Awesome job Gary on the write up and the pics. That bacon is beautiful.


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## crazymoon (Nov 3, 2018)

Gary, Your bacon looks awesome sir !!!! like


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

Thanks tex and thanks for the Point.
It turned out way better than I had even hoped.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 3, 2018)

Thanks CM, and thanks for the Point.
If I had know it would be this good, I'd have made some years ago.
Gary


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## pushok2018 (Nov 3, 2018)

Gary, this is nice looking bacon! I am sure it tastes exactly how it looks. I just wondering: were you keeping 100F temp for 11 hours, until you finished smoking?


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## Winterrider (Nov 3, 2018)

Nicely done !


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## nanuk (Nov 4, 2018)

GaryHibbert said:


> *First Attempt At Bacon*​
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Are you KIDDING me????

Thanks for SHARING!

That is the PERFECT picture....   (permission to use it as a background on my Desktop at work?)

ETA:
When I brined my first try at back bacon, I had more than would fit in my brine buckets....  So I ZIPLOCKED them in large bags, using the `squeeze` method to remove ALL the air, then I turned the bags twice a day for 3 days, then once a day for the rest of the cure time....   Kept them in the bottom of the refer when my bottle of thermo-water said it was 35 degrees.
Worked PERFECT.


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## nimrod (Nov 4, 2018)

GaryHibbert said:


> Thanks Al, and thanks for the Point.  I'll never buy bacon again!!
> And the carousel?  Wow, I've never had a ride on the carousel before.  That's a real honour (Canadian spelling  :mad:)
> Gary


Looking good! That bacon looks like a old pro made it.


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## redheelerdog (Nov 4, 2018)

Gary, I saw the carousel and said to myself: "Damn, now that's some text book bacon"

Looks delicious, I need to make some now!

Don't let any of those roughnecks get a wiff of that, you might be in trouble.

Great job!


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## ab canuck (Nov 4, 2018)

Hey Gary, It's been a busy go, I have been hearing it will pick up for most on Jan. 2019 supposedly will be busy. Election yr I guess.


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 4, 2018)

nanuk said:


> Are you KIDDING me????
> 
> Thanks for SHARING!
> 
> ...



Thanks nanuk.  I'd love to have it used as a background.
BTW, what's thermo-water??  That's a new one on me.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 4, 2018)

nimrod said:


> Looking good! That bacon looks like a old pro made it.



Thanks mimrod.
HaHa!!!  I'll have to make a whole bunch more bacon before I can even begin to think of myself as a pro.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 4, 2018)

redheelerdog said:


> Gary, I saw the carousel and said to myself: "Damn, now that's some text book bacon"
> 
> Looks delicious, I need to make some now!
> 
> ...



Thanks John.
I don't need to let anyone know about the bacon.  Out of the entire 1/2 belly, I only ended up with 1 1/2  pounds of bacon for myself--and we already ate 1 pound of it.  Time to start another batch.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 4, 2018)

ab canuck said:


> Hey Gary, It's been a busy go, I have been hearing it will pick up for most on Jan. 2019 supposedly will be busy. Election yr I guess.



Glad to hear you had a good summer, Charlie.  Hopefully at election time we can get the "other guys" back in power.  Then the patch should really pick up.
I'm heading up to Mayerthorpe in a week to start hauling logs for the winter.
Gary


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## ab canuck (Nov 4, 2018)

Drive Safe Gary, Who knows what this winter will have in store for us if it is anything like this fall / summer was.


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## nanuk (Nov 4, 2018)

GaryHibbert said:


> BTW, what's thermo-water??
> Gary



I have done what BearCarver said to do to get an accurate measurement of a refer temp

take a bottle of water, and insert a thermo probe into the center of it, and it will tell you very accurately what the temp is at that location.
for want of a better word.... Thermometer in water contracted to "Thermo-Water"


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## nanuk (Nov 5, 2018)

GaryHibbert said:


> Thanks John.
> I don't need to let anyone know about the bacon.  Out of the entire 1/2 belly, I only ended up with 1 1/2  pounds of bacon for myself--and we already ate 1 pound of it.  Time to start another batch.
> Gary



 Time to start another batch of pigs?


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## tallbm (Nov 5, 2018)

Wow nice!  You can't beat homemade bacon!
Once you want to try something a little different let me know and I'll tell you about "bacon cold cuts".  Pretty much the same idea but you walk the IT of the bacon slabs up to 145F. You slice and then you can fry like regular bacon or eat right out of the package like a cold cut :D


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## browneyesvictim (Nov 5, 2018)

Congratulations Gary! That looks simply exceptional to me. And the thickness of those slabs are incredible!


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## SonnyE (Nov 5, 2018)

Holy Moly!
That looks wonderful, Gary!
Must be the fall weather, I'm getting all geared up for bacon here.
Including Vermont Maple Sugar.
I'm rolling the dice on convincing the wife I can be Makin Bacon.
I'll be starting out small. Just a couple of slabs, I think.
Unless I go crazy at the meat counter (I usually do...) :D


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## Bearcarver (Nov 5, 2018)

OK Gary!!
Now you gotta make some of this!!
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/“bbbb”—bear’s-buckboard-bacon-pic-heavy.281107/

Bear


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 5, 2018)

pushok2018 said:


> Gary, this is nice looking bacon! I am sure it tastes exactly how it looks. I just wondering: were you keeping 100F temp for 11 hours, until you finished smoking?



Thanks pushok, and thanks for the Point.
Sorry I took so long to answer your question--just realized that my reply to you didn't post.
Yep, I just set my PID at 100F  and left the temp there throughout the entire smoke.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 5, 2018)

tallbm said:


> Wow nice!  You can't beat homemade bacon!
> Once you want to try something a little different let me know and I'll tell you about "bacon cold cuts".  Pretty much the same idea but you walk the IT of the bacon slabs up to 145F. You slice and then you can fry like regular bacon or eat right out of the package like a cold cut :D



Thanks tallbm, and thanks for the Point.
My next batch of bacon is going to be half regular and half Black Forest Bacon.  After that I'll give you a shout and we can talk about bacon cold cuts.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 5, 2018)

browneyesvictim said:


> Congratulations Gary! That looks simply exceptional to me. And the thickness of those slabs are incredible!



Thanks BrownEV, and thanks for the Point.
As soon as I saw those bellies after they came back from the butcher, I knew exactly what their future involved.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 5, 2018)

Bearcarver said:


> OK Gary!!
> Now you gotta make some of this!!
> https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/“bbbb”—bear’s-buckboard-bacon-pic-heavy.281107/
> 
> Bear



Funny you should mention that John.  I literally just came from your post before coming here.  I left you a question about BBBB, so I'll keep an eye on your post for the answer.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 5, 2018)

SonnyE said:


> Holy Moly!
> That looks wonderful, Gary!
> Must be the fall weather, I'm getting all geared up for bacon here.
> Including Vermont Maple Sugar.
> ...



Thanks Sonny.  It tastes just great.
Tell your wife that if I can make great bacon, so can you.  I just followed Bearcarver's Step by Step (except I cold smoked mine).  If you follow that, then you can add any flavor to it you want.
Gary


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## nanuk (Nov 6, 2018)

So if the USDA says to not use Cure#2 on bacon, is it really appropriate to use TQ on a bacon product?


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 6, 2018)

Very, very nice! I'm going to copy you this time. :D Did Al's recipe last. Good stuff!


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## browneyesvictim (Nov 6, 2018)

Oh boy... here we go again... :rolleyes:

Actually, that is a very good question nanuk. This was just discussed not too long ago here:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/cure-question.280045/


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## nanuk (Nov 6, 2018)

Thanks for the Link BEV.


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 6, 2018)

nanuk said:


> So if the USDA says to not use Cure#2 on bacon, is it really appropriate to use TQ on a bacon product?



I'm definitely not qualified to answer that question, but B.E.V. has you covered.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 6, 2018)

Rings Я Us said:


> Very, very nice! I'm going to copy you this time. :D Did Al's recipe last. Good stuff!



Thanks Johnny, and thanks for the Point.
Good to hear from you.  I was starting to wonder if you had fallen off the planet.
Gary


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## smokinq13 (Nov 7, 2018)

Im little late to the party but fantastic looking bacon! I've never did bacon but want to, i just want to wait til i get a slicer for ease of cutting it up

How much did you pay for your pork belly and where'd you get it from?


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## gary s (Nov 7, 2018)

Sorry I am so late,  Wow !!!  Fantastic looking Bacon, hard to believe it's your first.
Looked like an Old Pro. I was just talking to my BIL about getting some cheap bellies.
Now I'm really motivated   Great job my Friend

Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 7, 2018)

smokinq13 said:


> Im little late to the party but fantastic looking bacon! I've never did bacon but want to, i just want to wait til i get a slicer for ease of cutting it up
> 
> How much did you pay for your pork belly and where'd you get it from?



Thanks smoking13.
The whole belly cost $300.  But....the rest of the pig came with it.  LOL
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 7, 2018)

gary s said:


> Sorry I am so late,  Wow !!!  Fantastic looking Bacon, hard to believe it's your first.
> Looked like an Old Pro. I was just talking to my BIL about getting some cheap bellies.
> Now I'm really motivated   Great job my Friend
> 
> Gary



Thank you my friend, and thanks for the POINT
I just followed John's  (Bearcarver) Step By Step and it really turned out great.  Can't wait to start the next one.
Gary


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 16, 2018)

smokinq13 said:


> Im little late to the party but fantastic looking bacon! I've never did bacon but want to, i just want to wait til i get a slicer for ease of cutting it up
> 
> How much did you pay for your pork belly and where'd you get it from?



Just got one at a meat market here on Michigan . Was 10.5 lbs skin off at $3.59 per lb.


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## HalfSmoked (Nov 16, 2018)

Nice looking belly waiting to see the finish.

Warren


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 7, 2018)

Turned out great! :cool:


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