# Pops Brine and Cold Smoke?....Pops Brine and Hot Smoke??....Cure and Cold Smoke???....Cure and Hot S



## inkjunkie (Feb 13, 2015)

Got a headache thinking about this stuff. Trying to apply logic to this stuff, perhaps that is the issue?? Cold smoke, if I am reading this

http://www.meatsandsausages.com/meat-smoking/cold-smoking

right removes moisture, correct? Going to go out on a limb here and say that after removing bellies from a 15 day bath in Pops Brine that some of the liquid from the brine has been absorbed by the bellies. If this is the case is cold smoking bellies soaked in Pops Brine a good idea? One would think that between the moisture from the belly combined with the moisture from the Brine the drying effect of cold smoke is going to be a very long drawn out process? If one were to cold smoke after using Pops Brine I would think that there would be a lot of condensation dripping from the bellies....perhaps creating some black creosote drips on anything that may be beneath a particular belly?

Is any of the above even remotely true? Or am I suffering from sleep deprivation?

If it is true....as a general rule something soaked in a Brine should be Hot Smoked? Only things "cured" using a "dry rub" should be cold smoked? Hmmm......seems like I am spending more and more time in the State of Confusion.....


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## pc farmer (Feb 13, 2015)

Pull the bellies and let them try in the fridge for 24 hours then warm smoke them. 

That will allow the moisture to dry out of them a bit.

I warm smoke dry cured all the time.


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## inkjunkie (Feb 13, 2015)

c farmer said:


> Pull the bellies and let them try in the fridge for 24 hours then warm smoke them.
> 
> That will allow the moisture to dry out of them a bit.
> 
> I warm smoke dry cured all the time.


But do you "cold smoke" "wet cured"? I would think that this would result in a lot of dripping....


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## pc farmer (Feb 13, 2015)

I have cold smoked bacon from pops brine.

I like the texture of warm smoking better.   The bacon firms up nice when warm smoked.


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## diggingdogfarm (Feb 13, 2015)

You'll get all sorts of answers regarding cold smoking vs. warm or hot smoking.
I only cold smoke (75 degrees of less) bacon because I prefer the flavor, it keeps better and warm or hot smoked bacon is prone to nasty *"warmed over"* flavor and that's something I DEFINITELY don't want in my bacon. Warm or hot smoking is okay (if you like that flavor) if you're going to eat the bacon relatively soon.
Don't over think it, try some different things and decide what you like best.
*There are many ways to cure and smoke meat...it's an art..there is NO way that's perfect for everyone!!!!!!*

Don't take the "cold smoking dries" statement too literally....yes, traditional cold smoking was/is a preservation method where meats are smoked for several days or even weeks to dry out the meat...that's the idea.
Short term cold smoking is another story...there should be little if any drying...it's all in the technique.


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## daveomak (Feb 14, 2015)

Yep.....  what Martin said....


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## dave17a (Feb 15, 2015)

Done Pop's and dry. Smoked it all the same way. No complaints here.


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## jraiona (Feb 16, 2015)

What temp do you hot smoke the bacon at?


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