# Bacon, Bacon, Bacon ~ Foamheart



## foamheart (Oct 30, 2019)

I had some pork loin without a home a couple a weeks ago and then saw some actually bellies, not just sides on sale!!  Don't push and shove plenty of room here. 

Something a bit different on the belly this time. I added the leftover cooked pickling brine from the cowboy candy (pickled jalapenos), to the cure brine. I am not a nut about jalapenos, but its a nice aroma to the meat.














Under the fan trying to even improve that pellicle while preheating the smoker and getting the Aux smoker set up, filled and started.







A couple of hours in and just starting to take some smoke.







I am thinking its pretty but I want MORE! Will hit it again tomorrow. But they are starting to look good aren't they ????


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## Hawging It (Oct 30, 2019)

They sure are!!


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## jcam222 (Oct 30, 2019)

Looking great!! I have to start paying more attention to forming a good pellicle for mine.


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## bmudd14474 (Oct 30, 2019)

Looks good. What cure process did you use?


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## pc farmer (Oct 30, 2019)

Looking good.  What wood?  Pecan or cob?


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## Misplaced Nebraskan (Oct 30, 2019)

Looking great so far!  The brine sounds awesome for this.


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## foamheart (Oct 30, 2019)

Hawging It said:


> They sure are!!



Thank you!


jcam222 said:


> Looking great!! I have to start paying more attention to forming a good pellicle for mine.



Thanks!

Woodcutter made a believer outta me about pellicles. It makes all the difference.


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## foamheart (Oct 30, 2019)

bmudd14474 said:


> Looks good. What cure process did you use?



Thanks

I used Pop's Dad's, Fassett's brine cure. I put another belly in today. I really wanted to try a dry rub but its just too easy to jump out there with what you're used to. Everytime I want to dry rub I just procrastinate long enough to need a quick fix.


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## foamheart (Oct 30, 2019)

pc farmer said:


> Looking good.  What wood?  Pecan or cob?



Thanks Adam

Cob and apple, not sure about tomorrow yet. Will be the same or pecan. For some reason I like cob/apple on pork and pecan on fowl


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## foamheart (Oct 30, 2019)

Misplaced Nebraskan said:


> View attachment 409842
> 
> 
> Looking great so far!  The brine sounds awesome for this.



Thanks.

I like trying different stuff and the cowboy candy juice tasted great, I can smell it on the slab so hope it tastes good on the bacon.


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## tropics (Oct 31, 2019)

Looks great to me
Richie


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## SmokinAl (Oct 31, 2019)

Looks real good already!
Will be interested in seeing how much more color you get the second day.
I only do mine for 10 hours & only for one day. That seems to suit our taste.
Al


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 31, 2019)

Nice start this is going to be a great finish.

Warren


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## tx smoker (Oct 31, 2019)

Man....that's some good looking stuff!! Big LIKE. Can't wait to see round 2. When I made my first batch almost 2 years ago, I chopped the end pieces up (the stuff that wouldn't slice nicely) and made them into crumbles. Turns out that we use as many or more of the crumbles as we do the sliced bacon. I am down to 1 small bag of them left in the freezer and remembered that I had half a belly in the freezer so put it on to cure about a week ago. The weight was just over 5# and that entire thing is gonna get chopped up for crumbles after I smoke it this weekend. Hopefully that will carry us over for a while.

Loving some bacon!!
Robert


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## gmc2003 (Oct 31, 2019)

That looks excellent Kevin. I've got my first attempt at belly bacon sitting in the refrigerator now. Followed Disco instructions. I'm hoping I didn't screw it up and it comes out looking half as good as yours does.

Point for sure
Chris


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## tropics (Oct 31, 2019)

I just made another half gallon of Pops Brine for Corned Beef
Richie


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## tx smoker (Oct 31, 2019)

gmc2003 said:


> That looks excellent Kevin. I've got my first attempt at belly bacon sitting in the refrigerator now. Followed Disco instructions. I'm hoping I didn't screw it up and it comes out looking half as good as yours does.



If you followed Disco's instructions, fear not. It'll be fantastic!! I can only bet that everybody that's done it has the same fear of screwing it up. I know I did but it was for naught. The bacon was excellent and I still thank Disco every time  I get a pack out to cook.

Robert


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## Smokin' in AZ (Oct 31, 2019)

Like! Foamheart....waiting.


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

tropics said:


> Looks great to me
> Richie



Thanks Richie


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

SmokinAl said:


> Looks real good already!
> Will be interested in seeing how much more color you get the second day.
> I only do mine for 10 hours & only for one day. That seems to suit our taste.
> Al



Thanks Al, oh and tell Ms Judy happy happy!

I know, I found too that I had been adding what I thought was too much smoke. I was wanting More instead of just getting what I liked.  And today I am sadly temped to stop where it is cause its cold and raining outside. And the reefer smelled so good when I opened the door this morning. LOL


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Nice start this is going to be a great finish.
> 
> Warren



Thanks Warren.


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

tx smoker said:


> Man....that's some good looking stuff!! Big LIKE. Can't wait to see round 2. When I made my first batch almost 2 years ago, I chopped the end pieces up (the stuff that wouldn't slice nicely) and made them into crumbles. Turns out that we use as many or more of the crumbles as we do the sliced bacon. I am down to 1 small bag of them left in the freezer and remembered that I had half a belly in the freezer so put it on to cure about a week ago. The weight was just over 5# and that entire thing is gonna get chopped up for crumbles after I smoke it this weekend. Hopefully that will carry us over for a while.
> 
> Loving some bacon!!
> Robert



Thank you, yeah old Disco is a good guy to emulate.

d'Bear said, "you never trim till its cured and smoked" for a reason. Pop did it that way but never had though of a why. Trim is so good in red beans and rice. My only problem is I do lots of seasoning meats, tasso, andouille, hocks, hams, I know there's more... LOL

Bacon







Trim!


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

gmc2003 said:


> That looks excellent Kevin. I've got my first attempt at belly bacon sitting in the refrigerator now. Followed Disco instructions. I'm hoping I didn't screw it up and it comes out looking half as good as yours does.
> 
> Point for sure
> Chris



Thanks, and I have another now in the brine.

I do a brine cure I would imagine Disco does a rub. So does d'Bear, I just got started using Mr Fassett's brine cure and its just second nature now. You mix a bucket full of brine cure and if it fits in the bucket its good and you can do mixed items.    

I want to do a rub because I keep hearing its better. I want to decide if its really better tasting or it better cause you have to handle it alot. Its like a turkey, you smell it cooking for so long when you finally get to eat some its that much better because of the anticipation!  Some day I'll rub one.


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

tropics said:


> I just made another half gallon of Pops Brine for Corned Beef
> Richie



Ya know Richie, it must be nice to live where you can get good fresh rye bread. I have to make my own! I do love corned beef and taters/cabbage, but I can't stop till I get a reuben!


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

Smokin' in AZ said:


> Like! Foamheart....waiting.



Thank you.


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

OK, so here's after the second day. The pictures don't reflect the small amount of added color to well but the aroma!! I get up and go open the reefer just to get a smell! Its not the usually ashtray smoke smell that needs to smooth day a day or two to be wonderful, its amazing now! Thinking of chopping it up and just hanging it around the house as air freshener!!

























Ya know I bet I could sell that whole piece of bacon for a dollar a pound out by the road. The canadian bacon, probably 5.00 for that piece. You could hang that Canadian bacon from the rear view mirror as a car air freshener. I know all the neighborhood dogs would follow you home, even with the windows up!

Thinking maybe about rubbing some of that smell behind my ear and seeing what or who I'd catch.....


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## pc farmer (Oct 31, 2019)

Looks great.  I would buy that for 10 bucks a lb for sure.

Going to smoke anymore on these?


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

pc farmer said:


> Looks great.  I would buy that for 10 bucks a lb for sure.
> 
> Going to smoke anymore on these?



Thanks man!

I don't know..... I fell asleep today while smoking, I woke up, ran outside thinking it was probably ruined. You can't trust that dang Chinese smoke box...LOL Its smells so good..... I'll see what I think tomorrow.

I put another piece in the brine yesterday although it doesn't have any jalapeno juices in it.


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## Fueling Around (Oct 31, 2019)

Looks great.

Wondering how you did the first and second smoke as in smoker, temps, times, rest time and temp between smokes, etc.

Firm user of pellicule. I don't rush it.  Mine sits in a dedicated meat (and beer) fridge for 1-3 days until it "feels" ready.


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## foamheart (Oct 31, 2019)

Thank you

Pellicle is most important, as is the brine and the rub.

I smoke as usual, its just a warm smoke vice what I consider a hot smoke.

I always preheat to 275, no matter even if I am going to maintain a 100 degree chamber temp with the meat. 

Add the meat, you have to warm the meat and drop the temperature to where you think you want it. it will start the de-watering cycle. 30 to 45 mins, while the chamber cools to the smoking temp. 

During this time I use no smoke, leave the door cracked and all vents wide open. Water, condensate and moisture are all killers of good smoke adhesion. 

During this 30 to 45 mins, while the box cools down and we get rid of all the moisture, I prep and light the aux soke generator if using a pellet type so it will be well lite and ready to do its job or I fill the aux smoke generator on the chamber so its ready to go with either pecan shells or wood chips. 

I seldom use the remote thermometer anymore except to check the chamber temp. I have done it one or two times now. The Thermometer is great for new ideas, learning, or just something different and unusual. But after a while you just know.

After dewater I leave the door on crack if using the Large Oval tube from amazing, if the tray, 6"tube, or the MES aux smoke generator I latch the door and I am looking to maintain 90 to 130 degree in the chamber. 

Today here was cold and wet, I was using a MES 40, with the large oval tube, I had the chamber temp set at 100 with the door cracked and it just cadillac'd just like it knew exactly what it was supposed to do. The meat was warm while smoking but not hot and no visible signs of rendering. 

Had I used the MES aux smoker I would have closed the door. It would not have given off as much heat, nor would it have been as close to the meat. 

I can tell you what I do, but every smoker or pit is different. Every person who smokes does it different. You just have to enjoy the experience of practicing, that what gets you were you want to be. There is always a sweet spot you've just got to find it. While doing so, you get to eat a lot of good food, safe if you learn with a remote thermometer, drink a lot of libations, understand some great conversations, while doing all this. Smoking is a lazy mans cooking, its 25% prep and 75% patience. Hell an illiterate cave man could do it. 

I don't do time and temp., its all depends on the day you smoke. Feel the meat, smell the wood, look at the smoke, check the pellicle, how long was in in the reefer, etc etc etc....

Have fun and enjoy the smoking.


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## Fueling Around (Nov 1, 2019)

Outstanding write up.

I hope everyone pays attention to the moisture issue.

I was most interested on how you rest the meat between day 1 and day 2 of smoking.  I've never smoked and then smoked again.


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