# Bacon View



## fatback joe (Dec 8, 2007)

Had a couple of pieces of belly that have officially become bacon now. The closest place around that has belly on a consistent basis always cuts them down to pieces between 1/2 and 1 lb......no big deal I guess, just makes more packages to deal with. Not sure why they do it that way......my Spanish was not good enough to understand what he told me. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 Just happy to have a place nearby that has belly for sale. 

Anyhow, I cured a couple of pieces (.60 lbs and .72lbs) using the basic dry cure recipe from Charcuterie for one piece and the basic cure + maple syrup for the other. The basic cure is just kosher salt, dextrose, and pink salt. I forgot to take pictures before I started, but here is how they looked after I smoked them last night. They cured for 6 days if I remember correctly.







Did a hot smoke with hickory......took about 3 hours to hit 150 internal in the little guys. Took them out and cooled them over night and sliced them this evening.







The pic is just of one of them sliced. Finished slicing the other, packaged up all but one slice of each and fried it up for the taste test.

Remarkably, they tasted like bacon. LOL One like regular bacon, and the other like maple flavored. The basic cure in the book would be a good starting place to add other flavors if anyone is looking for a starting point out there.


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## cowgirl (Dec 8, 2007)

Joe, that looks great!!


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## homebrew & bbq (Dec 8, 2007)

Looks good, FBJ! Home cured bacon is sounding interesting to me after hanging out here. 

That book is on my Christmas list so that should give me enough time to read through it before spring gets here. I may need to check back with you then.


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## fatback joe (Dec 8, 2007)

Thanks Patty. Like with most things that get posted here, the pics didn't do it justice.......but what can you do.....it's just bacon.

Homebrew,
The book is a good book. I got it through the library here first and knew right away that I wanted a copy. After a couple of renewals, I had to take it back......my wife got me a copy.....she said I looked lost without it. LOL


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## gramason (Dec 8, 2007)

Looks like it turned out great.


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## goat (Dec 8, 2007)

Nice bacon, Fatback.


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## bbq bubba (Dec 8, 2007)

Ya Joe, good lookin bacon!!


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## fatback joe (Dec 8, 2007)

Thanks Guys!


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## cajun_1 (Dec 8, 2007)

Great lookin' bacon.  Someday, somewhere, I'm agonna find some of that "pork belly".


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## fatback joe (Dec 8, 2007)

Start your search on the pig.  LOL  

Yeah, it can be tough to find.  Good luck!!


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## dysartsmoker (Dec 8, 2007)

great looking bacon joe wish I could have a taste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





:P  DT_Armataz_01_37:
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





:PDT_Armataz_0  1_37:


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## fatback joe (Dec 8, 2007)

Come on down.  I'll make more.


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## dysartsmoker (Dec 8, 2007)

wish I could and get out of this -30 c temps for the last week


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## fatback joe (Dec 8, 2007)

Supposed to be 82 here tomorrow.........still got to run the AC a little bit.


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## camp_cookie (Dec 8, 2007)

nice looking bacon


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## scotty (Dec 8, 2007)

You brag while we freeze up north Predicted high of 78 here. Almost too cold for shorts.


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## fatback joe (Dec 8, 2007)

LOL  Sorry about your luck, Yankee.


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## hawgheaven (Dec 8, 2007)

Wow, you Floridians have it tough I tell ya'! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  We're not as cold up here in Delaware as Dysartsmoker has it, but it is still cold!

Nice looking bacon FBJ!!


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## scotty (Dec 8, 2007)

I was trying to be nice swamp rat. It's going to 84 today


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## dingle (Dec 8, 2007)

It's bacon!! Looks awesome FBJ. Here I am at work wishing I was having breakfast.


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## hillbillysmoker (Dec 8, 2007)

Looks awesome. Thanks for sharing.


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## chadpole (Dec 8, 2007)

FBJ, that's some awsome bacon......I think you got it just right. Thanks for sharing!


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## smokin for life (Dec 8, 2007)

Great looking bacon FBJ. Wish I could find a supply for pork belly's, hell I can't even find butt's anymore. Found butt's once at Sam's but not any more. There's a little Amish store I never tried yet, then bring their stuff down from Lancaster Pa.to sell. Maybe I can talk them into bringing me some down, for the right price.


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## scotty (Dec 8, 2007)

He didnt share any with me.


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## deejaydebi (Dec 8, 2007)

Joe -

Looks good! Just ask the butcher to get you a slab uncut. The place I get them from does the same thing - I go straight to the butcher and ask for whole bellies and he gives the to me - whole.


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## ggnutsc (Dec 8, 2007)

Nice pics! Now I'm hungry. Our house is full of bacon addicts, so it never stays around too long. Based on the appearance I'm guesing your bacon will not be a long term resident of your fridge either..


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## sawman (Dec 8, 2007)

I finally did it . I got the pictures to work. I smoked bacon today. This its the smoker I build out of a bread warmer, and a old propane grill side burner. It works great so far. 
I had to ream the nozzle out a little. It was only 9600 btu.
so I went up to 11100 btu's. Works better now. I smoked a deer ham last week that waighted 10 lb.s Took 11 hours. Hope the pictures come out.


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## short one (Dec 8, 2007)

Sorry sawman, but all I got were red x's, no pics.


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## fatback joe (Dec 9, 2007)

I tried.....I think the language barrier was most of the problem.......but I ain't giving up. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   I'll bring a translator and keep trying, but in the meantime I will keep buying what they got.


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## vlap (Dec 9, 2007)

Joe,

Looks wonderful! I am wanting a blt right about now. Good work!!!


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