# Cold Smoke Bacon Question



## fishwrestler (Jul 17, 2010)

Good Evening Folks,

I am attempting my first Bacon smoke.

I have brined a Pork Belly for 14 days in the BBB brine. I fry tested it let it soak to remove some salt then did another fry taste. The wife and kids said it was good to go. So I put it in my smoker with my cold smoke generator about 7:30 pm west coast time. The smoke is going and the temp is about 90 degs inside the smoker.

My question is do I just continue giving it smoke for a total of 12 hours. When cold smoking I think its alright that the temp is at 90. Please let me know if I am correct. I am a little concerned I am not doing this right.

Thank you
Robert


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## pineywoods (Jul 17, 2010)

Sounds like things are going well and anything under 100 degrees is fine and shouldn't render the fat out of the bacon. As for the amount of time that kinda goes by looks and how much smoke you want. I do most of my bellies 9-10 hours using pecan and cherry but know others go longer and some go for shorter times.

After smoking let it sit in the fridge for awhile to let the smoke meld I try to let mine go a day or two before slicing if I can.


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## fishwrestler (Jul 17, 2010)

OK,

Thanks, I feel much better. My plan is to check it every hour and give it a good 12 hours. started out with apple may throw some cherry in a little later tonight.

Thanks again,

I feel much better about it now :) was goign to say now I can sleep lol but I can't will be up ever hour checking smoke.

Robert


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## pineywoods (Jul 17, 2010)

Oh but that bacon will be so worth the missed sleep. Be warned tho after tasting it you will have to make more


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## fishwrestler (Jul 17, 2010)

Hell I was hooked after the fry test even before smoking it :)


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## bbqfarmer (Dec 24, 2010)

I have smoked a lot of belly bacon.  First, you do not need to brine it for 14 days.  Usually about a week is good.  Then, you should rinse it off and preheat your smoker to about 120 F and put it into your smoker with the dampers wide open.  You want to dry it out and form a skin on it called the pellicle.  Then you can start to smoke.  I use a smokepistol www.smokepistol.com and it works great for this because the smoke output is adjustable.  Then you need to close the dampers about 1/2 way and start smoking with medium to heavy smoke.  Raise the temp of your smoker to about 135 F while smoking for about 2 hours.  Then close your dampers a bit more and raise the temp of your smoker to about 165 F and keep smoking with light smoke unitl the bacon temp reaches 130F.  Don't let it get too hot in your smoker because the fat melts at about 170 F.  After smoking place the bacon in the fridge and let it cool over night.  Then you can slice it and wrap.  I hope this helps.  Good luck.


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## pineywoods (Dec 24, 2010)

BBQFarmer said:


> I have smoked a lot of belly bacon.  First, you do not need to brine it for 14 days.  Usually about a week is good.  Then, you should rinse it off and preheat your smoker to about 120 F and put it into your smoker with the dampers wide open.  You want to dry it out and form a skin on it called the pellicle.  Then you can start to smoke.  I use a smokepistol www.smokepistol.com and it works great for this because the smoke output is adjustable.  Then you need to close the dampers about 1/2 way and start smoking with medium to heavy smoke.  Raise the temp of your smoker to about 135 F while smoking for about 2 hours.  Then close your dampers a bit more and raise the temp of your smoker to about 165 F and keep smoking with light smoke unitl the bacon temp reaches 130F.  Don't let it get too hot in your smoker because the fat melts at about 170 F.  After smoking place the bacon in the fridge and let it cool over night.  Then you can slice it and wrap.  I hope this helps.  Good luck.




 Why do you smoke your bacon at those temps and why does it need to reach 130?  Many of us cold smoke bacon and the smoker nor the bacon ever get near those temps. A pellicle can also be formed by putting the bacon in front of a fan until it forms


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## Bearcarver (Dec 29, 2010)

BBQFarmer said:


> I have smoked a lot of belly bacon.  First, you do not need to brine it for 14 days.  Usually about a week is good.  Then, you should rinse it off and preheat your smoker to about 120 F and put it into your smoker with the dampers wide open.  You want to dry it out and form a skin on it called the pellicle.  Then you can start to smoke.  I use a smokepistol www.smokepistol.com and it works great for this because the smoke output is adjustable.  Then you need to close the dampers about 1/2 way and start smoking with medium to heavy smoke.  Raise the temp of your smoker to about 135 F while smoking for about 2 hours.  Then close your dampers a bit more and raise the temp of your smoker to about 165 F and keep smoking with light smoke unitl the bacon temp reaches 130F.  Don't let it get too hot in your smoker because the fat melts at about 170 F.  After smoking place the bacon in the fridge and let it cool over night.  Then you can slice it and wrap.  I hope this helps.  Good luck.


What type of cure are you using?

Only a week in cure?   

Are your bellies only 1 1/2" thick or less?

What is your formula for calculating how much cure to use & how long to cure a belly for Bacon?

Do you have any pictures of any of those Bacons you have smoked.

We all love our Qview here!

Thanks,

Bearcarver


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