# Cold Smoked Bacon-1st Time



## sladerummel (Oct 8, 2013)

I ended up buying a whole hog and told the butcher to just cut it up and don't do anything to it. With this hog I want to try my own bacon as well as doing my own hams. With the ground meat I will experiment with sausages and other stuff. It was time to do the hog. I used pop's recipe. It is simple and delicous. I couldnt ask for better results. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927-s-wet-curing-brine   I brined it for 12 days in a turkey brining bag which was inserted into a 5 gallon bucket. I then cut a slab of and tested it on that 12th day. It was a little salty (I could have eaten it no problem) so i soaked it in water for 1 hr and changed the water after 30 min. I then patted it dry added some ground pepper and let it sit in the fridge for a couple days before smoking it. On the day I was smoking it was 42 degrees out and i had two AmazeN smokers in my WSM with Apple and Hickery dust. I did add a dozen or so briquettes to get the smoker up to a max of 107 degrees but tried to let it stay anywhere from 70-85 degrees. I then took it off and let it sit in the fridge for a couple days. On slicing day i put it in the freezer for a little over an hour and here is the final result.













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## woodcutter (Oct 9, 2013)

Nice looking bacon! Nice color. Your going to really like those hams if you you pop's brine.


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## s2k9k (Oct 9, 2013)

The bacon looks Great!!!


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## chilefarmer (Oct 9, 2013)

Bacon looks might good, I like lean bacon. Nice CF


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## chilefarmer (Oct 9, 2013)

Bacon looks might good, I like lean bacon. Nice CF


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## sladerummel (Oct 9, 2013)

Thanks for the comments.

I put the ham in the brine the same day I put this bacon in the brine. The only thing i am worried about is that I never injected it with the brine. Is that going to give me any issues???


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## themule69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Bacon looks GREAT! nice color and nice slicing job. I take it you used a knife? You said it was a little salty. How much salt did you use? I use 1/3 cup per gallon. Never had a salt issue.

Happy smoken.

David


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## woodcutter (Oct 9, 2013)

SladeRummel said:


> Thanks for the comments.
> 
> I put the ham in the brine the same day I put this bacon in the brine. The only thing i am worried about is that I never injected it with the brine. Is that going to give me any issues???


What piece of meat did you use for the ham?


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## smokinhusker (Oct 9, 2013)

Great looking bacon!!! 

I'm guessing the ham was a bone in - not injecting the brine around the bone might cause some issues from what I have read.

Here's a good thread on curing from beginning to end

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/89979/from-hog-leg-to-easter-ham


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## sladerummel (Oct 9, 2013)

I have a cheap slicer that I use. It does a decent job for the price. And I used 1 cup of salt per gallon. Next time i will probably use half that.


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## sladerummel (Oct 9, 2013)

I used the back leg/ham minus the lower shank. It was bone in.


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## disco (Oct 9, 2013)

There is no mistaken, that's great bacon. The Qview is great too.

Disco


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 10, 2013)

Great Looking Bacon. Your bone in ham not injected may be an issue. I'd PM Pop's and ask him if it's salvageable.


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## daveomak (Oct 10, 2013)

If the ham leg has been in the brine for 12+ days, I'm guessing you have "bone sour" and it is probably no good..... For safety reason, read the link below......  

http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making/curing/methods


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## diamondmarco (Oct 11, 2013)

Awesome results.

This is on my "to do next" list.

Thanks for sharing.


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## link (Oct 11, 2013)

That looks really good. I think I may give this a try soon as it has gotten colder here now.


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## foamheart (Oct 11, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> If the ham leg has been in the brine for 12+ days, I'm guessing you have "bone sour" and it is probably no good..... For safety reason, read the link below......
> 
> http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making/curing/methods


Really good info Dave!


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