# 1st attempt.



## wurkenman (Nov 24, 2016)

bacon (1).jpg



__ wurkenman
__ Nov 24, 2016






I am new to this forum. I am new to smoking too. I found a Little Chief electric smoker for 23 bucks and decided I wanted to try my hand at some homemade bacon. I picked up some pork belly at my local meat market and proceeded to prep. I searched online for a recipe and settled on one I liked. That was before I stumbled onto this forum. Here is the finished product from my cheap little smoker. I took a few samples to share with my c0 workers and it seems I got lucky my first time out.

Thanks for listening.

Terry


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## SmokinAl (Nov 24, 2016)

Your bacon looks fantastic!

Your lucky to get a belly that thick!

Nice job on your first try!

Al


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## wade (Nov 24, 2016)

Hi Wurkenman

The bacon looks good. What was the recipe that you used


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## wurkenman (Nov 24, 2016)

I used this. I looked at a lot of different ones before I settled on this. I adjusted the ingredients from the 1 pound to the 3 pounds I made.

1 pound pork belly

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pink salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

3 cups distilled water ( I used regular tap water, I'm on a well)

The only change I made from the above was to put in 2 tablespoons of a 6 pepper spice blend.

The few co workers that tried it said they all liked it.

I plan on making a permanent smoker behind my shed this summer. I think I have a bew hobby and it involves food. I couldn't be happier.

Terry


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## redheelerdog (Nov 24, 2016)

That looks great, If I could get belly that thick I would be buying more.

Nice job.


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## wurkenman (Nov 24, 2016)

This is the recipe I used. I searched for a while online before settling on this. This was before I found this forum.

1 pound pork belly

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pink salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

3 cups distilled water ( I used regular tap water, I'm on a well)

The only change I made from the above was to put in 2 tablespoons of a 6 pepper spice blend.


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## wurkenman (Nov 26, 2016)

The first batch was an experiment.  Looks like it was a success.  I will be getting 20 pounds of pork belly and seeing if I can replicate. 

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## akdutchguy (Nov 26, 2016)

Nice color on the bacon. How long did you smoke it for?  What wood?  I've made a few batches and still can't get good color on it. Nice job.
Jason


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## wurkenman (Nov 26, 2016)

That was about 8 hours outside in my Little Chief electric smoker.  Temp was about 25 degrees and I wrapped or in some insulation. I used hickory chips. 

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## akdutchguy (Nov 27, 2016)

Looks great. What was your chamber temp? It's been a while since I used my little chief. I tried to do a brisket once in January. It was cold. That poor thing couldn't get warm enough to do much. Ended up putting it in the oven. You will never willingly buy store bought bacon ever again. 
Jason


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## wurkenman (Nov 27, 2016)

I don't know what the chamber temp was. I also learned that the chips in the pan don't last long after you get heavy smoke.


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## akdutchguy (Nov 27, 2016)

I have never hot smoked any bacon. I perfer the cold smoke. My suggestion would be to ask santa for a nice digital thermometer like a thermoworks smoke or a maverick 732. It will make you a better smoker. Most meals if not all are cooked to a certain temperature. 
Jason


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## wurkenman (Nov 27, 2016)

This was my first try,  just to see if I could.  This little smoker doesn't heat heat up that much,  especially with the outside temps. I will definitely do more.  Plans are this summer to build a smokehouse behind my garden shed. 

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## akdutchguy (Nov 27, 2016)

My plan is to do the same. I am in the process of getting a commercial operation going. It's just going really slow. I will be building birch smokehouse hopefully in the summer as well. Your first try looks really good. I'm glad it turned out well. My first couple batches were less than stellar. 
Jason


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## mdgirlinfl (Nov 28, 2016)

Nice looking bacon!


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## wurkenman (Nov 30, 2016)

Thanks for all the replies.  I will be getting some more meat soon and doing a bigger batch now that I have the first attempt out of the way. One batch will get some jalapeño or habenero. 

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## browneyesvictim (Nov 30, 2016)

I have had and used big and little chiefs for many years- mostly for jerky and fish. Never did do any bacon in it, but would have if I knew what I know now. I gave my Chief away to my nephew when I got my Masterbuilt. But I see no reason you couldn't cold smoke using an AMNPS where the chip pan goes on the heating element and don't plug your Chief in. Little Chiefs are BEST at cold smoking in my opinion.

As for HOT smoking, I have smoked a whole turkey in a Little Chief before, also done several pulled pork shoulders that turn out delicious in them! I learned you can increase the temperatures by adding one or a couple  briquettes in with your wood chips. Be careful, because the unit gets hot; especially near the bottom, so watch what you put it on or around and DONT use the cardboard box to insulate it! One time I did a pork shoulder during the work week and had to leave for work,  So I set it up on my front porch near the front door (covered area) and set it on a couple bricks. I came home at lunchtime to add more briquettes and chips. As I roll up to the house, I see there is pretty heavy white smoke coming out of the porch, thinking, wow that's quite a bit of smoke to still be going from this morning! As I get closer, I see that the wood decking 2x4's the bricks are setting on are on fire and smoldering, and the whole smoker area about 3 feed in diameter is about to fall through the porch! Glad I came home at lunch! I brought that Q to work with me the next day and told the story of what happened, and they deemed my BBQ from then on, "Pulled Porch Barbeque"!


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## wurkenman (Nov 30, 2016)

Looks like you got lucky.  I use mine outside my garage setting on cinder blocks.  For hot smoking/cooking I use my Vision ceramic grill. 

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