# First Bacon...



## kingt36 (Mar 19, 2014)

As I posted in another thread, I picked up 53 lbs of belly from Restaurant Depot a few weeks ago. A few days ago I managed to get one of the bellies, about 10 lbs, separated and cut into four manageable pieces.













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Yesterday,I cut off the skin and got the pieces in Pop's brine.













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Originally, I wanted to dry cure half of it, but that would require a digital scale.

I'm going to give it 14 days in the brine and then move forward from there...


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## woodcutter (Mar 19, 2014)

I don't think you will ever be purchasing store bought bacon anymore.


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## mneeley490 (Mar 19, 2014)

Nice! Up here, RD sells 50 lb.+/- boxes of skin-on for $2.05 lb. Same in Atlanta?


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## smoking b (Mar 19, 2014)

Good start  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   You are going to be hooked now!!


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## dave17a (Mar 19, 2014)

mneeley490 said:


> Nice! Up here, RD sells 50 lb.+/- boxes of skin-on for $2.05 lb. Same in Atlanta?


Paid 3.19 here. As you have seen, meaty as can be. 3.19 per #. Rubs, brine, which is nothing, pellets for cold smpking avaridged 3.64 a #


kingt36 said:


> As I posted in another thread, I picked up 53 lbs of belly from Restaurant Depot a few weeks ago. A few days ago I managed to get one of the bellies, about 10 lbs, separated and cut into four manageable pieces.
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Good job. Don't be afraid of dry cure!


mneeley490 said:


> Nice! Up here, RD sells 50 lb.+/- boxes of skin-on for $2.05 lb. Same in Atlanta?


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## deuce (Mar 19, 2014)

53# of bacon?? 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Thats Awesome! Cant go wrong with Pops Brine, I love it!


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## kingt36 (Mar 19, 2014)

mneeley490 said:


> Nice! Up here, RD sells 50 lb.+/- boxes of skin-on for $2.05 lb. Same in Atlanta?



I paid 2.53 a pound. Most of it looks pretty good. I'm excited and have already grown impatient...lol


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## kingt36 (Mar 27, 2014)

So, tomorrow is day 10 in the brine. On either tomorrow or Saturday, I will take the belly out, rinse it, pat it dry, cut a couple of pieces to test, season with fresh cracked pepper and sit in fridge overnight. 

Is that the right process?


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## foamheart (Mar 27, 2014)

kingt36 said:


> So, tomorrow is day 10 in the brine. On either tomorrow or Saturday, I will take the belly out, rinse it, pat it dry, cut a couple of pieces to test, season with fresh cracked pepper and sit in fridge overnight.
> 
> Is that the right process?


Sounds good to me. There is two schools of thought, smoke with the rind and remove the rind after smoke, or remove it prior to the smoke. One way you get a good piece of sow belly for the bean pot, the other you get more smoke on the bacon.


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## kingt36 (Mar 28, 2014)

Yeah, I removed the skin before I put it in the brine. I think I'm going to take it out now. How long should it sit in the fridge to form the pellicle?


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## daveomak (Mar 28, 2014)

kingt36 said:


> Yeah, I removed the skin before I put it in the brine. I think I'm going to take it out now. How long should it sit in the fridge to form the pellicle?




Put it in front of a fan to form the pellicle...  I lay mine in the MES and fire up the fan for a few hours.....    Be sure to rinse it and dry well first with paper towels....  That speeds up the pellicle formation....  

Dave

In cold weather, I use a heater and fan.....













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## kingt36 (Mar 31, 2014)

Took the belly out of the brine last night, which gave it about 12 days in. I rinsed it, patted it dry and did the test fry. It wasn't too salty at all, in fact, I could have used a little more salt.

I trimmed it a little more and put some cracked black pepper on both sides of half it the belly then stuck it back in the fridge overnight.













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## kingt36 (Mar 31, 2014)

I'm preparing the smoker. I'm using my old BBQ Grillware propane unit as a cold smoker. I'm trying to figure out the best way to position the 5x8 AMNPS. I took two photos of the only ways I can think to do it and wanted to ask of you which would be the best, or if there is another configuration. I plan to put some ice in the metal bowl.

In this photo I sat the AMNPS on top of the burner. The burner will not be used. There are several holes around the burner allowing for air flow.













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In this photo, I sat the burner catty corner across the opening above the burner.













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I'm open to any suggestions..

Thanks!


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## kingt36 (Mar 31, 2014)

I wanted to go ahead and get the belly smoking so I went with the catty corner atop the burner opening. So far so good...the AMNPS is filled with just under a pound of pitmaster's choice pellets.













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## mneeley490 (Mar 31, 2014)

Looks good so far!


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## kingt36 (Mar 31, 2014)

I haven't gotten to this point yet, but when you take the bacon out of the smoker to mellow in the fridge, do you put it in a bag, or just let it sit on the rack in the fridge?


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## Bearcarver (Mar 31, 2014)

kingt36 said:


> I haven't gotten to this point yet, but when you take the bacon out of the smoker to mellow in the fridge, do you put it in a bag, or just let it sit on the rack in the fridge?


I like to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to keep any good tasting fumes from escaping!!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bear


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## mneeley490 (Mar 31, 2014)

I let it cool, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, otherwise, everything in your fridge will smell like smoke. That's okay if you have a dedicated fridge just for that, but I don't.


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## dave17a (Mar 31, 2014)

l


kingt36 said:


> I haven't gotten to this point yet, but when you take the bacon out of the smoker to mellow in the fridge, do you put it in a bag, or just let it sit on the rack in the fridge?


Got a dedicated beer fridge in the basement, and kids pop. Haven't had an issue, putting on cooling racks or just fridge racks even on cure, just fine, no bags. Just don't put your water glass in there. Don't liked smoked water really


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## kingt36 (Mar 31, 2014)

After 7.5 hours I removed the bacon from the smoker. I was planning to refrigerate it over night and smoke it some more tomorrow, however excitement and that it smelled plenty smoky took over so I wrapped it and stuck it in the fridge to mellow out. I'm thinking I'll move to the next step on Wednesday...













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## kingt36 (Apr 3, 2014)

Got it all sliced up tonight. We fried a few of the "regular" and some of the black pepper...it was good. I went on the low end of the salt and think I'm going to up that. Otherwise, I'm very happy with the smoke flavor and will be doing another batch real soon!













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## smoking b (Apr 3, 2014)

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Looks good man - you have bacon!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






    Now that you know you can do it you won't have to worry about running out  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Also you can always add a little salt to the pan while you're frying it up if it needs it...


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Apr 3, 2014)

IMHO, that looks amazing !!  I really wanna give bacon a try here shortly, love bacon....  Very nice job !!  :sausage:    Thumbs Up


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## deansomers (Apr 3, 2014)

Nice bacon


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## Bearcarver (Apr 4, 2014)

Looks Great, King!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Make sure you have plenty when BLT season gets here!!!

Bear


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## kingt36 (Apr 4, 2014)

Thanks everyone!

Bear...What do you mean "...when BLT season gets here?" I thought it was always BLT season! :)


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## Bearcarver (Apr 4, 2014)

kingt36 said:


> Thanks everyone!
> 
> Bear...What do you mean "...when BLT season gets here?" I thought it was always BLT season! :)


We can't get good tomatoes around here, except from the garden, and that isn't a very long season.

I hate having cardboard store bought tomatoes in the same Sammy with my Bacon.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bear


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## kgb1 (Apr 4, 2014)

Very Nice.  Beautiful bacon, great description on your posts, I love all the QView.  I'm getting ready to try my first bacon smoke shortly.  I'm hoping I get the same great results.


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