# Bacon 1st timer Pops Brine Finished W/Pics



## tropics (Jan 13, 2015)

On the bucket list so here is my first try, pick up a 3.75 lb piece of Belly meat skin on, so I skinned it like I would do a fish, actually easier then some fish.



Mixed up 1/2 gal pops 

nice looking piece of meat


Will be waiting for 10 to 14 days have to watch the weather

see ya in 2 weeks.

Thanks for all the help with your post guys


----------



## daveomak (Jan 13, 2015)

:popcorn


----------



## bear55 (Jan 13, 2015)

Watching...


----------



## disco (Jan 19, 2015)

I'm in!








Disco


----------



## joopster (Jan 19, 2015)

Let's do it.


----------



## daveomak (Jan 19, 2015)

Everyone's waiting.....













vultures in a line.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Jan 19, 2015
__ 1


----------



## crankybuzzard (Jan 19, 2015)

Nice Dave, nice!  :sausage:


----------



## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 19, 2015)

Gonna be good! What's the skin going to be used for? Human treats or dog treats???


----------



## tropics (Jan 19, 2015)

It is only 7 days in the cure, I turn and rub it every morning. Brine is still nice amber color, only thing I didn't do was remove the bones,will do that for my fry test.

Skin went to the trash this time, I know my bad.


----------



## chewmeister (Jan 23, 2015)

tropics said:


> It is only 7 days in the cure, I turn and rub it every morning. Brine is still nice amber color, only thing I didn't do was remove the bones,will do that for my fry test.
> 
> Skin went to the trash this time, I know my bad.


Bones?


----------



## gary s (Jan 23, 2015)

We will be waiting 

gary


----------



## tropics (Jan 23, 2015)

chewmeister said:


> Bones?


Yes there are a few small bones on the inside part. Didn't see them before I put it in the brine.

Snow for tomorrow I may wait to see what Mon. storm looks like.


----------



## chewmeister (Jan 23, 2015)

Hmm. Can't say I've ever had bones in one of my pork bellies. Not sure about NJ, but we're supposed to get 3-6 inches tomorrow and another 3-6 possible Monday.


----------



## mark bacon (Jan 23, 2015)

When I get my bellies from Chicago, I always get the rib bellies, so they bones on them, including rib tips.  They charge the same price per pound with or without the bones.  I have them keep the bones on. 

My rationale is that the packing house wants more meat on ribs which means less meat on the bacon.  I want more meat on the bacon,  so I really cut close to the bone when separating the ribs adn belly.  The ribs just become a bonus thing to smoke when doing the bacon. 

Last batch also had hair and nipples on the rind  ;)


----------



## tropics (Jan 23, 2015)

MARK BACON said:


> When I get my bellies from Chicago, I always get the rib bellies, so they bones on them, including rib tips.  They charge the same price per pound with or without the bones.  I have them keep the bones on.
> 
> My rationale is that the packing house wants more meat on ribs which means less meat on the bacon.  I want more meat on the bacon,  so I really cut close to the bone when separating the ribs adn belly.  The ribs just become a bonus thing to smoke when doing the bacon.
> 
> Last batch also had hair and nipples on the rind  ;)


Mark The bones I figure would be my test fry for salt taste. Thanks


----------



## tropics (Jan 24, 2015)

Day 12 Removed the pork belly from the brine and debone it, we used this for the fry test. Wow to salty rinsed ice cold water. Made another brine with some sugar to soak it.

Fried



Bones



Finished a few small pieces and had some left over Potatoes and Cabbage Fried for breakfast


Will be smoking tomorrow. Now I have a Question, being as I do not have Bacon Hooks would it be okay to just, put 2 pieces of butchers string threw it to hang?

Thanks for looking


----------



## tropics (Jan 26, 2015)

So it takes a while to get this done,but it is worth doing.

Warmed the shed and smoker 


Bacon I used BBQ sticks to hang it in the smoker.

[GALLERY=

Nice TBS two rows of Apple pellets in my AMNPS

[GALLERY=

Took 8hrs. to finish started at 100* and worked my way up finished IT was 118*F



Let it stand in the fridge over night,sliced this morning and sampled


Used my Ultrex 6" Slicer



A shot of the slices.


Fried it was Great I can Make Bacon Yeah.


Thanks for looking and for all the great post on making Bacon


----------



## woodcutter (Jan 26, 2015)

Looks good, I wish I had some right now!


----------



## twoalpha (Jan 26, 2015)

You've made this look easy. Nice


----------



## tropics (Jan 26, 2015)

Woodcutter said:


> Looks good, I wish I had some right now!


Todd thanks for the kind words, every time I open the fridge it is unwordable the aroma.


----------



## tropics (Jan 26, 2015)

twoalpha said:


> You've made this look easy. Nice


The worst part of doing it was shoveling the snow off the grass Thank for the kind words


----------



## gary s (Jan 26, 2015)

Pretty Cool, Bacon looks super,   Good Job

Gary


----------



## chewmeister (Jan 26, 2015)

Nice looking bacon. Now you're hooked.


----------



## tropics (Jan 26, 2015)

chewmeister said:


> Nice looking bacon. Now you're hooked.


Wife even said you are going to have to make more before this is gone. LOL


----------



## chewmeister (Jan 26, 2015)

tropics said:


> Wife even said you are going to have to make more before this is gone. LOL


Funny you should say that. Mine said the same thing.


----------



## starwars1138 (Jan 30, 2015)

Glad your results were good - out of curiosity, which version of the brine did you use (low salt or full salt)?


----------



## tropics (Jan 30, 2015)

starwars1138 said:


> Glad your results were good - out of curiosity, which version of the brine did you use (low salt or full salt)?


I used the full salt that is why I had to soak it with a little more sugar added.


----------



## dave17a (Jan 30, 2015)

DaveOmak said:


> Everyone's waiting.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...





DaveOmak said:


> Everyone's waiting.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...





DaveOmak said:


> Everyone's waiting.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like buzzards found some mud.


----------



## dave17a (Jan 30, 2015)

Holy crap! Who would put up 3 pics of the same thing!


----------



## b-one (Jan 30, 2015)

Nice work, I'm not sure if I should try this or not I may not fit out the door if I make my own!


----------



## gary s (Jan 30, 2015)

Never smoked a Buzzard 

Gary


----------



## foamheart (Jan 30, 2015)

MARK BACON said:


> Last batch also had hair and nipples on the rind  ;)


Yeah, but that costs extra.


----------



## chewmeister (Jan 31, 2015)

gary s said:


> Never smoked a Buzzard
> 
> Gary


They're better fried extra crispy.


----------



## dave17a (Jan 31, 2015)

Got a friend I work with, had his hog killed by dogs. He left the belly with the rib, questioning it. Thought obought it for a sec and said go for it


----------



## rbacci (Feb 2, 2015)

I have my first batch of bacon curing in Pop's brine, friday will be 2 weeks and I plan on smoking on Saturday. I'm still a little confused about temperature, seeing alot opinions. From what I can tell smoking temp should be 100 to 120 degrees. Hope it turns out because I can't wait to try it. If it does, I'm ordering 30lbs of pork bellies and getting the next batch ready. HMMMMMMMMM BACON!


----------



## tropics (Feb 2, 2015)

Rbacci said:


> I have my first batch of bacon curing in Pop's brine, friday will be 2 weeks and I plan on smoking on Saturday. I'm still a little confused about temperature, seeing alot opinions. From what I can tell smoking temp should be 100 to 120 degrees. Hope it turns out because I can't wait to try it. If it does, I'm ordering 30lbs of pork bellies and getting the next batch ready. HMMMMMMMMM BACON!


Rbacci you will be happy with it, remember to do a fry test for salt taste. Post some pics when its' done


----------



## tropics (Feb 2, 2015)

dave17a said:


> Got a friend I work with, had his hog killed by dogs. He left the belly with the rib, questioning it. Thought obought it for a sec and said go for it


Dave were you able to save that belly meat?


----------

