# Maple-Honey, again, but a little different.



## sawhorseray (Oct 10, 2019)

The pork belly I skinned last week has spent enough time curing in the fridge.






11 lb pork belly, halved and squared
116 grams canning salt
16 grams sodium nitrite (Instacure #1, Pink Powder)
½ cup maple sugar
½ cup maple syrup (good stuff, Grade A)
½ cup pure honey
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until a wonderful gooey paste is formed. Use a equal amount on each pork belly half and rub in all over. I like wearing surgical gloves during this process, nitrite. After both halves have been rubbed down well with the paste place each one in a 2-gallon Ziploc freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and place flat in the fridge for six days. After the second day I mixed a couple of tablespoons of Mapeliene with a quart of water and dumped two cups of the solution into each bag





	

		
			
		

		
	
 I've used the stuff before when making Canadian bacon, what the heck, can't hurt! Every day, twice a day, take the pork belly in the freezer bag out and give them a good massage thru the plastic bag, then turn over and back in the fridge. Oh, doesn't hurt to double bag them either, stuff happens. . On the sixth day take out and rinse all the goo off the belly under cold running water. I’ve taken to giving the pork bellies a half hour ice water bath to leech out excess salt, a new wrinkle, I like it. Towel dry the pork belly halves and then stab a bacon hanger thru each one, place in a smoker pre-heated to 100º with vents wide open for three hours to dry to form a proper pellicle. Place a pan of moistened applewood chips on the burner, close vents to 1/3 open, raise smoker temp to 110º and smoke for five hours.





So that's where I'm at right now. I'll put in another pan of chips in five hours, right around eight o'clock, good for another five hours. When I wake up to pee in the middle of the night I'll take the pan out of the Pro 100, close the vents, raise the temp up to 165º, and go back to bed. I'll report back in the morning. RAY


----------



## pc farmer (Oct 10, 2019)

HMMMMM   Ok.  I will be waiting for the results.


----------



## jcam222 (Oct 10, 2019)

In for the follow. Sounds great.


----------



## sawhorseray (Oct 10, 2019)

Time for bed, dinner was great. Fried B-S chicken thighs in olive oil and butter. I love yams, great for my low potassium. RAY.


----------



## tropics (Oct 11, 2019)

Ray that plate looks good wheres the Bacon LOL
Richie


----------



## sawhorseray (Oct 11, 2019)

Well the bacon just wasn't going to be ready in time for dinner Richie, but a little test sample will be ready for brekky! I got up at 1:15 to raise the temp to 165º and shut the dampers. At 3:45 the ThermPro gently let me know that my 135º IT had been achieved, I went out and lowered the temp on the Pro 100 to 115º to let the bacon bloom for a couple of hours
	

		
			
		

		
	






I'm going to let it sit out for a hour or so and then put it in the fridge till this afternoon when there will be some slicing and sealing to be done. RAY


----------



## Hawging It (Oct 11, 2019)

sawhorseray said:


> The pork belly I skinned last week has spent enough time curing in the fridge.
> View attachment 408132
> 
> 11 lb pork belly, halved and squared
> ...


Looking tasty!!


----------



## sawhorseray (Oct 12, 2019)

Well I finally got things wrapped up! Yesterday I got on with some serious slicing










I cut it the way I like it, nice & thick. The Cabelas vacuum sealer works like a dream, never have to wait for anything to cool down, which is more important when bagging sausage and burgers than bacon.





Took some of the first slices for a test run with some eggs slathered in hot salsa. I was very happy with the flavor and the bite, the Mapeliene came thru and is something I will absolutely use again in the future





Each 8 piece bag weighs in at 14.5 to 16.5oz





All vac-sealed and ready for the freezer, I have a future!





Just to double check this morning I made some French toast, hard to miss that maple flavor with syrup running all over the plate.





Next project, 25 pounds of Italian sausage with Cabernet and garlic. Thanks for looking. RAY


----------

