# Side Bacon, At Last



## disco (Feb 1, 2015)

For two years, I have been trying to get a slab of side pork to make bacon. It just wasn't available in the supermarkets here. A couple of weeks ago I asked again and they had some! I got a 3 pound slab and cut the skin off.













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I weighed it and it came in at about 1.2 kilograms. I am using Tender Quick as my curing agent. It calls for 30 grams per kilogram. So I weighed out 37 grams of Tender Quick. Then I added 25 ml of brown sugar to the Tender Quick.













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I put the pork on a plate and rubbed the sugar and cure in. I put the meat and any cure mix that fell on the plate in a Ziploc bag. Then it went into the fridge for 10 days. I turned it and rubbed in the cure every day.













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After the 10 days, I rinsed the pork off and soaked it in cold water for 2 hours, changing the water every 20 minutes and then dried it with paper towels. I do this because I like a little less salt taste in my bacon. A fry test was perfect for me.













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I put it in the fridge uncovered on a rack overnight.













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When I pulled it out the next day, the surface was nice and dry so there was no need to put in front of a pan to form pellicle.

I put it in the Bradley with just the smoke generator running for 4 hours over hickory. The smoke generator brought the temperature in the Bradley to about 100 F. Then I turned the heat on to 180 F for 2 hours and the bacon took on a nice red colour.













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I put it in the fridge, covered, for 2 days. Then I put it in the freezer for 2 hours and sliced with my trusty ham slicer. I will have to buy an electric slicer some day but I am pretty good with my knife if I say so myself.













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I took some of the shorter pieces of the end and made myself a bacon sandwich.













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*The Verdict*

This bacon was terrific. I made it quite basic as I wanted to work on the technique. It was spot on but the next batch will be pepper bacon, if I can score more side pork.

Disco


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## woodcutter (Feb 1, 2015)

That looks great!


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## red dog (Feb 1, 2015)

Dang that's some pretty bacon Disco!


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## disco (Feb 2, 2015)

Woodcutter said:


> That looks great!


Thanks, Woodcutter. It was pretty tasty too.


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## disco (Feb 2, 2015)

Red Dog said:


> Dang that's some pretty bacon Disco!


Thanks, RD! I will be making more!

Disco


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## gary s (Feb 2, 2015)

Hey Disco, that looks great. I have got a pork loin in the fridge curing for Canadian Bacon, and I ordered a pork belly to try some bacon, I an watching and learning







Gary


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## tropics (Feb 2, 2015)

Disco sorry I didn't see this yesterday all the super bowl. That looks great, I guess I am going to have to make the 80 mile trip. To get some of the TQ.

Thanks for sharing


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## pc farmer (Feb 2, 2015)

Great looking bacon.

I like the flavor that Tender Quick give the bacon.


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## Bearcarver (Feb 2, 2015)

c farmer said:


> Great looking bacon.
> 
> I like the flavor that Tender Quick give the bacon.


Me Too!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Hey Disco, You did an outstanding Job there, Buddy!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	









Looks Mighty Tasty!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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Bear


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## themule69 (Feb 2, 2015)

Disco

That looks GREAT! I can almost taste it from here. 

Happy smoken.

David


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## bear55 (Feb 2, 2015)

Looks great, I have a loin curing right now for Canadian bacon.

Richard


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## chewmeister (Feb 2, 2015)

Looks awesome, Disco.


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## worktogthr (Feb 2, 2015)

Looks really great!!! I can smell it frying in that pan!


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## disco (Feb 2, 2015)

Bearcarver said:


> Me Too!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the point, Bear. I am sure you recognized your influence in the methodology. Thanks for the inspiration.


themule69 said:


> Disco
> 
> That looks GREAT! I can almost taste it from here.
> 
> ...


Well, David, I hear there is a Canadian weather front heading your way...


Bear55 said:


> Looks great, I have a loin curing right now for Canadian bacon.
> 
> Richard


I love back (Canadian) bacon. However, I don't know which is better, the anticipation or the eating. Actually, I do know, it is the eating! I look forward to the post.

Disco


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## disco (Feb 2, 2015)

gary s said:


> Hey Disco, that looks great. I have got a pork loin in the fridge curing for Canadian Bacon, and I ordered a pork belly to try some bacon, I an watching and learning
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the point, Gary. You are going to like that bacon! I look forward to the post.


tropics said:


> Disco sorry I didn't see this yesterday all the super bowl. That looks great, I guess I am going to have to make the 80 mile trip. To get some of the TQ.
> 
> Thanks for sharing


They don't have TQ in your supermarkets? Even the supermarkets in our backwater have it. Anyway, I do like the taste it gives (agreeing with Adam's post).


c farmer said:


> Great looking bacon.
> 
> I like the flavor that Tender Quick give the bacon.


Thanks, Adam. I must say I agree re the TQ.

Disco


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## disco (Feb 2, 2015)

chewmeister said:


> Looks awesome, Disco.


Thank you, Sir!


worktogthr said:


> Looks really great!!! I can smell it frying in that pan!


Thanks worktogthr. There is something about cooking bacon.

Disco


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Feb 2, 2015)

Awesome thread Disco !  That bacon looks so goooood !  Thumbs Up   Pepper bacon sounds super tasty as well !  

:kewl:

:points1:


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## disco (Feb 2, 2015)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Awesome thread Disco ! That bacon looks so goooood !
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks, Justin. I am afraid I have become addicted to pepper back (Canadian) bacon and I suspect the same will be true about side bacon.

Disco


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## ndkoze (Feb 2, 2015)

tropics said:


> Disco sorry I didn't see this yesterday all the super bowl. That looks great, I guess I am going to have to make the 80 mile trip. To get some of the TQ.
> 
> Thanks for sharing


I bet you have access to Amazon :)


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## foamheart (Feb 2, 2015)

It is just so much fun...... Remember to save some and make some pork shooters before you eat it all. You can thank me later. Seriously. LOL


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## disco (Feb 3, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> It is just so much fun...... Remember to save some and make some pork shooters before you eat it all. You can thank me later. Seriously. LOL


Har. I will do but I am not sure I want to adulterate my home made. I might give it a go with store bought though.

Disco


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## gary s (Feb 3, 2015)

Waiting on my pork belly,  Hard to find around here for some reason. Meat Market is supposed to be ordering one in for me, I did find a source in Longview about 45 miles from me. Can't wait

Gary


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## electricfry (Feb 3, 2015)

Good Stuff!


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## disco (Feb 4, 2015)

gary s said:


> Waiting on my pork belly,  Hard to find around here for some reason. Meat Market is supposed to be ordering one in for me, I did find a source in Longview about 45 miles from me. Can't wait
> 
> Gary


Pork bellys just seem to be hard to get in some areas. I will have to kiss up to the butcher in the local supermarket to get more, I'm sure. It is interesting that this was considered garbage meat in the not too distant past.


Electricfry said:


> Good Stuff!


Thanks, Electrify


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## foamheart (Feb 4, 2015)

Disco said:


> Pork bellys just seem to be hard to get in some areas. I will have to kiss up to the butcher in the local supermarket to get more, I'm sure. It is interesting that this was considered garbage meat in the not too distant past.


You are of course, going to share a bit of your bacon with that butcher? Might make bellies easier to find. Make friends!


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## welshrarebit (Feb 4, 2015)

That looks awesome! 

The pigs that go into our imu at work for our lu'aus have been known to be missing a belly or two... ;)

POINTS!


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## smokin monkey (Feb 4, 2015)

Hi Disco, good looking Bacon, would give anything for a couple of slices of that at the moment. In India at the moment, but they do not have GOOD Bacon.

I am out of Bacon back home, so as soon as I am back I will be preparing 2 Pork Loins!

Oh No I'm drippling writing this. :drool:

Smokin Monkey [emoji]133660013031[/emoji]


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## disco (Feb 5, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> You are of course, going to share a bit of your bacon with that butcher? Might make bellies easier to find. Make friends!


Har, I will buy him beer instead. That is a sure way to a Canadian's heart.


Welshrarebit said:


> That looks awesome!
> 
> The pigs that go into our imu at work for our lu'aus have been known to be missing a belly or two... ;)
> 
> POINTS!


Thanks for the points! I'm sure those bellies were removed before the pigs got to you.


Smokin Monkey said:


> Hi Disco, good looking Bacon, would give anything for a couple of slices of that at the moment. In India at the moment, but they do not have GOOD Bacon.
> 
> I am out of Bacon back home, so as soon as I am back I will be preparing 2 Pork Loins!
> 
> ...


Thanks, ,SM. The bacon I had in England and Ireland on a trip earlier this year was delicious. You guys do it differently but right!

Disco


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## atomicsmoke (Feb 5, 2015)

The baconator from the Rockies strikes again.

Nice looking product! I could probably eat it raw (w further drying). 

Left handed or just for the qview?


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## disco (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks, AtomicSmoke.

No, I am right handed so it is just for the qview. I just can't operate the camera left handed despite my best efforts. I also can't chew gum and walk at the same time.

Disco


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