# My first Bacon Effort



## chuck2u (Sep 26, 2011)

A week ago I purchased 5# of fresh pork belly and cured it for a week using Tender Quick and slathered it in a third of a cup of maple syrup.  I cold-smoked it with maple wood chips for the first three hours of 8 hours in the smoker at 140 degrees until I had an internal temperature of 120 degrees.  I was very happy with the results!  Next week: Canadian Bacon


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## SmokinAl (Sep 27, 2011)

Nice job on your first try!


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## tjohnson (Sep 27, 2011)

Looks GREAT!

Better make more, cuz you'll run out quick!

TJ


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## Bearcarver (Sep 27, 2011)

Looks Awesome!!!

Beautiful Color!!!

That's very much like I do mine, but I make a little more---You'll be making more real soon---Probably within the week!  LOL

Bear


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## africanmeat (Sep 27, 2011)

looks good to me


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## boykjo (Sep 27, 2011)

nice job.........................
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





joe


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## teeznuts (Sep 27, 2011)

Congrats on your first belly! The guys are right, once you start, You can't stop. The bacon addiction is hard to shake.


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## roller (Sep 27, 2011)

Looks great nice color...better than mine...


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## fpnmf (Sep 27, 2011)

Looking good!!

  Craig


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## realtorterry (Sep 27, 2011)

Tenderquick? I thought it had to be cure#1? Shows how much I know? What ratio did you use?


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## chuck2u (Oct 4, 2011)

The package or Morton Tender Quick calls for 1 tablespoon per pound of meat.  My bacon turned out to be just a tiny bit too salty for my palate so I'm going to let it sit in water for 30 minutes before smoking the next time.  I started a loin four days ago and will smoke it this coming Saturday to make my first Canadian bacon.  I won't soak it in water after the cure because I want to see if the salt intake is the same as belly before acting on an assumption.

Chuck


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## casmurf (Oct 4, 2011)

I have found for me when making BBB or Canadian bacon 1tablespoon Tender Quick per pound followed by 1tablespoon brown sugar works best. I soak for half hour then fry test. I always do a fry test before  smoking I had a few rough (salty) ones when I first started home curing. But as with all hobbies I got better with practice. I got a butt curing as we speak, will be smoking sometime next week I will try to get some pics.

Jerry


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## Bearcarver (Oct 4, 2011)

casmurf said:


> I have found for me when making BBB or Canadian bacon 1tablespoon Tender Quick per pound followed by 1tablespoon brown sugar works best. I soak for half hour then fry test. I always do a fry test before  smoking I had a few rough (salty) ones when I first started home curing. But as with all hobbies I got better with practice. I got a butt curing as we speak, will be smoking sometime next week I will try to get some pics.
> 
> Jerry


That is my method too Jerry. And it works great for me. Never had one cured with TQ become too salty that way. I do the belly bacon the same way, with the same result. I still do the fry test every time, just in case, because once you smoke it, it's too late.

Bear


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