Large Quantities of Bacon

[ericrice]

This year have started doing bacon in mass quantity. 40lbs (19kg) done and plan to order another batch of bellies today to start this weekend double that. Question for those that have worked with large batches - to date I've halved the bellies and individually put them into large Ziploc bags. When doing a belly or few that works fine but in larger quantities I'm wondering if there is an easier way. For Coppa in large batches I use a large tub but using that process for bacon wouldn't allow much in a single layer.

Any suggestions?

[DanMcG]

You're going to want to stack them, I think it's lean to lean, skin to skin. BriCan does it I think, maybe he'll chime in.

[ericrice]

Appreciated - selfishly I was looking for BriCan to chime in as I go the coppa process from him. If someone has thoughts and it matters I do get my bellies rind off.

[BriCan]

selfishly I was looking for BriCan to chime in

Chime ......

If someone has thoughts and it matters I do get my bellies rind off.

If at 'all' possible ... get the bellies wiv the rind on ...

Ok, bellies with rind on IMVHO have a less shrink factor when smoking (you are smoking an't you )

I stack my bellies in a container rind side down (I have gone 12 high sometimes) elevated by trays that have been cut to fit in the bottom as I am dry curing and I do not want them to sit in the liquid that comes off the belly ...

Rind is 'always' down and the meat side is 'always' up

Normally if bellies are exposed to air (unrefrigerated) I would do one of two things
1 .. cover the top bellie that is meat side up with plastic to stop the surface meat from drying out

2 ... or do what they did in the olden days ... rind side up on the top one of the stack .. this stops the meat from drying out ... see another reason to leave the rind on

[BriCan]

Maple bacon

[ericrice]

As always your advice is appreciated. I realized I would have many cringe with the rind off comment - for purely convenience as I get very little free time and since I'm a one man operation just doing this for fun and to give to friends - I have resigned to larger batches without the rind [sigh]. For smaller batches I do go with rind on - I've been lucky enough to fine a wholesaler of all things pork that will sell to the public by the case. Great find as I'm now able to easily get CT Butts for coppa, jowls and other hard to finds in the states and at a great price.

Smoking, yes, of course - cold smoked.

So assuming I am not looking to dry cure them I assume no concerns with just stacking them atop one another. I'll elevate the bottom one and cover the top.

Lastly - so glad you posted the pic - I did a batch of maple bacon last go around and it was a huge hit. I assume based on the pic you used maple powder. I have to get some as my last batch was done with syrup and I'll have to continue that in smaller batches with that method.

[Shuswap]

Brican you said: "I do not want them to sit in the liquid that comes off the belly ..."
When I dry cure a belly in a ziplock bag it sits in the liquid. I don't want to hijack this thread but I am interested in your reasoning for avoiding the liquid.

[ericrice]

See below - I asked the same question a while back when attempting a large batch of coppa - my question and BriCan's answer below.


ericrice wrote:
I have one other question - I've read several times/places not to drain the liquid and to have the meat stay in contact with it (or is that just for bacon)? Is there a specific reason you elevate the meat?

Response from BriCan

Unless you are doing a vacuum cure (or immersion) method always keep the meat you are curing away from the liquid that is given off when curing, anything that sits in the liquid for some time will get hard and get a burn from the cure. In the old days we would (and there probable still are curing tables made out of slate/marble that slope from back to front and ether left to right or right to left. This is to facilitate the draining of the liquid coming off the meat. Salt boxes do the same thing, they have holes in the bottom.

[BriCan]

Shuswap -- ericrice answered the question the question but a photo is sometimes worth more ..... I am at a new location and as it is just about close to the big day I am trying to produce as much bacon as physically possible in the short time that I have and also the limited space that has been allotted to me

Pushing the envelope is what I do at times like this ... I ran out of inserts for the tubs and had to set the bellies right into the tub ..... if you look at the bellies (these two was on the bottom, rind down) you will see green marks showing what we know in the trade as nitrite burns from sitting in the liquid that has been drawn out of the bellies due to the fact they was not elevated .. this does not apply to vacuum packed/zip locked bags .... HTH