Making Bacon?

Air dried cured Meat Techniques

Making Bacon?

Postby MikeF » Sun Jan 06, 2013 1:33 am

Hi,
I'm looking into trying to make my own bacon for this year, I've never tried before but from looking at the process of making bacon, it doesn't seem too difficult. I do have a few questions I thought I would ask to be clear as to the correct method when making bacon:

- Is it possible to leave the rind on the pork belly or do you have to remove it? I know a place when I buy a slab of bacon that sells with the rind on. Or does the rind on the pork belly have an effect when their being smoked. It looks more rustic looking with the rind. Maybe it helps keep the bacon fresh?

- I'm going to cold smoke the pork belly with Hickory wood chips, How many hours should I smoke them for? Or do I just smoke them until they reach a certain color and firmness?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thank You
Mike
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Postby ComradeQ » Sun Jan 06, 2013 4:37 am

Hey Mike! There is little difference curing with or without the rind. I have done it both ways and just added another 2 days or so to the rind on cure to be safe. The preference is really over whether you want to eat the rind or not. We just had this discussion elsewhere on this forum, but some people like the added crunch that the rind brings when cooked. I personally find that in order to get the rind crunchy you need to cook the bacon really crispy, something I and many of our British members don't like.

The biggest issue I found with keeping the rind on is with smoke penetration. The side with the rind didn't penetrate very well and was left with a less smokey taste than when I do it rind off. If it comes rind on and you choose to remove it, use the rind for crackling, delicious!

The place I get my bellies I just ask them to remove the rind for me, and at $1.29/lb for skinless and $1.99/lb for rind on I think I get the better deal for more work from the butcher, lol. I know, the price difference makes no sense to me!
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Postby MikeF » Tue Jan 08, 2013 12:50 am

Thanks ComradeQ!

I'll see whether the butcher I'll get the pork belly from has it with the rind on. I might try a slab with and another without. I'll be sure to let the rind on belly cure for a few extra days.

Would anyone know how many days to smoke the pork bellies for? Is it possible to over-smoke I really like my bacon to have a deep flavor from the smoke, maybe smoke for 3 to 5 days?

Thanks! :)
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Postby DiggingDogFarm » Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:09 am

Length of time cold smoking is a matter of personal preference.

I smoke for a minimum of 8 hours, up to a total of 24 hours (with breaks)
Say two 12 hour days or three 8 hour days.
Thin cold smoke.
It is possible to over smoke, which can lead to bitterness.

I make two types of bacon, a fast cold-smoked type or a longer term dry-cured cold-smoked type.
In either case, the bacon in rested for a time after smoking to meld and mellow the flavors.

HTH

~Martin
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Postby MikeF » Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:45 am

Thanks Martin,

Do you think, After the bacon is smoked if I could hang them maybe in a garage or shed for a week or so to let it rest to mellow out the flavor or should they be sealed in bags for storage in the fridge. Or will letting them hang outdoors further dry the meat.
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Postby ComradeQ » Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:42 am

MikeF wrote:Thanks Martin,

Do you think, After the bacon is smoked if I could hang them maybe in a garage or shed for a week or so to let it rest to mellow out the flavor or should they be sealed in bags for storage in the fridge. Or will letting them hang outdoors further dry the meat.


I usually seal the bacon in freezer bags after smoking and store in the fridge for at least 2-3 days so the smoke can mellow. I've found I cold smoke fairly heavily so I only do it for 8 hours and get a very smoky product. You can always do one portion one way, try another a different way. Do three or four portions and experiment with them, that way if one is ruined you haven't ruined them all. Hanging in a cold garage will dry them more, I personally don't feel it is needed.
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Postby DiggingDogFarm » Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:53 am

MikeF wrote:Thanks Martin,

Do you think, After the bacon is smoked if I could hang them maybe in a garage or shed for a week or so to let it rest to mellow out the flavor or should they be sealed in bags for storage in the fridge. Or will letting them hang outdoors further dry the meat.


Depends on the style of bacon.

The cold smoked dry cured bacon I make is dried for a couple weeks or so at favorable conditions to meld, mellow and concentrate the flavor.
It produces the best bacon.

The short term cold smoked bacon is covered and rested in the fridge for about a week.

~Martin
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Postby wheels » Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:32 pm

DiggingDogFarm wrote:It is possible to over smoke, which can lead to bitterness.


This is very true - I work on the principle that the smoke needs to leave the smoker as fast as it enters.

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Postby ComradeQ » Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:28 pm

wheels wrote:
DiggingDogFarm wrote:It is possible to over smoke, which can lead to bitterness.


This is very true - I work on the principle that the smoke needs to leave the smoker as fast as it enters.

Phil


Absolutely agree! First batch I ever smoked I figured a long slow cold smoke would be best but I over did it, very bitter and too smoky! I would use your discretion, if it has a nice smoke colour and smells very smoky you may not want to do it longer. I find the type of wood has a huge affect too, hickory is strong tasting so less smoke, maple and cherry are milder woods so I smoke a bit longer. Apple is a bit stronger than cherry and maple but not as strong as hickory so somewhere between.
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Postby BriCan » Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:46 pm

wheels wrote:
DiggingDogFarm wrote:It is possible to over smoke, which can lead to bitterness.


This is very true - I work on the principle that the smoke needs to leave the smoker as fast as it enters.

Phil


Both of you are 'right' in a sense -- Marin -- it is continuous smoking that leads to bitterness (also tar dripping on the product) and Phil -- smoke needs to proceed trough the smokehouse at a slow even rate -- too fast and smoke takes longer to adhere and too slow will contribute to making it bitter but only if you do a continuous smoke


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But what do I know
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Postby MikeF » Wed Jan 09, 2013 12:49 am

Thanks Guys! :wink:

I'll be sure not to smoke them too long since I'll use hickory chips on them.
I haven't made bacon before but have smoked some sausages in the past, I will use good judgement when smoking the bacon.

If I have any other question I'll be sure to post it.

Thank you Again!
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Postby DiggingDogFarm » Wed Jan 09, 2013 4:05 am

BriCan wrote:
wheels wrote:
DiggingDogFarm wrote:It is possible to over smoke, which can lead to bitterness.


This is very true - I work on the principle that the smoke needs to leave the smoker as fast as it enters.

Phil


Both of you are 'right' in a sense -- Marin -- it is continuous smoking that leads to bitterness (also tar dripping on the product) and Phil -- smoke needs to proceed trough the smokehouse at a slow even rate -- too fast and smoke takes longer to adhere and too slow will contribute to making it bitter but only if you do a continuous smoke


Remember my tag line fellers :?


That's what I meant by oversmoking and why I mentioned breaks. :wink:


~Martin
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Postby MikeF » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:22 pm

DiggingDogFarm wrote:
That's what I meant by oversmoking and why I mentioned breaks. :wink:


~Martin


Ok, So do you mean smoking the bacon every other day to allow it to rest between smoking? Before I was thinking of smoking the bacon for 3 days straight, on a Friday, Saturday then Sunday.
But if breaks help prevent bitterness I'll smoke them every other day.
Then after, hang the bacon for about a week to concentrate the flavors.

Thanks!
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Postby wheels » Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:18 pm

I use the ProQ Cold smoke generator which smokes for about 12 hours. Some people find one 12 hour run sufficient but I usually smoke for 12 hours each day on 3 consecutive days with the bacon resting in the fridge between times.

HTH

Phil
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Postby MikeF » Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:53 pm

wheels wrote:I use the ProQ Cold smoke generator which smokes for about 12 hours. Some people find one 12 hour run sufficient but I usually smoke for 12 hours each day on 3 consecutive days with the bacon resting in the fridge between times.

HTH

Phil


Thanks wheels!

It gets quite cold here at night, maybe I could leave the bacon in the smoker when I'm not smoking the belly instead of bringing it inside each day to rest. I rather not risk smoking it non-stop for 12 hours to prevent any bitterness. I'm more comfortable dividing 12 hours over a few days to give it more resting time.
Its like the saying, There's more than one way to skin a deer.
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