MADE-FROM-SCRATCH BACON

[Rob_grill_apprentice]

I got Irving Farms to cut for me two Berkshire side pork roasts to be in range of 1.39 to 1.58 kg.  I let them know I was going to use it for making bacon so they removed skin for me and sold for same price I was quoted.    I am following basic recipe with same tile in book Project Smoke.   For sugar portion I used maple sugar and cure was FS1, and instead of using ziplock bags I vacuum sealed each pork side side after applying brine to each side and placed remaining brine into each bag and distributed it before sealing.    Once curing done in 6 days, I will rinse well with water, pat dry and then air dry in refrigerator for 12 hours and then I will smoke for 4 hours.   I meantime I and turning over at least twice every day.    

Edited May 16, 2020 by Rob_grill_apprentice

[Rob_grill_apprentice]

Here is after 1 day after starting brining. 
 

[KismetKamado]

This looks like a great project!  Very excited to see how it turns out.  

 

[Golf Griller]

Looks great. I'm looking forward to seeing the progress.

[Rob_grill_apprentice]

Update.  Brining now finished, the pork bellies have been rinsed and are now air drying in the refrigerator.   Smoking will take place tomorrow.

[Walrus]

Don't smoke according to time, smoke them until they hit 150. 4 hours could be too long.

[Struja]

Is it tomorrow yet?  Can’t wait to see the results.

[Rob_grill_apprentice]

2 hours ago, Walrus said:

Don't smoke according to time, smoke them until they hit 150. 4 hours could be too long.

I will check temperature after 2 hours.  Then possibly every 30 minutes until 150 F reached.  Or if closer to target I will check then every 15 minutes,    

[Rob_grill_apprentice]

Update.  2 hours into smoking temperature is 130F in one and 140 F I smaller one.  I will check again in 45 minutes to 1 hour

[Rob_grill_apprentice]

Smoking finished.  Now in refrigerator after vacuum sealing to get the smoke mellowed.  It was smoked with blend of cherry, hickory and maple.  Costco premier blend.    Total smoking time was 2 hours 30 minutes before temperature was 150 F.  Picture are after refrigeration drying, smoking finished and vacuum sealing.   The lowest read was 150F some parts were 160F and 157 F which is why I stopped smoking.   

Edited May 25, 2020 by Rob_grill_apprentice
Add info about pictures. Add info about temperatures

[Rob_grill_apprentice]

Taste is nice.  A little salty but flavour good, has nice smoke smell.  Best part no evidence of water.   Inside of just rinsing outside several times with cold water,   I am thinking I should soak in ice cold water then rinse,   The recipe I followed was one in Project Smoke,    I am going to look at my other book on curing as and see what it says to do after dry brining finished.  I will definitely be making my own bacon from now on.   Just reviewed curing book .   Soaking in water is not recommended maybe next time i don’t vacuum seal just do ziplock bag method was described in project smoke,   The curing book has a dry brine honey cure.   

Edited May 26, 2020 by Rob_grill_apprentice
Updated after looking at my curing book.

[fbov]

1 hour ago, Rob_grill_apprentice said:

Taste is nice.  A little salty but flavour good, has nice smoke smell....  maybe next time i don’t vacuum seal just do ziplock bag method was described in project smoke ...

I suggest adjusting your curing time to adjust things like saltiness. I don't think the bag matters. 

 

I'm into about my fourth/fifth batch, all with a 1-2-1 ratio of salt-sugar-spice. I left the current batch of belly cure longer, for 10 days, then air dry for 2 days, and it is both saltier and spicier than prior batches. It convinced me the cure time is critical to flavor, as is the air dry. I skipped the air-dry step to start, and the cure wasn't uniform in the meat. 

 

Next time, I'll try a 7 day cure, but keep 2-3 days air drying, so the cure can diffuse throughout the interior. I also limit after-cure washing, because all the salt and sugar have dissolved, and I like the flavor of the spices. Hot and salty works well. 

 

Stay well,

Frank

Edited May 26, 2020 by fbov

[Rob_grill_apprentice]

1 hour ago, fbov said:

I suggest adjusting your curing time to adjust things like saltiness. I don't think the bag matters. 

 

I'm into about my fourth/fifth batch, all with a 1-2-1 ratio of salt-sugar-spice. I left the current batch of belly cure longer, for 10 days, then air dry for 2 days, and it is both saltier and spicier than prior batches. It convinced me the cure time is critical to flavor, as is the air dry. I skipped the air-dry step to start, and the cure wasn't uniform in the meat. 

 

Next time, I'll try a 7 day cure, but keep 2-3 days air drying, so the cure can diffuse throughout the interior. I also limit after-cure washing, because all the salt and sugar have dissolved, and I like the flavor of the spices. Hot and salty works well. 

 

Stay well,

Frank

Thank you Frank

 

The cure time was a couple days longer than specified time. So I will try exact time next time and see what the flavour is.  I also will do two dat air dry,   The air dry I did was 1 day (24 hours).   

Edited May 26, 2020 by Rob_grill_apprentice

[daninpd]

On 5/26/2020 at 9:14 AM, fbov said:

I suggest adjusting your curing time to adjust things like saltiness. I don't think the bag matters. 

 

Well, I think it's not the bag that matters, but the vacuum.  You see chefs use the vacuum sealer often to speed up marination.  Things that would normally go four hours are marinated in a 1/2 hour under vacuum.  I'm a member of the school that follows a proven recipe "to the letter" the first time I try it and do any winging it from those results.  Just a little thing like vacuum sealing can really speed up how deeply a brine penetrates.  That may be your difference.