Posted: 6/10/2013 5:55:27 AM EDT
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Do you make your own bacon? We've made a few batches over the past couple of years - from savory to sweet (maple!) and it seems to always come out amazing. Considering Arfcom is full of culinary experts (and firearms, and financial, and real estate, and love making, and chess, etc), I figured I'd throw the question out to the hive and see what sort of experience, tips, and tricks you have.
Obligatory picture of a couple of slabs of pork belly curing. (I don't have finished pics handy from older batches) 
ETA: Picture from an earlier batch 
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I would have no idea on how to do that but it does look delicious I'm hoping other Arfcomers have additional insights, but my approach is simple: 1. Buy pork belly 2. Cure pork belly (Quickcure + Salt + Sugar + Other goodies) for 1 week, flipping it over daily in fridge 3. Wash off belly and dry it 4. Put dry belly in fridge for 4 - 12 hours uncovered 5. Smoke belly on lowest temp possible until internal temp hits 145 - 150F. 6. Slice and fry like normal. |
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I have done a lot of home made bacon. My favorite is made with Morton Sugar Cure. Second favorite is straight up salt cured. I use Morton Tender quick, then add sugar depending on how I want the finished product to taste. This time I went with two different batches - one hot and spicy, the other is a maple syrup and molasses blend. |
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Quoted: Do you make your own bacon? We've made a few batches over the past couple of years - from savory to sweet (maple!) and it seems to always come out amazing. Considering Arfcom is full of culinary experts (and firearms, and financial, and real estate, and love making, and chess, etc), I figured I'd throw the question out to the hive and see what sort of experience, tips, and tricks you have. Obligatory picture of a couple of slabs of pork belly curing. (I don't have finished pics handy from older batches) http://i.imgur.com/eqh1Ew7.jpg You forgot marriage counseling and relationship advice in general.  |
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Where do you buy pork bellies? I have always wanted to try this. If your regular grocer does not carry them they usually can order them, or you can check with a butcher shop or ethnic grocery store. In my case, I shop at the local international market (read: grocery store in the Asian and Latin American part of town) and they have fresh, beautiful pork belly for a better price than my regular store can order them for me. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Where do you buy pork bellies? I have always wanted to try this. If your regular grocer does not carry them they usually can order them, or you can check with a butcher shop or ethnic grocery store. In my case, I shop at the local international market (read: grocery store in the Asian and Latin American part of town) and they have fresh, beautiful pork belly for a better price than my regular store can order them for me. 10-4 There are tons of "hispanic" grocery stores around here. I'll check it out. Thanks! |
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How much does it reduce by? In other words if you start with a 10lb pork belly how much cooked bacon do you get? If you do it right, it should reduce by very little. The goal is to smoke it, not cook it. The fats melts at around 185F, so if you keep your smoker over that temp you'll get some reduction but not much. If you can keep your smoker around 180F (which I try damned hard to do), you'll lose very little in weight. That is good, as you want all that fat to remain in the bacon so you can crisp it up while frying and enjoy it. If you can't keep your smoker < 200 - 220F this may not be worth the effort. |
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How much does it reduce by? In other words if you start with a 10lb pork belly how much cooked bacon do you get? If you do it right, it should reduce by very little. The goal is to smoke it, not cook it. The fats melts at around 185F, so if you keep your smoker over that temp you'll get some reduction but not much. If you can keep your smoker around 180F (which I try damned hard to do), you'll lose very little in weight. That is good, as you want all that fat to remain in the bacon so you can crisp it up while frying and enjoy it. If you can't keep your smoker < 200 - 220F this may not be worth the effort. I shouldnt have a problem doing that. |
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Can you make nitrate free bacon? I would like that if I was doing it myself. You can, but I choose not to. Instead, I chemically neutralize the nitrates and nitrites with ascorbic acid. I get the preservative benefits of the nitrates without the carcinogenic byproducts. |
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I posted these in another thread on bacon:
I get local Berkshire hog from my sister's CSA. From a 1/2 belly, I usually get 4 trimmed slabs. Scraps and skin get rendered for the best lard and doggie treats ever. If you haven't made biscuits or pie crust with lard (I use 50/50 butter/lard), you don't know what you're missing. Also, because it's not hydrogenated, it's actually much better for you than shortening or commercial lard. The slabs get 7-9 days in a simple dry cure (2% salt, 1% brown sugar, 150ppm Nitrite from Cure #1) bagged in the fridge and overhauled daily. After, they get a quick water wash, dry over night to form a pelicle, then 3 or so hrs of Hickory/Oak smoke over low heat to an internal temp of 120°: 
And if you like bacon, you gotta have good Pancetta. Store bought is shit compared to the real deal. This slab was cured with lots of pepper and juniper berries, then hung for nearly a month. I fry it up diced into lardons, then saute onion and garlic in the grease as a base for tomato or roasted pepper sauces for pasta: 
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Can you make nitrate free bacon? I would like that if I was doing it myself. You can, but I choose not to. Instead, I chemically neutralize the nitrates and nitrites with ascorbic acid. I get the preservative benefits of the nitrates without the carcinogenic byproducts. Could you elaborate a little more on this? Are you just adding an ascorbic acid powder to your rub and what ratio? |
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Can you make nitrate free bacon? I would like that if I was doing it myself. You can, but I choose not to. Instead, I chemically neutralize the nitrates and nitrites with ascorbic acid. I get the preservative benefits of the nitrates without the carcinogenic byproducts. Could you elaborate a little more on this? Are you just adding an ascorbic acid powder to your rub and what ratio? I add about 1 tbsp of ascorbic acid (sold as fruit protector, ascorbic acid and dextrose) per slab. It doesn't affect the taste, other than adding a slight hint of sweetness due to the dextrose. |
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I just made my third batch. Slicing is my biggest challenge - curing and smoking is pretty easy. I keep thinking about buying a meat slicer but can't bring myself to do it.... instead it gives me an excuse to practice my knife skills. I really should buy a meat slicer. 
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I just made my third batch. Slicing is my biggest challenge - curing and smoking is pretty easy. I keep thinking about buying a meat slicer but can't bring myself to do it.... instead it gives me an excuse to practice my knife skills. I really should buy a meat slicer. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000CFDB9/ref=redir_mdp_mobile |
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I just made my third batch. Slicing is my biggest challenge - curing and smoking is pretty easy. I keep thinking about buying a meat slicer but can't bring myself to do it.... instead it gives me an excuse to practice my knife skills. I really should buy a meat slicer. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000CFDB9/ref=redir_mdp_mobile LOL. I should have been more specific. I already have a nice Wusthof slicer. I mean an electric (deli style) meat slicer! |
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Quoted: The curing is done, as is the smoking. The only thing left to do is pull the skin, slice it, and fry it up. http://i.imgur.com/NQtpa5d.jpg http://i.imgur.com/PjL3lwV.jpg http://i.imgur.com/DQrb92C.jpg http://i.imgur.com/lmFjF7j.jpg http://i.imgur.com/7jDnyiU.jpg http://i.imgur.com/DRwC6gb.jpg Nice |