Homemade Bacon

[Tangles]

Well got bored as didnt get the boat out with work so decided to make some homemade bacon. Quite a difference to store bought stuff and who doesnt like bacon? too much bacon isnt enough.

ANyway you will need ( from my research on the web but do your own)

Pork Belly
Curing Salt
1/4 Cup of Maple Syrup
1/4 CUp of brown sugar
(other spices if you like)

Hardest thing is to work out ratio of curing salt to pork belly and where to get curing salt from, there are suppliers around Brisbane (Vadals) but i got some handfuls from the local butcher. Some recipies have only curing salt and some have a combination of that and Kosher Salt ( ie without iodine)

Curing ratio of curing salt I used is to add about approx 3/4 Tablespoon for every half kilo of meat ( others say for 2.5 kilos of belly 2 ounces Kosher Salt and 2 teaspoons of Curing Salt) I ended up using about 3 1/2 tablespoons for a 2.2 kilo belly.

Anyway rub the pork belly with all the ingredients, place in Zip Lock bag in fridge for 7 days ( turn it every day) Dont worry about the liquid forming. Take it out, rinse very well, test for saltiness if you like with a test fry, ( if too salty soak it ) and place on drying rack like wifes biscuit tray and put back into fridge for another 24 hours. You do this to form a pellicle on the bacon for the smoke. I just rinsed it well and dried in fridge and it didnt turn out too salty.

After that its basically smoke it very slow on the webber (or oven if dont have one but you wont get the smoke),, its a dry smoke not gettting over 200F. I used hickory wood . Smoke until bacon gets internal temp of 145-150 and then cut of rind ( make pork crackiling with that!) and cool it quickly ( i put on ice) then into fridge, then slice as thick as you want.

Here are pics of the process , cut it thick, has a nice smokey flavour, tasted great and isnt watery like some you get.

PS: Think you should satisfy yourselves with curing salt ratios. ( One American site says 1 Tablespoon of Mortons curing slat for every pound or half kilo, others say its too much) Some use a ratio of that and Kosher salt.

Cheers
Mike

[rosco1974]

looks good mike,

[Horse]

Looks great Tangles. I do my own as well. Be very carefull with the curing salt. There are a couple of varieties and you need to know exactly how much Sodium Nitrate is in the mix. I use Curing Salt #1 at 6.25%. Curing salt #2 has Nitrates as well and should be used for air dried meats. If your Nitrite level is too low then bacteria can grow (Botulism). If its too high it is highly toxic. Places like Misty Gully provide the straight Sodium Nitrate as well as the various curing salts
http://www.mistygully.com.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=57_41
I use a cryovac bag to make it easy to handle a dry rub cure like yours or a ziplock for a wet cure. Both work well.
I use a Hark gas smoker and even do a couple of hours with an Amazen Pellet Cold smoke generator to really give it a good smoke flavour.
http://www.mistygully.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=84&products_id=442
Skipjack just does his your way (hot smoke) and he is very happy with the results.
Did you use a meat slicer or just a sharp knife. It looks more even than I usually get
Great stuff Mike, we might have to have a special section at the cookoff for homemade bacon

[tunaticer]

All of this and breakfast is 10 hours away!!! I am going to salivate to drowning tonight i think! Well done Tangles.

[rosco1974]

mmm breakie at horses place or tangles place...i will bring the eggs.lol

[Tangles]

thanks fellas,

Horse, yes its a minefield. The butcher I went go to does his own bilitong, dry beer sticks etc , and used to bacon as well... i dont know what exact curing salt mix he gave me but he knew his stuff and said it was the right stuff for what i was doing.. boned the pig side for me, got ribs etc as well...it was a good way to buy as the price they charge for ribs now is silly. Will doing a few more slabs this weekend. Am thinking of a pellet smoker,

Will take you on at the cook off for bacon!!! PS sliced with a sharp filleting knife

but i reckon a Bacon Explosion is the go,, kilo or two of mince flattened into a square , add heaps of cheese, Texas chilli, Jalpeno bbq sauce (homeade) onions etc in the middle, roll then wrap completely in bacon, sprinkle a rub on it then smoke... if that wont give someone a heart attack or heart burn nothing will! with this rain i know what im doing....beer and bbq

[Richo1]

Looks fantastic, mouth is watering looking at those photos!

[Horse]

"Will take you on at the cook off for bacon!!! "


Challenge accepted

[rosco1974]

come on fellas i will bring the eggs..i promise i will be good.lol

[Muddy Toes]

"Will take you on at the cook off for bacon!!! "


Challenge accepted

Tanlges's bacon in Murf's batter.......cook that for me and your tin will be full!!!!

[Tangles]

Muddy will have to be the judge... and Roscoe, bring those eggs to Agnes!

[Muddy Toes]

Rosco and I will judge with eggs.

Trust us.......you'll know who comes last!!!

[rosco1974]

bloody hell fellas.will bring the eggs if i make it to agnes.....fark the cook off i am just interested in the beer/anything goes at agnes...btw cannot fish but can drink.lol

[Tangles]

Everyone is farked at the cookoff first night ! then fish, with you two ferrets judging with eggs, i can run faster than Horse

[Horse]

Tanlges's bacon in Murf's batter.......cook that for me and your tin will be full!!!!

Deep Fried Battered Bacon mmmmmmmmm. Can it get any better than that

[Boat Hog]

Deep Fried Battered Bacon mmmmmmmmm. Can it get any better than that

Crumbed and deep fried!!

Nice work on the homemade bacon Tangles!! :thumbsup:

[2IC]

Heck just had breakfast,, bloody cereal & fruit,, now want smoked bacon & eggs,, frigging diet:( well done Mike looks great can just about smell the stuff,, Muddy if rosco is a no show at agnes I will take his place;D Gezz smoked bacon at the cook off Murf could be in trouble,, Mike where are you staying at agnes this year ?? as I'll be bringing the boys around for breakfast:P:P & stuff the bloody diet

[Tangles]

Think im in with thedeckie as usual

[skipjack]

"Will take you on at the cook off for bacon!!! "


Challenge accepted
If I can't make it to the cookoff I will send you up with some of my pineapple cured short cut bacon!!

[Horse]

If I can't make it to the cookoff I will send you up with some of my pineapple cured short cut bacon!!
This could get interesting. My cold smoke traditional technique against your hot smoke dodgy shortcut.

[Apollo]

Think im in with thedeckie as usual


First Mike top effort with the bacon. Keen to test some (hint, hint!). Will bring eggs and they will be real free range farm eggs from our place with a yoke that is rich yellow/orange.

Secondly, about the comment quoted above, you serious?? after Jacobs Well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tangles]

He'll be locked up in the garage!

[skipjack]

This could get interesting. My cold smoke traditional technique against your hot smoke dodgy shortcut.

I do both. Cold smoke to start then finish with hot smoke at 220f.
Best wood is that red hardwood we got at stanage.....
Awesome flavour

[thelump]

Looks like I best increase my blood pressure meds before the cook off this year! Cant wait.

[Horse]

I do both. Cold smoke to start then finish with hot smoke at 220f.
Best wood is that red hardwood we got at stanage.....
Awesome flavour

Now you have a reason to get the week off for the Agnes M&G............Unless you are scared to show your face after the "Makin Bacon" Challenge

PS I'm sure thats my Stanage hardwood you are smoking with

[Noelm]

well... after all the things I have smoked, pickled, cured, dried and BBQ'd, I have never had a go at making my own bacon, but I sure will this weekend, love to try new things.

[Tangles]

Give it crack mate, you will wonder why you didnt earlier

[Ausfish]

Have been experimenting with some pork bellies in the smoker I got from Aldi. I think I have been cooking them too high and fast, so will try and slow it down a bit. Don't eat much bacon these days but always like to experiment with the smoker.

[Tangles]

Steve,

As low and slow as you can, im doing it on a WSM with a water tray... will loading up on this for Easter

[Horse]

Have been experimenting with some pork bellies in the smoker I got from Aldi. I think I have been cooking them too high and fast, so will try and slow it down a bit. Don't eat much bacon these days but always like to experiment with the smoker.

Steve, you want a couple of hours of smoke on them. I use a cold smoke to start with then fire up the gas

[Nicko_Cairns]

here's some pretty good directions too.. might help with amounts etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYH3Z0Hp1Wo

[Horse]

Thats great Nick. Thats pretty much how I do mine except I use a cryovac bag and cold smoke at the start

[Nicko_Cairns]

for a lot of good smoking tips you guys might enjoy http://www.amazingribs.com cheers.