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Smokin-It Smokers => Model 2 & 2D - The Middle Kid => Topic started by: SmokedGouda on December 27, 2016, 05:24:25 PM

Title: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on December 27, 2016, 05:24:25 PM
I received the cold smoke plate for Christmas from my in-laws and the jerky dryer from my wife! I'm excited to put both to work but am going to start with the cold smoke plate and make some bacon! Oh and a vacuum sealer too haha

I'll be giving Pork Belly's cure a try with some bellies I plan on getting from Costco on Thursday or Friday. I'm thinking of going with 2 or 3 (depending on size) so I can try a few things.
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1797.0

I've read many of the bacon posts here and am taking bits from each to determine how to smoke it. I like SconnieQ's recipe too...
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=5582.msg51933#msg51933

I've got a few days before curing and obv more time before smoking so I'll gladly take any last minute suggestions if you got em. Thanks for all the advice from the prior posts! 1 question I do have has to do with storing the cured bacon on a rack uncovered in the fridge for a day, depending how many bellies I have there may not be room in the fridge so is it ok to stack them or no?

I'll post updates as time goes on.

Baconnnnnn!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on December 27, 2016, 10:13:04 PM
Instead of curing it in a regular zip lock bag, would a vacuum sealed bag be any better? Worth the extra effort?
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Joe on December 28, 2016, 12:49:33 PM
Vacuum sealing works best for me; worth the effort.  Just put a quick seal on them so they have some room to move around a bit in the bag with the juices. I put a double seal on each end to prevent any leaking. 
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on December 29, 2016, 01:08:59 AM
The bellies at my Costco are around 10 pounds. I cut them in half for curing/smoking. Sometimes in thirds so the slabs will fit my slicer. You don't want a tight bag, so leave some space in there when you seal it. I like to squish the bag around and redistribute the cure when I flip it. I'm not sure about stacking the slabs after smoking in the fridge. I would try to keep some air space, but if you stack them, give them a flip every now and then.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on December 30, 2016, 03:42:53 PM
I should be able to make enough room in the fridge to leave them uncovered and not stacked. I picked up a slab today coming in a little over 11 lbs. I'm just waiting for the curing salt to get delivered from Amazon today and then I'll start the process using PB's cure recipe. I'll cut it in half or thirds to make it more manageable for myself. Here's a shot of the slab, I'll add some curing pics once I have them.

Ended up grabbing some pre seasoned ribs while at Costco too, so I'm gonna toss them on the smoker tomorrow and give that a try.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on December 30, 2016, 05:16:44 PM
Just finished getting it ready. Cut it in half, although next time I might do thirds since it would've made  it easier to control and place into the bags. I used Brian/Pork Belly's dry cure recipe and didn't really have enough leftover  to save. There was maybe a cup or so left on the pan. I put 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1/2 cup of brown sugar in each 2 gallon zip lock bag, 1/4 cup just didn't seem like it would coat enough so I doubled his recipe. (Hopefully that was ok.)

The next 7 days are going to go by so slow...

At least I have some ribs to smoke tomorrow to hold me over. 
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Libohunden on December 30, 2016, 11:36:54 PM
Looks good! 

I picked up another park belly tonight, as well. Won't get into the brine until tomorrow though
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 05, 2017, 08:33:31 PM
1 more day for the cure and then resting until the Sunday morning smoke!

Does anyone put more wood in for the hot smoke phase after removing the cold smoke plate? I'm planning on using 5-6 oz of sugar maple, cut into slivers for the roughly 4-5 hr cold smoke phase. I'm going to follow the on/off method that Kari uses.

I plan on brushing them with maple syrup after I remove the slabs from the smoker. Might sprinkle some black pepper on a little bit and some hot pepper flakes on some too, most will be left with no pepper.

I can't wait, I'm already drooling...
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: DivotMaker on January 05, 2017, 08:38:07 PM
Man, Phil, you bacon guys and gals are killing me!  Now that my local Sam's has bellies, I HAVE to find time to do this!  Thank goodness these holidays are OVER!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 06, 2017, 08:22:27 PM
Into the home stretch, curing is finished! I rinsed & dried each slab and put them in the fridge. I plan on leaving them there till Sunday morning, which will be about 36 hours.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on January 06, 2017, 08:32:40 PM
Lookin' good! :)
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: NDKoze on January 06, 2017, 08:58:26 PM
Looks awesome! You are going to be in a bacon coma before you know it. :)
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 07, 2017, 08:56:09 PM
Getting ready, cut my wood chunks into slivers. 6oz that I'll use for the cold smoke phase. Not sure if I'll add more for the hot smoke yet. Maybe only like 2-2.5 oz if I do.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Libohunden on January 07, 2017, 10:02:42 PM
Looks great!  I just pulled half of my bacon out. Take a gander!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 07, 2017, 10:46:45 PM
Those look great, awesome color! The plan is to let it rest 24 hours and obviously test some right away, but I'm afraid I'll just want to keep eating if it comes out looking like that!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Libohunden on January 07, 2017, 11:06:55 PM
Yours should look very similar.  I slather mine in maple syrup when I take it out.  This is the second belly I've smoke for bacon.  The first was incredible.  I let it rest for 4 days uncovered in the fridge before cutting it down to manageable sizes and vacuum sealing.  A few days after that I sliced a couple pounds with a carving knife and cooked it up.  Now, I need to stock up before the warm weather hits down here in Texas. 

Can't wait to see some finished product pics of yours!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on January 07, 2017, 11:54:15 PM
Getting ready, cut my wood chunks into slivers. 6oz that I'll use for the cold smoke phase. Not sure if I'll add more for the hot smoke yet. Maybe only like 2-2.5 oz if I do.

I haven't added any additional wood for the hot smoke phase. And I like it pretty smoky. I often use part hickory (with some cherry or maple thrown in). Since using all maple will provide a milder smoke, I think you'll be okay to add more during the hot smoke if you want to give that a try and see how it turns out. Letting it mellow in the refrigerator for a few days is important. Your first taste tests might be kind of strong.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 08, 2017, 02:33:52 PM
Quick mid smoke update: I've been doing full blast for 15 mins then off for 45 mins. I checked the wood box after the 2nd cold hour and it was basically all gone, so I added another 4.375 oz and this time 1 was a bigger chunk. There was plenty of ice in the bottle still, but I dumped the tray and added some more cubes too. I won't be adding more wood during the hot phase since I added it here. Next time I'll prob make sure the slivers are a little bigger so they don't burn up so quickly.
I'm almost done with the 4th cold hour, I'm gonna do 1 more then remove the cold plate and turn it up to 200 until IT hits 150.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Libohunden on January 08, 2017, 03:39:38 PM
Looking good!  Man those are some clean looking side rails!  LOL

Can't remember if I posted a final pic of my bacon last night after I slathered both pieces with maple syrup.

Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 08, 2017, 03:41:25 PM
Haha I actually just tossed the side rails in the dishwasher after my last smoke, so that's why they're so clean now haha.

Those look so good! Another few more hours before I can get some finished pics up...
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 08, 2017, 09:03:28 PM
Finally finished! I cold smoked for 5 hours and then removed the cold plate and turned it up to 200 (no wood left). The IT was about 70 at this point. Took just under 4 hours to get to 150 IT. It was between 16-22 degrees outside all day. I brushed them with maple syrup after removing them and sprinkled some black/red pepper flakes on a small portion. I licked my fingers after touching it and could easily taste the smoke already. I haven't tried a piece yet and will be waiting a few days to let it mellow out. (Plus I've been sick this weekend and have no energy to clean up more than I already have)

I'll post some pics after I slice them, but here are a few to hold you over...
The one in the smoker is at the end of the cold smoke phase. The double shots are before maple syrup went on. The individual bottom shots are with maple syrup.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Libohunden on January 08, 2017, 09:21:48 PM
Looks gorgeous!!!  Let it rest for a few days before slicing to let the smoke settle into the meat. Your going to love it!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Donmac on January 09, 2017, 09:13:04 AM
Wow those look really good guys!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 09, 2017, 10:02:00 AM
I called out sick from work today, and I'm sitting at home with 9lbs of bacon in my fridge and it's tough to resist so I decided to slice a few pieces just to test it out. Wow is that smokey! Definitely going to give it a few days before I slice it and bag it.

How much does it tend to mellow out? Cause it's very strong at the moment so I hope I didn't use too much wood. (I did add more about halfway thru)
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: NDKoze on January 09, 2017, 12:51:48 PM
It mellows out a fair amount. I usually let mine sit in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on January 09, 2017, 09:46:50 PM
If you used 6 ounces to start, then added another 4.5, it is definitely going to be on the smoky side. So you might want to let it mellow for 7 days in the fridge before you freeze. If it's still too smoky, then you'll know for next time how to adjust it. Everyone likes it a little different. Sometimes it's easier to evaluate it a month from now, when you pull a package out of the freezer, if you don't eat it all before then.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 10, 2017, 04:43:19 PM
Thanks guys! I'm going to slice it up this weekend, so that'll be 6 or 7 days. I'll be ok with a little more smoke flavor, but as it is right now it's almost inedible. Luckily the belly wasn't too pricey and my Costco seems to always have a decent supply, so a redo isn't too difficult!

I'll definitely use less wood next time, but might leave the chunks bigger than they were this time. I think that led to them burning up too quick which made me want to add more so I could have a few more hours of the cold smoke. The first 6 oz were gone in just 2 hours, which seemed way too quick considering I was going for a 5 hour cold smoke.

I doubt any Pitmasters have won a competition with their first attempt at something...
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: TmanEater on January 10, 2017, 11:14:37 PM
Phil-

I had a very similar experience on my first bacon as you just had. Your current pics are inspiring me to want to do another batch before spring this year. I thought the smoke was overpowering and I did many hours like you of multiple cold smoking waves. I've now let mine sit in the freezer for nearly a year the it's not nearly as overpowering as trying that first taste. I also find that the edges/ends were inedible. On my next go around I'm going to smoke less, mellow more, and slice thinner for the majority with thick cut slices on ~20% for comparison purposes.

See my thread here. The second link I commented that next time I'll do 2 hours and then up it to 200 until IT hits 150.
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=4312.msg38837#msg38837
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=4312.msg40041#msg40041
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 12, 2017, 07:31:24 PM
Thanks Tman! I'm not sure how I missed your post before I started, I thought I read every single one hahaha

It makes total sense that the ends would be inedible since they're obviously getting hit the most. I'm going to wait till the weekend to slice it up and bag it. I'll cut a piece from the side but then also from the center so I can see how the flavor compares.

I have a feeling that the wood burned up so quickly for me because of the 15 mins on sessions were set at the highest temp so the wood must've started to burn quickly meaning I prob could've gotten away with only 5-10 mins on max or just a lower temp.

Next time I might try just setting the temp to 80-100 and let that go for 2-3 hours or until the wood is gone  and then remove the cold plate and up the temp to 200 after that. The 6 oz I initially wanted to use should've been plenty to give enough smoke flavor, just want to stretch the timing out so it's a light smoke for a long time instead of heavy smoke.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on January 13, 2017, 12:52:07 AM
On their own, the edge trimmings are too strong. I use the edge trimmings in beans, soup, scalloped potatoes, or anywhere else you want some smoked flavor where you would normally use bacon or ham hocks, etc.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 14, 2017, 11:18:51 AM
It's been about 6 days in the fridge. I cut a few slices and gave it a try. The smokiness has definitely mellowed out. It's not bad, but it's too salty. My wife and a friend tried it and all 3 of us agree that it's too salty. Smoke flavor was good and the maple syrup came thru a bit, but the salt was the most powerful flavor. About 2 slices at a time is all we could each get thru.

I have many friends and family that wants to try it, but since I know it's not as good as it can be I'm not sure if I should give it out or not haha. I can get honest feedback (I hope) and get rid of it quicker so I can start another one if I do give it out. But I don't want people to hate it and then not want to try it the next time lol
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Libohunden on January 14, 2017, 12:00:38 PM
I've only smoked 2 belly's for bacon and only eaten the first one I smoked.  I do plan on slicing up my second tomorrow.  However, my mom thought the first bacon was too salty.  But, my wife and I thought it was okay.  I did ask how to make low sodium bacon on one of these threads and I was told to soak it in cold water after it cooled off.  I didn't try that yet.  But, if the bacon I slice tomorrow is like that, I may give it a shot and see how that works.  You may want to give that a try and let us know if it makes a difference.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 14, 2017, 12:30:06 PM
I did ask how to make low sodium bacon on one of these threads and I was told to soak it in cold water after it cooled off.

How would that work? Do I soak it before I slice it or after? I am going to cut the one slab now and maybe I'll wait to do the 2nd until I can look into that post you're talking about.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Libohunden on January 14, 2017, 02:34:20 PM
Look here... pg 3

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=5794.30
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 14, 2017, 02:55:26 PM
Great, thanks. I cut one slab down and packed into approx 8 oz portions. I also made some into bacon bits. I saved the bacon fat from the pan too, that'll come in handy later. I'll soak the second slab for an hour or so before I toss it in the freezer prior to cutting. Hopefully that helps a bit.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Libohunden on January 14, 2017, 03:47:54 PM
That looks great!!!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on January 14, 2017, 10:47:44 PM
If it's too salty, try soaking in plain water for an hour (or more) after the cure, and before drying/smoking, that should remove some of the surface salt which is the most prominent.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 15, 2017, 12:01:31 PM
I'll try that on the next batch Kari. I saw that before I started but Pork Belly always said he didn't think it was needed so I skipped this time.

I soaked the second slab in water for an hour and then tossed into the freezer so I can get it ready to slice. Which I'm going to do shortly.

I also tossed some of the slices from yesterday into the water and then cooked them after an hour of soaking. It helped a little bit cause they were not as salty as yesterday. Also the piece that I cooked longer was also not as salty as the others. So soaking here might have helped a tiny bit.

For my next batch of bacon I'll be using less salt, soaking after curing, and less wood. Plus whatever else I can improve based on the feedback others give me.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 19, 2017, 12:11:04 PM
I've given out some samples to friends at work and they have all loved it so far! None of them seemed to think it was either too salty or too smokey. I'll still work on dialing back the salt a little bit next time (I think I applied the cure a little too thick since I had like none leftover after using Pork Belly's recipe). Same thing with the smoke, I know 10 oz was def way too much.

All in all, I'd say this was a very successful first attempt at bacon. It tasted good and there is room for improvement!
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Pork Belly on January 19, 2017, 12:24:57 PM
Quote
I did ask how to make low sodium bacon on one of these threads and I was told to soak it in cold water after it cooled off.

Water is not helping the bacon either in a wet brine to cure it or especially as suggested to you, soaking it after cooking. Wet brining meat to make bacon is mimicking modern commercial bacon that is brined and injected. Dry curing is old school technique and is an entirely different texture and flavor. 

I recommend using an EQ Dry cure method. By calculating your ratios you can go as low as 2 or 2.5 % Salt. That is far less than you get using a dredging salt box method. EQ calculators can be found online, I don't use them.

Dredging or "Salt Box" dry curing can also be modified to control salt levels. You don't need to cake on the dry cure, simply cover the rub in a modest amount of cure. It took me a few batches to find the right volume.

I have a friend that is on his third batch of bacon, he has had great results every time, because I showed him what a properly salted belly looked like. Somewhere in one of my old posts are pictures of dry cure on belly after slat boxing it.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 19, 2017, 03:30:02 PM
Thanks Brian, much appreciated. I do think it was fairly caked on when I followed your dredging method, so next time if I follow that I will apply more lightly.

I'm guessing that DiggingDogFarm's calculator (http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html) will work for the dry cure. So I'll consider using that to make my cure next time too.

Is there a generally accepted range when it comes to the salt % desired? Looks like his default upon launching the page are 2% salt and 1% sugar. Based on those numbers and what I plugged in it says to use a little less than 12 grams of cure #1. Since I had very little cure mix left while I was following your amounts, it seems like I used close to 40+ grams. So it makes sense that it might be a little too salty. (Although so far only 3 out of approx 13 people who have tried it so far thought it was too salty.)

It's been a fun learning process and I'm looking forward to making my next batch sometime in the near future. Beef jerky is next up on the list though.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: Pork Belly on January 19, 2017, 04:12:28 PM
2% as an EQ with a long cure time is 10 days or more is what I see often. I don't cure that way so I can't give you more accurate information than that.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on January 19, 2017, 04:50:48 PM
Nothing against PB's salt box method, but I think if you start with a cure where the ingredients are "measured", rather than just "what sticks", I think it is easier to make adjustments for taste. He is a pro, and knows exactly what to look for when dredging. I am not a pro, and don't make bacon everyday. Here's my method, which is measured, and works for me.

Maple Cured Bacon

I’ve noticed several posts on this forum about using Prague Powder #1 (Pink Curing Salt) vs. Morton Tender Quick. Morton Tender Quick is pretty much available at any basic supermarket. For most people though, Prague Powder #1 must be ordered. Either one will give you the same results, as long as you use each in the correct proportions. Use whichever cure is available in your area.

Here's my whole bacon process. Take from it what you wish, this is just what works for me. I'm sure others on this forum might have different processes or opinions on things. (I have a #1, therefore the on/off method for cold smoking works best for me. Those who have digital/programmable models will want to come up with a process that is a little more elegant for their cold smoke phase.)

Use either Prague Powder #1 or Morton Tender Quick cure (depending on what is available to you). I’ve tested the cures side-by-side, and I’ve found the results to be identical.

The maple syrup in the cure is optional. It can be omitted if you prefer.

CURE OPTIONS:

Prague Powder #1 Cure (per pound of belly)
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt (Morton’s)
1/2 teaspoon Prague Powder #1 (Pink Curing Salt)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Morton Tender Quick Cure (per pound of belly)
1 Tablespoon Morton Tender Quick
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

If desired, go ahead and add your special twist with additional flavors to the cures like garlic powder, black pepper, etc., but your bacon will be delicious with just the basic cure.

PROCESS:

Prepare a batch of cure using the ratios above per 1 pound of meat. Rub the belly with the cure making sure to evenly distribute it over the entire surface of the belly. Place in a zip lock bag. Place in the fridge and allow to cure for 7 days per inch thickness of belly. Flip the bags once every day and massage the meat to ensure even distribution of the cure.

When fully cured, remove meat from bags and rinse in cold water, washing off all the excess salt and cure. Soak in plain water for 30 minutes to further remove excess surface salt. Dry with paper towels and place on a rack, set over a sheet pan. Place in fridge, uncovered, and allow to dry for 24 hours to form a pellicle.

Cold smoke phase:
Use 5-6 oz chips and/or split slivers of wood for fairly smoky bacon. Hickory, cherry, maple or any combination. Smoke using the cold smoke plate and a pan of ice for 5 hours (20 minutes full blast, 40 minutes off) keeping the ambient box temperature below 100 degrees.

Hot smoke phase:
After 5 hours, remove the cold smoke plate and pan of ice (water at this point). Dump out the water from the drip pan and slide it under the smoker (if you were using the drip pan that came with the SI for ice). Set smoker temp to 200, and continue to smoke to an internal temperature of 150 (will probably take about 2+ hours).

For more pronounced maple flavor, brush lightly with maple syrup immediately after removing finished bacon from smoker. Add a sprinkling of fresh cracked black pepper for maple/pepper bacon.

Cool 1 hour lightly tented with foil.

Chill for 24 hours or more, then slice to desired thickness.

PINK SALT NOTES:
1 tsp (5.67 grams) per 5 pounds of meat is what Martin (DiggingDogFarm) says (maybe this is for an equilibrium brine rather than a dry brine?), but when I have looked up other actual recipes, it is usually more like these amounts:
2 teaspoons for 5 pounds of belly: Ruhlman, Raichlan, Michael Symon
1/2 teaspoon per 1 pound of belly: amazingribs.com
2 teaspoons for 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of belly: Traeger Grills recipe

So you can see it varies a lot. I have also read that the MAXIMUM is 1 tsp per pound, but you would never want to use that much.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on January 19, 2017, 04:52:08 PM
I'll try that on the next batch Kari. I saw that before I started but Pork Belly always said he didn't think it was needed so I skipped this time.

I soaked the second slab in water for an hour and then tossed into the freezer so I can get it ready to slice. Which I'm going to do shortly.

I also tossed some of the slices from yesterday into the water and then cooked them after an hour of soaking. It helped a little bit cause they were not as salty as yesterday. Also the piece that I cooked longer was also not as salty as the others. So soaking here might have helped a tiny bit.

For my next batch of bacon I'll be using less salt, soaking after curing, and less wood. Plus whatever else I can improve based on the feedback others give me.

I wouldn't soak in water after smoking. That would remove more smoke than salt in my opinion.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SmokedGouda on January 19, 2017, 07:09:17 PM
I wouldn't soak in water after smoking. That would remove more smoke than salt in my opinion.

Whoops, well a little too late for that haha. It's ok, I still enjoyed it and so did everyone I've shared it with. That just means the next batch will be so much better! The measured approach does seem like it would be better for me to go with since I'm so new to everything, so I'll do that next.
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: LarryD on September 06, 2017, 02:16:22 PM
Is the sugar also optional?  If not then is there a way to substitute it out?

The maple syrup in the cure is optional. It can be omitted if you prefer.

CURE OPTIONS:

Prague Powder #1 Cure (per pound of belly)
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt (Morton’s)
1/2 teaspoon Prague Powder #1 (Pink Curing Salt)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Morton Tender Quick Cure (per pound of belly)
1 Tablespoon Morton Tender Quick
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
Title: Re: Merry Christmas! ... First Attempt at Bacon!!!
Post by: SconnieQ on September 06, 2017, 02:45:40 PM
Is the sugar also optional?  If not then is there a way to substitute it out?

The maple syrup in the cure is optional. It can be omitted if you prefer.

CURE OPTIONS:

Prague Powder #1 Cure (per pound of belly)
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt (Morton’s)
1/2 teaspoon Prague Powder #1 (Pink Curing Salt)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Morton Tender Quick Cure (per pound of belly)
1 Tablespoon Morton Tender Quick
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Yes, it is optional. It is there mostly for flavor balance (balances the salt), and I find it necessary for that reason. It also promotes browning. You can leave it out if you choose. You will find that most bacon cures out there do have a sugar element. If it is refined sugar you object to, you could also use coconut sugar (lower glycemic index than refined sugar), honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup in place of brown sugar. If you are diabetic, you could try Splenda or Stevia, but to tell you the truth, I would use sugar substitutes with caution. With a long cure like that, these substitutes could do something crazy, like making it overly-sweet, or even have some undesired chemical reaction. If you wanted to try, I would use 1/2 of the equivalent. Maybe someone here has tried sugar substitutes or you can search the internet? Remember that the sugar is just in the cure, and the cure gets rinsed/soaked off, so not that much gets absorbed, and the actual sugar content is relatively low in the end product.

NOTE: Morton TenderQuick has a small amount of sugar already in it, so if you are trying to go 100% sugar-free, then you will want to use the Prague Powder #1 recipe.