2nd batch of bacon 🥓 started

[Bowfineater]

Got another pork belly from Costco yesterday.
9.46 lbs @ $2.99/lb for $28.29

Working on perfecting my bacon technique on Costco Belly’s, before attempting the belly’s  I have in the freezer, that came along with my whole hog purchased from a pasture raised pig from a farm local to me in MN

I cut the belly into 3 pieces, and am trying 3 different cure formulas

a wet cure, the belly submerged in a bribe of water, salt, maple syrup, and TCM (Prague Powder #1)

And 2 different dry cures, one all maple , the other half maple and half brown sugar

All will be smoked with maple wood

 

[Bowfineater]

2 more pics

 

[Bowfineater]

Cured all 3 for 10 days, rotating every day

Used 6oz of maple wood cut into 13 pieces

Smoked @ 150F for 2 hours
                175F  for 4 hours
                200F. For 1 hour and 41 min
Untill internal temp of approx 150F was reached

Bacon was way too smoky, I till I sliced and froze it, now it is perfect, not sure why

All were a little too salty, but the wet cure texture was preferred, and the flavor of the dry cure #2 (half maple, half brown sugar) was preferred.

 

[LarryD]

I would like to try bacon again and at the same time, the smoked bacon Sam's Club carries is damned good and kind of makes it a losing proposition to make my own.  I also don't think Sam's has pork belly, so I'll have to find a source.

 

[EFGM]

I would like to try bacon again and at the same time, the smoked bacon Sam's Club carries is damned good and kind of makes it a losing proposition to make my own.  I also don't think Sam's has pork belly, so I'll have to find a source.

I'm with you Larry, Sam's Bacon is awesome, especially the applewood. They say once you do you own you will never go back to store bought. Something about the 9-10 day process time that keeps me from doing it. I guess even being old I have one of those "I want it done now mentalities" BTW, Costco has Pork Belly's and a pretty good selection as well.

 

[EFGM]

I applaud you Phil, keep it up!

 

[Bowfineater]

I agree the Sams Club Bacon is great, I eat so much bacon I buy it too.  Sams does have pork belly’s, but they were very small.  The flavor of dry cured bacon does not compare to store bought, wet cited bacon.  Once I get my recipes all dialed in, I will prob do 2 whole belly’s at the same time, rather than just 1 cut into thirds. 

I need a slicer now.  Would be great for jerky also.

The attached pic is what I currently slice with.

 

[barelfly]

That is the same style of knife I use to slice my bacon.  I don’t make a ton of it, and did use a slicer the first time I made it. I have found that the knife has been easier than the slicer, but that could have been the user and not the slicer.....

Love me some bacon....I may have to make a few slices tonight.