I’ve got the pork belly, done the research and will start curing it tomorrow for seven to ten days before I smoke it in my slow smoker for 8 hours. What I want to know is, are there any do’s or don’ts that I should know. Being the first time I want to make sure it comes out reasonably good. I’m after a good smoky flavour so will make sure it’s completely dry before it goes in the smoker. The pork belly could be thicker but doesn't worry me to much as long as it doesn’t turn out too salty. That’s my biggest fair. Any hints will be gratefully excepted.
lythande1,
Jul 1, 1:58am
Fear. Accepted.
Suggestion: Don't hot smoke it.
elliehen,
Jul 1, 4:28am
I sometimes wonder...is it the H or the G who is the irritable one?
mapman,
Jul 1, 4:48am
Fair enough & accepted. Thanks for the Grammar lesion. Here’s yours, I said I had a slow smoker and that would mean cold not hot, pay more attention next time and maybe answer with something more helpful. I have a hot smoker too and have had a lot of success with it so far, the cold smoker has proven to be more specialized (-spelt that way on purpose and correct also)and temperamental (just like you lyth&e1), that’s why I’m asking.
elliehen,
Jul 1, 5:40am
mapman, is this post any help?
mapman,
Jul 1, 5:56am
Thanks elliehen, that's more or less how I do my smoked fish in the hot smoker now. I know the pork belly would turn out good this way too, but I'm looking for a good result for bacon the first time I try. I know it wont taste as good as somebody who has done it for a while, but just trying to reduce a poor result. The investment in time alone is about 8 to 11 days. I have heard that you can’t over cure bacon but you can underdo it. There’s a lot of salt that goes in the brine which is needed to cure it and that’s what I’m worried about more than anything. There’s a lot of commercial bacon about that’s too salty for me, just a taste preference I suppose.
ana-marie,
Jul 1, 6:19am
If you are worried about the salt, you could try replacing the brine solution with fresh water for 24 hours before you smoke it. That should leach some of the salt out of it.
mapman,
Jul 1, 2:55pm
Thanks ana-marie, I will look further into that as it makes sense. Would that take the cured properties away from the pork though?
shop-a-holic,
Jul 1, 6:48pm
Bacon Maker here. Are you dry curing it? or wet curing it?
Curing it for 7 days, I'm presuming is a dry cure. After that time, it doesn't need to be refrigerated and will last up to 6 months. Smoking it will add flavour, but you are making a pancetta, or english speck.
shop-a-holic,
Jul 1, 6:50pm
Wet Curing: 200gms salt per 2 litres of water (plus add your seasonings). It should only be cured 1 day per kilo of pork. Over this time, it would probably too salty.
mapman,
Jul 2, 12:39am
I was going for the brine cured bacon this time around, but the recipe I’ve got suggests that it should be left in the refrigerator for about a week. I’ve also got a recipe (see below) for the dry rub cured bacon, and will try this first now as I don’t want to risk a salty finish.
1 lb chunk of pork belly (or larger) 2 ounces honey 2 tablespoons (or more) coarsely ground black pepper 1 cup salt 1 tsp Morton TenderQuick (optional)
Thanks shop-a-holic and I will post my progress
mapman,
Jul 2, 7:18pm
The above dry rub cure in my post has been done. I'll go all the way and smoke it for about 8 hours next Sunday. I’ll use small green Manuka logs over slow burning Charcoal and Manuka leaves straight off the tree. The Manuka will just smoulder away. The temperature will only be about 30 degrees and by adding the Manuka leaves occasional to the Charcoal, the smoker will be full of cool smoke for about ten minutes at a time, just to give it a boost.
lythande1,
Jul 2, 7:49pm
Lesson.
babytears,
Jul 2, 7:50pm
Yum... sounds good.... our pig ran away two days ago... jumped out and off he went frolicking... we put the word out just in case of sightings. A phonecall this morning revealled he'd been found... he'd already been shot, cleaned and hanging. We've made bacon before but the pork belly wasn't quite large enough to get any decent slices off after we'd smoked it. I think we'll try again!
mapman,
Jul 3, 12:30am
Thanks for that lythande1. I’ve just returned the favour by correcting 3 mistakes you have made all today. In the suggestions please thread in Recipes you spelt cannelloni wrong, the Drive capacity issue thread in Computing you left readers wondering what the hell etailed is and Passionfruit thread in Gardening & DIY you don’t start with a Capital letter and you grammar is appalling. My advice is, if you think your so high and mighty, practice what you preach, or learn how to spell properly, because if you don’t, you leave yourself open to what I just did back to you. Maybe you can get lessons from a retired teacher or something. Enough of that crap, back to the bacon.
tigerlilly16,
Jul 3, 10:32pm
lol good one.
jmonster,
Jul 4, 1:55am
Owned! Nice one!
schnauzer11,
Jul 4, 3:24am
Your method is sound.Just a bit worried about you grammar lesion.See your trusted pharmacist.(Don't throw bacon bones at me!)
schnauzer11,
Jul 4, 3:27am
Omitted an 'r'!!
mapman,
Jul 4, 5:27am
No bacon bones in a slab of pork belly and yes my spelling is not the best, but at least I don’t try and pretend it is like lythande1. Have you ever made bacon schnauzer?
beaker59,
Jul 4, 10:33am
Yeah cold smoking is more of an art than hot smoking I remember helping my grandpa with his cold smoker when I was a kid circa 1965. I think if you have a cold smoker the beauty of it is you can leave it hanging in there for ages but check every 12 hours or so. its more like drying in smoke than what we do to our fish which is cooking in smoke. I remember grandpa's smoked mullet being dry and leathery not flaky at all made really nice pies etc but you had to cook it in milk for a while before you could use it. It did last for months on the shelf though with no refrigeration.
Look forward to hearing how youe bacon comes out.
My spelling is bad for a reason please leave it that way.
lythande1,
Jul 4, 3:03pm
But I know to use the correct word even if I make the odd typo. Your grammar.
mapman,
Jul 4, 6:40pm
I have similar memories beaker59, nice story. Years ago my mum used to always cook it in milk too when making Smoked fish pie. The bacon is curing OK as far as I can tell.
mapman,
Jul 9, 6:05pm
The bacon is cured and almost ready to go in the smoker. I’ve just got to leave it for two hours to air until the surface goes sticky, otherwise known as “pecllicle”. That means the surface proteins on the pork dry out and harden just a bit. This gives the bacon better texture and improves the ability for the smoke to flavour the pork. I was going to smoke it at a very low temp. for 12 or more, but have had some advice and will now go for a higher temp. for a shorter period. After all the bacon is already cured and I only need to introduce a smoky flavour. I’ll post later on today after it’s done.
squeakygirl,
Jul 9, 9:56pm
I make a brine with 1/2 cup plain salt, 1 cup sugar, garlic, ginger and just enough water to cover the pork. Leave in the fridge for six days, turning daily. Drain, pat dry and hot smoke in the cobb cooker. Can use any other herbs and spices that you like. Comes out really good.
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