Making Bacon?

[Gavin]

Just picked up a 1/2 a pig for the freezer...Anyway, I didnt like the way the butcher cured the bacon last year so I'd figure I'd give it a go myself. Any tips?

I have a whole side of bacon....bought 12-13lbs...Thinking of brining the it in some salt, sugar, apple cider, and molasses with for 3-4 days...Then cold smoking it with some apple wood for 4-6 hours.

Not sure about the smoker setup though...I have a large offset smoker...figure I'll toss a couple bags of ice in the bottom, add the deflector plate, keep the fire low and monitor the temp closely. Anyone have some other ideas?

[Smalliebigs]

Man, Gavin that sounds killer to me. I'm getting hungry reading this, sitting in my new office......bacon

[Wayne SW/MO]

You probably need some nitrite in it. The best source I'm aware of is The Sausage Maker in Buffalo NY. You shouldn't have much trouble cold smoking this time of the year, do it on a cold day with the vents wide open. Apple is good, or kf you want something different, but still mild, you could try red oak or pecan.

[Thom]

I love the Pecan. I have three large pecan trees in my yard that the squirrells harvest the pecans from before they hit the ground but I get lots of Pecan for smoking all year just from the dead wood dropping from the storms and natural lower limb decay thanks to the woodpeckers. It is close to hickory but has it's own suttle flavor and burns hot and slow after soaking. Never tried bacon but load my smoker with beef, ribs, rabbit, and squirrel often.

[jdmidwest]

Its been a while, but we used to butcher and process pork at the farm when I was a kid. The bacon and hams were salted and smoked in the smokehouse, which was about the size of an 8x8 portable building with a hole in the floor that the smoke entered. The smoldering fire was underneath and it was cold smoked for a time I can't remember. I think we just salted the hell out of it and hung it in there. I long for one of those hams, it was the best I have ever had. I have not run across a ham like it at any store.

I am sure there are several recipes, I buy bacon at a local guy that is wonderful and his smoked cheddar and brats are great too.

Old Hickory Specialty Meats

[Gavin]

Thanks for the tips..Cut down an apple tree last year, so thats what I'm using...Would be interested in some pecan but no source...would be glad to pay postage or pick some up...Have chainsaw...will travel for BBQ wood.

[Stoneroller]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/scrap-iron-chefs-bacon-recipe/index.html

here is a link to alton brown's instructions. you could obviously change around the brine ingredients to whatever you'd like, the procedure is what's important.

[Gavin]

Thanks again...bacon hit the brine a couple hours ago...It's in a cooler in the garage mixing with a brine based on the Alton Brown Recipe with a few tweeks....used apple juice instead of cider(no cider to be found).cut the salt back a tad, added a splash of Maker's Mark, and a touch of Zatarains liquid crab & shrimp boil for some kick...nothing to do but wait, smoke, and wait some more. Fun experiment so far!

[Trout Commander]

Keep us updated!

[Wayne SW/MO]

Here's a source for 100% labeled wood for smoking. Traeger also has pellets for smoking, but they are said to 30% labeled and 70% oak. I believe the BBQ Delights are made in Pine Bluff. I have some Traeger's and they do a good job, but I haven't had in 100% pecan to compare with. I think their Hickory does a good job. Of course nothing does as well as chunks for long hours of smoking, but I seldom go over 3 hours.

Wood pellets for smoking