Cold smoked bacon
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I wet cure my bacon, then cold smoke over a mix of hickory and oak, then store it cold for 2-3 days before I slice it. Bacon is my most successful cured meat by far, sausages are still a work in progress!
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Kmucker Where in NY were you? It could be a number of things but it likely had something to do with the supplier of the bellies? Obviously, the processing is going to be part of it as well but generally larger processing places order more bellies and tend to get their pick of the litter as it were. Now stopping at 128° is a little low for what we would recommend, we like to recommend you go to 138°. However, if you have finally found the process that gives you the product you are wanting then I wouldn’t change anything as you are fully cooking it right before you are eating it?
Jonathon we were in Arkport, a one light town in the southern tier. We farmed pruducre and had a retail farm store with a deli and bakery for 43yrs. We bought our bacon and deli meat from John Martin in Stevens PA. Martin’s have all high quality stuff. Some weeks my wife would slice 500# of bacon a week. We got tired of employees and NY regs so we quit and moved to Fla but we miss the JFM meats so we are learning to do our own now and are enjoying it. We grow a large garden almost year around and produce almost all of our food and meats.
Thanks again for your help -
Kmucker Where in NY were you? It could be a number of things but it likely had something to do with the supplier of the bellies? Obviously, the processing is going to be part of it as well but generally larger processing places order more bellies and tend to get their pick of the litter as it were. Now stopping at 128° is a little low for what we would recommend, we like to recommend you go to 138°. However, if you have finally found the process that gives you the product you are wanting then I wouldn’t change anything as you are fully cooking it right before you are eating it?
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I wet cure my bacon, then cold smoke over a mix of hickory and oak, then store it cold for 2-3 days before I slice it. Bacon is my most successful cured meat by far, sausages are still a work in progress!
SupplySergeant that’s pretty much the process we found we like except I’ve been using Apple wood. It’s a little hard to find fresh bellies here.
Good stuff -
SupplySergeant that’s pretty much the process we found we like except I’ve been using Apple wood. It’s a little hard to find fresh bellies here.
Good stuff -
Kmucker I raise my own bellies! Along with the rest of the hog, of course!
SupplySergeant me too but we’ll use more bacon then do the rest of the hog.
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SupplySergeant me too but we’ll use more bacon then do the rest of the hog.
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Kmucker I grew up in the Albany area, in a small town called Niskayuna. New Yorkers get a bad rep, the people from upstate are usually great people! Still can’t compare to the level of friendliness I have experienced in Texas and Kansas!
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I’m in the opposite boat. I don’t have a smoker, and my pellet grill will only go down to 130 degrees. Can I use my pellet grill to smoke my bacon? I have access to skin on bellies for. 48 cents /lb. and want to take advantage!!
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I’m in the opposite boat. I don’t have a smoker, and my pellet grill will only go down to 130 degrees. Can I use my pellet grill to smoke my bacon? I have access to skin on bellies for. 48 cents /lb. and want to take advantage!!
wellerandrew67 that is a great price I would love to get some at that price. I think many people do smoke their bacon on a pellet grill. We also have a pellet grill I don’t think it makes the volume of smoke as my smoker makes but I think you could put your bacon on there for six or seven hours and try it.
I built a smoker from a old not working commercial , sausage maker smoker generator, an electric stove heating element, and a $40 PID controller. Works really great for doing bacon and hams.
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Kmucker I grew up in the Albany area, in a small town called Niskayuna. New Yorkers get a bad rep, the people from upstate are usually great people! Still can’t compare to the level of friendliness I have experienced in Texas and Kansas!
Jonathon people from Upstate and Western New York are great and it is a beautiful place to live. But it is hard to thrive in such a oppressive environment. We have 49 other states and I’m sure that 48 of them have to be better than New York if you want to make a living.
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wellerandrew67 that is a great price I would love to get some at that price. I think many people do smoke their bacon on a pellet grill. We also have a pellet grill I don’t think it makes the volume of smoke as my smoker makes but I think you could put your bacon on there for six or seven hours and try it.
I built a smoker from a old not working commercial , sausage maker smoker generator, an electric stove heating element, and a $40 PID controller. Works really great for doing bacon and hams.
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I’m in the opposite boat. I don’t have a smoker, and my pellet grill will only go down to 130 degrees. Can I use my pellet grill to smoke my bacon? I have access to skin on bellies for. 48 cents /lb. and want to take advantage!!
wellerandrew67 I use a Traeger pellet grill with a cold chamber on the end, my controller has smoke setting, but is not temperature accurate on the hot side. The cold side always stays below 120 degrees due to being able to open or close the chimney damper more or less. Just keep the bacon up off the grill. I use my rib rack if I’m on the hot side, puts the meat about 3-4 inches off the grill.
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Kmucker I only cold smoe my bacon.why cook the meat twice? When you hot smoke you cook the meat then you slice and cook so it gives different texture and bite in my opinion.
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Thank you, that is exactly what we have found Only cold smoke from now on. Butchered a hog Saturday and ready to start making brine this morning. Can’t wait to get it done.
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AllanMoyer Yeah it is a different texture for sure, since 90 something percent of store-bought bacon is pre-heat treated that is what I am used to and therefore prefer but I have had cold smoked bacon before that I just pan-fried and it was really good.
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SupplySergeant that’s pretty much the process we found we like except I’ve been using Apple wood. It’s a little hard to find fresh bellies here.
Good stuffKmucker I have been dry curing, cold smoking <90 on Applewood, refrigerating 2-3 days, slicing, freezing, and cooking when ready to consume for years there is nothing wrong with your process.
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That is the process I have settled on and have been making excellent bacon now every time. Thank you
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