Home Made Bacon

blugill · 03-07-2010, 08:21 AM

Last night was the culmination of seven days of curing a full slab of pork belly!

I started with a big, I mean big like around two foot by three foot, frozen pork belly. thawed it in the fridge overnight.

The next day I mixed up a batch of curing rub from kosher salt, brown sugar, and maple syrup. I cut the slab into two pieces and then applied the rub. Top, bottom, sides, just all over it.

Then each slab went into a two gallon ziploc bag. Then into the fridge for a week! Flipping each slab over once a day so that the brine that forms will coat the entire slab.

After seven days the meat is cured, you can cut it and fry it if you want but I smoked it instead! About an hour and a half in the BGE with hickory chips. I wanted to use maple chips instead but couldn't find any in town

This bacon is very rich. It would make for excellent BLT sandwiches instead of breakfast bacon. It's meaty and sweet. Very cool flavor and much different than store bought bacon.

captain53 · 03-07-2010, 08:24 AM

That is an interesting undertaking, sounds good.

G G · 03-07-2010, 08:35 AM

Love me some bacon

Razorhog · 03-07-2010, 09:13 AM

Interesting. Sounds awesome! I'll stick with turkey bacon though

shilala · 03-07-2010, 09:37 AM

Wow, Andy. Sounds incredible!!!

replicant_argent · 03-07-2010, 10:03 AM

I hate to say it.. but we need pics.

Like "bacon" doesn't already make me Pavlovs dog, I thought I would just get a bigger towel.

Chainsaw13 · 03-07-2010, 10:22 AM

Most excellent. I've got two belly slabs, about 26lbs, in my freezer just waiting to be thawed, cured and smoked. Just waiting for a time when I know I'll be home long enough to go through the process. I've used maple syrup in the past but the flavor never seems to come through.

Here's a pic from the last batch.

icehog3 · 03-07-2010, 11:13 AM

Raisin (Mike) makes bacon like this, and fed an army at one of the Shack Herfs.....made the best BLTs I have had before or since.

captain53 · 03-07-2010, 11:30 AM

I have just got to give this a try but not sure where I could get the frozen belly slabs around here.

blugill · 03-07-2010, 11:30 AM

Raw, uncured pork belly.

After rubbing the curing mixture on the bacon and placing in the two gallon ziploc bags. That should give you an idea of how big the slabs are.

blugill · 03-07-2010, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captain53

I have just got to give this a try but not sure where I could get the frozen belly slabs around here.

I'd start with any butcher shop. Grocery stores really don't carry a cut of meat like that.

kelmac07 · 03-07-2010, 11:38 AM

Sounds delish!!

CEC_Tech · 03-07-2010, 01:12 PM

If I did that, i'd be eating bacon every day. It's like crack to me. heh heh.

Way to go, that bacon looks excellent!

Chainsaw13 · 03-07-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blugill

I'd start with any butcher shop. Grocery stores really don't carry a cut of meat like that.

Yep, that's the best bet. They should be able to special order it for you. I've found a local farmer that raises hormone/antibiotic free pigs and get mine from him.

blugill, post how they came out.

dunng · 03-07-2010, 03:54 PM

03-07-2010, 04:16 PM

Oh my, that looks amazing!

jaydub13 · 03-07-2010, 04:44 PM

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm bacon..... Nicely done, thanks for sharing!

SvilleKid · 03-07-2010, 05:08 PM

Andy??? What the Heck's the matter with you????!!!!???!??

Don't you know I'm trying to lose weight? Ain't gonna happen with you posting threads like this.

Darn. Now I gotta go find me some bacon fat to eat!

blugill · 03-08-2010, 05:07 PM

Pictures as requested

03-08-2010, 10:20 PM

Kosher salt on pork hahaha very ironic

03-07-2010, 08:21 AM	#1
blugill Feeling at Home Join Date: Dec 2008 First Name: Andy Location: Enid, Oklahoma Posts: 867 Trading: (10)	Home Made Bacon Last night was the culmination of seven days of curing a full slab of pork belly! I started with a big, I mean big like around two foot by three foot, frozen pork belly. thawed it in the fridge overnight. The next day I mixed up a batch of curing rub from kosher salt, brown sugar, and maple syrup. I cut the slab into two pieces and then applied the rub. Top, bottom, sides, just all over it. Then each slab went into a two gallon ziploc bag. Then into the fridge for a week! Flipping each slab over once a day so that the brine that forms will coat the entire slab. After seven days the meat is cured, you can cut it and fry it if you want but I smoked it instead! About an hour and a half in the BGE with hickory chips. I wanted to use maple chips instead but couldn't find any in town This bacon is very rich. It would make for excellent BLT sandwiches instead of breakfast bacon. It's meaty and sweet. Very cool flavor and much different than store bought bacon. __________________ My Blog

03-07-2010, 08:24 AM	#2
captain53 Have My Own Room Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: Dave Location: Lake of the Ozarks & Austin, TX Posts: 1,333 Trading: (3)	Re: Home Made Bacon That is an interesting undertaking, sounds good.

03-07-2010, 08:35 AM	#3
G G BR549 Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Greg Location: Taylor, FL. Posts: 12,726 Trading: (10)	Re: Home Made Bacon Love me some bacon

03-07-2010, 09:13 AM	#4
Razorhog Feeling at Home Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: Beau Location: NE Arkansas Posts: 600 Trading: (4)	Re: Home Made Bacon Interesting. Sounds awesome! I'll stick with turkey bacon though

03-07-2010, 09:37 AM	#5
shilala Dear Lord, Thank You. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Scott Posts: 13,721 Trading: (252)	Re: Home Made Bacon Wow, Andy. Sounds incredible!!! __________________

03-07-2010, 10:03 AM	#6
replicant_argent Gravy Boat Winnah. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Pete Location: my attorney has advised against giving this information to insane people Posts: 5,326 Trading: (22)	Re: Home Made Bacon I hate to say it.. but we need pics. Like "bacon" doesn't already make me Pavlovs dog, I thought I would just get a bigger towel. __________________ www.stogietorch.com Some days call for a stiff Pomade.

03-07-2010, 11:13 AM	#8
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,305 Trading: (60)	Re: Home Made Bacon Raisin (Mike) makes bacon like this, and fed an army at one of the Shack Herfs.....made the best BLTs I have had before or since. __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

03-07-2010, 11:30 AM	#9
captain53 Have My Own Room Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: Dave Location: Lake of the Ozarks & Austin, TX Posts: 1,333 Trading: (3)	Re: Home Made Bacon I have just got to give this a try but not sure where I could get the frozen belly slabs around here.

03-07-2010, 11:30 AM	#10
blugill Feeling at Home Join Date: Dec 2008 First Name: Andy Location: Enid, Oklahoma Posts: 867 Trading: (10)	Re: Home Made Bacon Raw, uncured pork belly. After rubbing the curing mixture on the bacon and placing in the two gallon ziploc bags. That should give you an idea of how big the slabs are. __________________ My Blog

03-07-2010, 11:38 AM	#12
kelmac07 Resident Maduro Whore!! Join Date: Apr 2009 First Name: Mac Location: Newport News, VA Posts: 27,322 Trading: (218)	Re: Home Made Bacon Sounds delish!! __________________ Dom in the MLB thread "I could probably get you to wear a Yankee hat for a Maduro!"

03-07-2010, 01:12 PM	#13
CEC_Tech Old CS Gorilla Join Date: Feb 2010 First Name: Armando Location: TEXAS!!! Posts: 202 Trading: (5)	Re: Home Made Bacon If I did that, i'd be eating bacon every day. It's like crack to me. heh heh. Way to go, that bacon looks excellent!

03-07-2010, 03:54 PM	#15
dunng MassHole Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Greg Location: MassHole Posts: 4,719 Trading: (59)	Re: Home Made Bacon __________________ MassHole Banter

03-07-2010, 04:16 PM	#16
nater Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Home Made Bacon Oh my, that looks amazing!

03-07-2010, 04:44 PM	#17
jaydub13 aka Little Pickle Join Date: Feb 2010 First Name: Jason Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 227 Trading: (5)	Re: Home Made Bacon mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm bacon..... Nicely done, thanks for sharing!

03-07-2010, 05:08 PM	#18
SvilleKid Yes I am a Pirate Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 33°46′08″N 86°28′16″W / 33.76895°N 86.471037°W Posts: 2,776 Trading: (52)	Re: Home Made Bacon Andy??? What the Heck's the matter with you????!!!!???!?? Don't you know I'm trying to lose weight? Ain't gonna happen with you posting threads like this. Darn. Now I gotta go find me some bacon fat to eat! __________________ Ceilin' fan it stirs the air, Cigar smoke does swirl. The fragrance on the pillow case, and he thinks about the girl. Thanks, JB, 1975.

03-08-2010, 05:07 PM	#19
blugill Feeling at Home Join Date: Dec 2008 First Name: Andy Location: Enid, Oklahoma Posts: 867 Trading: (10)	Re: Home Made Bacon Pictures as requested __________________ My Blog

03-08-2010, 10:20 PM	#20
OSV Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Home Made Bacon Kosher salt on pork hahaha very ironic