That looks just fantastic!
Makin' Bacon!
- Thread starter pacanis
- Start date
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buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
you tease, you.
hey, tomorrow's thursday, isn't.
it'll forever be known as bacon day every fortnight.
or woe be pacnar.
pac, apple and hickory are all use for smoking. i've used mesquite, oak, maple, cherry, and a few others, all in different combos, but i've settled on hickory and apple. i've even tried driedrasperry canes. but since i have a monstrous apple tree in my backyard that provides me with trimmed (for the pool) or dead branches (because i don't know what i'm doing when trimming
), i chunck up the apple and buy easily available and smaller chipped hickory. the combo provides a really nice, gentle but noticeable smoke.
i've used it often enough that i can pick it out when i smell it, much like pot smoke
, and i sound really knowledgeable when i can tell someone that they're using hickory and apple.
i can't wait for tomorrow night.
you're not gonna make us wait until friday, are ya?
hey, tomorrow's thursday, isn't.
it'll forever be known as bacon day every fortnight.
or woe be pacnar.
pac, apple and hickory are all use for smoking. i've used mesquite, oak, maple, cherry, and a few others, all in different combos, but i've settled on hickory and apple. i've even tried driedrasperry canes. but since i have a monstrous apple tree in my backyard that provides me with trimmed (for the pool) or dead branches (because i don't know what i'm doing when trimming
), i chunck up the apple and buy easily available and smaller chipped hickory. the combo provides a really nice, gentle but noticeable smoke.i've used it often enough that i can pick it out when i smell it, much like pot smoke
, and i sound really knowledgeable when i can tell someone that they're using hickory and apple.i can't wait for tomorrow night.
you're not gonna make us wait until friday, are ya?
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
b-eh-con?
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
That's about all I use, too, Bucky. And maple and cherry, but to a much lesser extent.
I'm already reading up on Canadian bacon
I'm hoping you will give British back bacon a try!
That one might be tough for the butcher to get.
Nobody actually butchers their own meat from carcasses up here anymore... unless you are buying an animal from a farm.
Up here even the butcher shops buy the cuts already broken down and take it from there.
Nobody actually butchers their own meat from carcasses up here anymore... unless you are buying an animal from a farm.
Up here even the butcher shops buy the cuts already broken down and take it from there.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
ooh, i haven't had <<ahem>> irish back bacon in a long time. not since i had a traditional irish breakfast on mcclean ave in the bronx.
that looks so good.
that looks so good.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
That small piece may not be there if you bought a boneless loin. If you went with a full loin with bones, I think it would be there. It's usually part of the chops. Then your butcher could bone it for you (or you could do it), leaving that piece attached.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Looks like the difference between Canadian/back bacon and British/Irish bacon is the tail on the loin and the preparation method. That is, they both use the loin.
I'm sensing another challenge... 
Pacanis' Personal Pig Challenge - Makin' Bacon in every country
Maybe take a detour around the Middle East...
If I recall Kylie posted some bacon that looked just like that British bacon from her trip. I think I asked her what kind of meat it was. It looked delicious all cooked up.
Pacanis' Personal Pig Challenge - Makin' Bacon in every country
Maybe take a detour around the Middle East...
If I recall Kylie posted some bacon that looked just like that British bacon from her trip. I think I asked her what kind of meat it was. It looked delicious all cooked up.
More Pig Pics
It's on the smoker and doing it's thing.
I ran into a small mechanical difficulty early on. I thought 1/4 chimney of lit charcoal would get me hovering around 180F. It didn't. It stalled at 156 and barely ignited my chips. Another 1/4 chimney and we're cruising along at 200F right now with the WSM throttled back some. Close to my target temp of 180...
The slab was 36F when it went on and is 90 right now. More than halfway home, but I don't want it done too quickly. Not before it can suck up a lot of smoke and hopefully not shrink much by cooking slower.
It's on the smoker and doing it's thing.
I ran into a small mechanical difficulty early on. I thought 1/4 chimney of lit charcoal would get me hovering around 180F. It didn't. It stalled at 156 and barely ignited my chips. Another 1/4 chimney and we're cruising along at 200F right now with the WSM throttled back some. Close to my target temp of 180...
The slab was 36F when it went on and is 90 right now. More than halfway home, but I don't want it done too quickly. Not before it can suck up a lot of smoke and hopefully not shrink much by cooking slower.
Attachments
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
Using this process will it need refrigeration when it has finished smoking?
Good question.
It's cured. It's smoked/cooked.
I guess if it was 200 years ago it wouldn't need refrigerated, or if you were a hermit in the woods.
I remember a discussion years ago about not refrigerating cooked breakfast bacon if you were going to use it later on for supper. For what that's worth.
I suppose if I had a cool root cellar I could hang it up. I don't know if anyone practices this today if they don't have to. I think I will visit Google.
It's cured. It's smoked/cooked.
I guess if it was 200 years ago it wouldn't need refrigerated, or if you were a hermit in the woods.
I remember a discussion years ago about not refrigerating cooked breakfast bacon if you were going to use it later on for supper. For what that's worth.
I suppose if I had a cool root cellar I could hang it up. I don't know if anyone practices this today if they don't have to. I think I will visit Google.
Here's a couple good answers, Bea.
food preservation - How can I cure and store bacon in a warm climate? - Seasoned Advice
food preservation - How can I cure and store bacon in a warm climate? - Seasoned Advice
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
I thought so, too. It looks like it's all about the moisture content.
But we know we have to have that moisture content to be able to wrap it around shrimp and asparagus and onions and fatties and scallops and filet mignon and mushrooms and jalapenos and...
Fifteen degrees more to go.
But we know we have to have that moisture content to be able to wrap it around shrimp and asparagus and onions and fatties and scallops and filet mignon and mushrooms and jalapenos and...
Fifteen degrees more to go.
