Makin' bacon!

[grumpyoldman]

thanks , i thought everyone just used zip lock bags for the curing , i wish now i had known but live and learn
the ones we got from Sams came vac. sealed thats why i thought it would be ok to freeze it . i am definitely learning what to do and what not to do on this 1st batch , i think the 2nd one will go much smoother

 

[pictonguy]

thanks , i thought everyone just used zip lock bags for the curing , i wish now i had known but live and learn
the ones we got from Sams came vac. sealed thats why i thought it would be ok to freeze it . i am definitely learning what to do and what not to do on this 1st batch , i think the 2nd one will go much smoother

Well many do, but vac pack is better, much better.

 

[grumpyoldman]

i think i'm done here until the 17-18th of the month and then i will give a report on how my 1st try turned out, thanks for the help pictonguy

 

[taxlady]

It appears my responsed "dyslexic comical inference" was missed as well.

I missed it. Was that what "dab" was?

 

[pictonguy]

I missed it. Was that what "dab" was?

Yes, finally someone spotted it.

 

[taxlady]

Yes, finally someone spotted it.

Ah, the penny finally dropped. I was trying to figure out what it was an acronym for. A bit like one of my favourite graffiti, lysdexia!

 

[dragnlaw]

I saw, I wondered, I let it go!

 

[caseydog]

Yes, finally someone spotted it.

I saw, and got it right away.

CD

 

[grumpyoldman]

this is the bacon i have been curing , i had better pictures but i am having a problem getting them to post , anyway i cooked a few slices and took them to a friend to try , he said it was the best bacon he has ever eaten , wants lots more

 

[dragnlaw]

Certainly looks good!

 

[grumpyoldman]

when i asked him if there was anything he thought i might need to change salt , sugar or whatever he told me not to change a thing, then asked when i could make him 10 lbs

 

[pictonguy]

So basically a 6 day cure. Glad it all worked out.

 

[Andy M.]

this is the bacon i have been curing , i had better pictures but i am having a problem getting them to post , anyway i cooked a few slices and took them to a friend to try , he said it was the best bacon he has ever eaten , wants lots more
View attachment 79551

What did you think of it?

 

[grumpyoldman]

pictonguy@ i'll admit i was worried about jumping the gun but the pork belly was on the thin side plus it felt very firm ( no soft spots ) so i decided to take it out and slice a couple of pieces and fry it , it tasted just like i had hoped it would , my curiosity was killing me thats why i pulled it at 7 days

 

[grumpyoldman]

Andy M.@ it tasted the way i hoped it would like i said in my last post i pulled it early because curiosity got the better of me , i was like a kid at Christmas waiting i felt like i would be ok pulling it early because of the way it felt , it felt almost hard with no soft spots thats why i believed the cure had done its job and that 3 more days would do little . i know pictonguy is going to give me hell about pulling it early

 

[pictonguy]

Andy M.@ it tasted the way i hoped it would like i said in my last post i pulled it early because curiosity got the better of me , i was like a kid at Christmas waiting i felt like i would be ok pulling it early because of the way it felt , it felt almost hard with no soft spots thats why i believed the cure had done its job and that 3 more days would do little . i know pictonguy is going to give me hell about pulling it early

No, not at all. If it was soft in the middle then maybe a few more days but if it cured all the way through, then your good. The problem with being under cured is simply the taste, which tastes less like bacon and more like just another pork product.

 

[pictonguy]

The difference with mine is in how it was smoked and in the cure, which I add many other aromatics and spices and finish with a peppercorn crust and I basically hot spoke to about 145, so yeah, not the same type of bacon. Most commercial bacon companies do it basically the way you did, which is fine, just different.

 

[grumpyoldman]

pictonguy@ thanks i needed to hear that from you
as i do value your opinion

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I just bought 1 lb of Farmer John thick cut bacon for $5.99 American.

 

[dragnlaw]

That's at the low end here, it's usually higher. But go to the no-name places and you can get much cheaper. Have to pick and choose as they might be very wet and thin, thin cut. Not much quality control but once cooked - all tastes the same to me!