It's About Liberty: A Conservative Forum
Topics => Food & Cooking => Topic started by: fordguy_85 on August 21, 2019, 07:10:22 AM
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So, while watching some cooking channels on YouTube a while back, I came across a video of a guy making bacon. Being a fan of all things bacon, and seeing how relatively simple it appeared, I knew I had to try it for myself.
I did a bunch of reading on the subject, and watched a ton more videos, and decided on a dry brined and hot-smoked version. I ordered a pound of sodium nitrite, or pink curing salt, to help avoid botulism. After that came in I called up a local butcher shop, and had them set me aside half a pork belly. It was $3.19/lb, skin already removed, and I ended up with right at 8-1/2 pounds after trimming it.
After trimming any folds away, and some of the excess fat, I mixed up a 50/50 mix of kosher salt and dark brown sugar to which I added the appropriate amount of curing salt and mixed well with a whisk. I packed this mixture onto the quarters (I’d intended on trying different smoking woods, etc.) and put them into gallon ziplock bags in my fridge for 8 days, flipping them over once a day. Then I washed the cure off the meat, patted it dry, and put them on my smoker/grill over maple wood @ 160-180* for 4-1/2 hours (you go until you reach an internal temp of 155-165*), allow to cool off in the fridge, then slice up or bag up for storage. It apparently keeps for 1-1/2 - 2 weeks in the fridge, and months in the freezer this way.
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Well, good for you! Hope it's delicious.
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So, there are good things about making your own bacon, and some bad things also... On the positive side, It. Is. Amazing. Period. ::danceban::
The downside is that pretty much every brand of bacon sold around me in supermarkets, etc., are basically meat cardboard now :'( ...
Another upside is that you can slice it as thick, or as thinly as you wish. It doesn’t fry up quite like store bought bacon, but more like country ham/ham... but the amount of flavor is out of this world. And I’m sure my first attempt could use some improvements on. Which I intend to try in the coming week or so.
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The downside is that pretty much every brand of bacon sold around me in supermarkets, etc., are basically meat cardboard now :'( ...
BLASPHEMY! There is no bad bacon! ::unknowncomic::
Glad it worked out for ya, Uncle Fester! ::thumbsup::
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I was sorta hopin’ you’d have forgotten to call me that by now ::facepalm::
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BLASPHEMY! There is no bad bacon! ::unknowncomic::
Yes. Yes there is. Until you have it straight from farm to table-- you haven't tasted bacon.
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I was sorta hopin’ you’d have forgotten to call me that by now ::facepalm::
Just be glad I haven't passed it on to farcebook. ::devil::
Again, great job.
So now you custom make blades, baits, and bacon. What's next on list of accomplishments?
I feel so inadequate. ::gaah::
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Like farm-fresh anything should naturally be better...
Meat, eggs, milk...veggies, fruit...
Good job Uncle...err Fordguy...I'm guessing the next custom make is still in the B's...sooo...there's beer, which I haven't done in a while but you may find just as enjoyable (strong scotch ale is my fav!), oe booze for distilled spirits which I have always had an interest in, ditto for bullets, bottles and other glassworks, bees (honey)...
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I ordered bacon through a friend at church where they seem to all like it a lot. 15 pounds 60 bucks.
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Straight off the belly?
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