# Bacon



## hashbrown

Anyone make there own? I make a batch every month just finished my November batch. I usually use the Morton sugar cure. This was a 7lb batch smoked over green hickory nuts.


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## bacpacker

HB I just finished supper and you just made me hungry sgain. I love eggs and bacon!


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## hashbrown

bacpacker said:


> HB I just finished supper and you just made me hungry sgain. I love eggs and bacon!


I really like it when I can cook it over a fire.


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## camo2460

I have made my own Buckboard Bacon and Canadian Bacon using the Morton Sugar cure, but I don't do it every month, just when I get a wild hair.


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## hashbrown

camo2460 said:


> I have made my own Buckboard Bacon and Canadian Bacon using the Morton Sugar cure, but I don't do it every month, just when I get a wild hair.


Do you use a tender loin to make Canadian bacon?


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## Quills

We make our own. I have used the Morton's cure in past, but we can no longer buy it here, so I use my own recipe now. We slaughter two pigs each year, and make bacon from all of the belly -- I don't even know, by pound, how much that would be. Lots 

I typically use apple wood or maple for smoking. We're slaughtering pigs on Tuesday, so I'll be knee-deep in bacon, hams, sausages, and hocks this week!


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## camo2460

hashbrown said:


> Do you use a tender loin to make Canadian bacon?


Yeah, Pork Tenderloin. It's been a while since I last made some, I think I'm getting a wild hair. BTW hashbrown your Bacon looks wonderful.


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## hashbrown

Thanks camo, I candied some of the bacon to snack on tonight.


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## 21601mom

What cut of pork do you use? Is it pork belly?


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## Caribou

Get the spare room ready, I'm moving in.


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## Wellrounded

Been making bacon for 25 years. I use salt, brown sugar and spices. Then hot or cold smoke. Usually use pork belly but I also so do whole sides minus the legs. Back in the day I'd cure then hang in the smoke house and just cut bits off as needed. Kept the smoke going pretty much all the time in the hot months, as it aged it would get more and more like jerky.


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## Jewel

I make bacon but have never made it myself from an actual hog. I've made it from potbelly pigs we used to raise for meat, they have almost no fat but you can make bacon out of anything, i think. I've also made goat and venison bacon though we didn't like the venison as much. It's all in the cure and smoke and I may have done it wrong. 

I was a vegetarian for years, the first time i went back to meat was for steak and shrimp, the second time was for bacon.


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## jeff47041

Wellrounded said:


> Been making bacon for 25 years. I use salt, brown sugar and spices. Then hot or cold smoke. Usually use pork belly but I also so do whole sides minus the legs. Back in the day I'd cure then hang in the smoke house and just cut bits off as needed. Kept the smoke going pretty much all the time in the hot months, as it aged it would get more and more like jerky.


I built a small smokehouse. I've always wanted to try putting a ham, bacon, and a piece of beef in there and leave it, keeping the smoke going constantly.

Care to explain, in detail, how you used to do this? Was there a certain temperature you tried to maintain, or as long as the smokehouse is full of smoke, it's fine? Are there any wood that you absolutely would not use, because the smoke made a bad taste?

I figure that the smoke flavor would be overwhelming, but if it's a way to preserve and keep meat available, it may be worth it.


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## LincTex

I have never heard the need to "keep smoking" continuously "already smoked" meats. If something is cured and smoked, it doesn't ever need to be re-smoked again, correct?

Hardwoods used for smoking are pretty easy to research. 
In this part of Texas, 
Pecan is usually the favorite, as well as Mesquite and Oak.


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## crabapple

Looks good, Hashbrown.

My father had a smoke house for a few years.
He built a four X four closet out of 4 sheets of plywood, 1 with a door, framed in 2X4's. He built a fire on the wood floor, mostly coals from an outside fire like BBQ Grill set up.
Do not remember how long you smoke in a house/smoker.
How do you do.


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## Wellrounded

jeff47041 said:


> I built a small smokehouse. I've always wanted to try putting a ham, bacon, and a piece of beef in there and leave it, keeping the smoke going constantly.
> 
> Care to explain, in detail, how you used to do this? Was there a certain temperature you tried to maintain, or as long as the smokehouse is full of smoke, it's fine? Are there any wood that you absolutely would not use, because the smoke made a bad taste?
> 
> I figure that the smoke flavor would be overwhelming, but if it's a way to preserve and keep meat available, it may be worth it.


I had/have a very limited range of woods to use here, it's pretty much eucalyptus or nothing (unless you want to buy it). The smoke house was a stone room 4 foot square and 8 feet high, saw dust and chips on the floor. I controlled the burn rate by the depth of sawdust and the amount of air I allowed into the room. The exhaust was through a small chimney with a butterfly value that would close off and seal pretty well. Didn't fuss too much about temp. just tried to keep the burn slow. Once the meat was cured the amount of smoke was just a dribble, unless I wanted to smoke something else then I'd crank it up again for a few days. The smoke house was the only place I had at that time that was basically critter and bug proof so it's where the meat stayed.



LincTex said:


> I have never heard the need to "keep smoking" continuously "already smoked" meats. If something is cured and smoked, it doesn't ever need to be re-smoked again, correct?
> 
> Hardwoods used for smoking are pretty easy to research.
> In this part of Texas,
> Pecan is usually the favorite, as well as Mesquite and Oak.


I'd smoke as usual for about a week/fortnight for then just have a dribble of smoke in the smoke house. What I ended up with was something like a dried ham, the sort you hang/dry or bury in salt for for 6 months or more. The smoke kept the nasties off and kept warm dry air flowing past the meat. The timber we used (and still use) was a local eucalyptus. I found this was the only way I could keep meat through our hot summers, other than corning. It also got better as it aged. When I finished and insect proofed the cellar I moved to more traditional curing methods but I've still never had anything as good as that very strong flavoured, very dry bacon/pork I made back in those days. If I was doing the same thing now I'd put a solar passive air flow through it and a solar heat collector on the inlet and only smoke until I got the flavour I wanted.


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## Jewel

LincTex said:


> I have never heard the need to "keep smoking" continuously "already smoked" meats. If something is cured and smoked, it doesn't ever need to be re-smoked again, correct?
> 
> Hardwoods used for smoking are pretty easy to research.
> In this part of Texas,
> Pecan is usually the favorite, as well as Mesquite and Oak.


I was born here but lived all over and Texas is the only place I've ever had pecan wood smoked meat. I miss it


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## Jewel

crabapple said:


> Looks good, Hashbrown.
> 
> My father had a smoke house for a few years.
> He built a four X four closet out of 4 sheets of plywood, 1 with a door, framed in 2X4's. He built a fire on the wood floor, mostly coals from an outside fire like BBQ Grill set up.
> Do not remember how long you smoke in a house/smoker.
> How do you do.


How did the fire on the wood floor not burn the thing down?

My grandfather built a smoker out of old barn tin but I can't remember how he got the smoke in. I was pretty young.


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## hashbrown

This was my Grandfather's old smokehouse, sadly we just use it for storage now. It's really way to big for what we do these days.


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## Cotton

A tornado in '74 took out all my grandfathers buildings... That summer he and I built a barn, last building he worked on... Been making repairs to it this fall.

I am curious how that bacon would taste smoked with pecan. I make my own charcoal... When I grill ribeyes I use my charcoal and lay on a little pecan wood... Heaven!


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## crabapple

Jewel said:


> How did the fire on the wood floor not burn the thing down?
> 
> My grandfather built a smoker out of old barn tin but I can't remember how he got the smoke in. I was pretty young.


Good question!
I should have said built a fire out side away from the SH & moved the hot coals into the the dirt for.

But I was trying to say built a wood fire on the floor of dirt, but old brain over ran slow fingers, AGAIN!

I like the piping in the smoke on a draft system much better, on paper anyways.
I have not smoked anything yet.


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## hashbrown

Cotton said:


> A tornado in '74 took out all my grandfathers buildings... That summer he and I built a barn, last building he worked on... Been making repairs to it this fall.
> 
> I am curious how that bacon would taste smoked with pecan. I make my own charcoal... When I grill ribeyes I use my charcoal and lay on a little pecan wood... Heaven!


I bet it would be great! I usually use wild cherry, hickory or hickory nuts just because those are plentiful here. I like to soak the wild cherry in B&B


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## Jewel

Wellrounded said:


> Been making bacon for 25 years. I use salt, brown sugar and spices. Then hot or cold smoke. Usually use pork belly but I also so do whole sides minus the legs. Back in the day I'd cure then hang in the smoke house and just cut bits off as needed. Kept the smoke going pretty much all the time in the hot months, as it aged it would get more and more like jerky.


what kind of salt do you use, pnk salt? and what ratio of salt and brown sugar. I buy a cure already made up but would sure like to make my own


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## Jewel

crabapple said:


> Good question!
> I should have said built a fire out side away from the SH & moved the hot coals into the the dirt for.
> 
> But I was trying to say built a wood fire on the floor of dirt, but old brain over ran slow fingers, AGAIN!
> 
> I like the piping in the smoke on a draft system much better, on paper anyways.
> I have not smoked anything yet.


My fingers are always saying things I wonder about 

I think my grandfather's had a dirt floor too and I remember a stove pipe running into a cutout but that's it.

The coals on the dirt floor are a good idea until something better could be made.

I was thinking I could set up our tiny woodstove under a shelter and run a pipe into a little smoke house. I'm not anywhere close yet thoug.


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## Jewel

Hashbrown, wonderful old smoke house! and at least it's being used.

50 years of hickory and I never tire of it.


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## LincTex

.
.
When I was a kid - EVERYONE used an old fridge as their smokehouse!!









.
.

This is how the idea works:








http://preparednessadvice.com/cooking/building-a-simple-barrel-smoker/

.
.

This one is REALLY nice:








.
.


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## jeff47041

hashbrown said:


> Anyone make there own? I make a batch every month just finished my November batch. I usually use the Morton sugar cure. This was a 7lb batch smoked over green hickory nuts.


I decided to try the Morton sugar cure this time. I have 26 lbs. I did a few 5 lb pieces with just straight sugar cure. On 1 5lb piece, I used some of the packet that comes with it. I also used some of the smoke flavored Morton sugar cure on 2 of the pieces. You ever try the smoke flavored one? I'm not big on too heavy of a smoke flavor, so I'm not expecting to love it.

So, with the normal Morton sugar cure, I spread it all over the piece and placed it in a 2 gallon baggie on Sunday. Last night I went in to flip them. They are all green! The juices are green and the cure looks like I smeared guacamole all over my bacon. Is that normal?

The one that I used the packet with isn't as green as the straight sugar cure, but still green. The smoke flavored ones aren't green, they're brown like I expected.

I hope I didn't get a bad bag of sugar cure.


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## LincTex

jeff47041 said:


> They are all green! The juices are green...


Too much copper?


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## hashbrown

jeff47041 said:


> I decided to try the Morton sugar cure this time. I have 26 lbs. I did a few 5 lb pieces with just straight sugar cure. On 1 5lb piece, I used some of the packet that comes with it. I also used some of the smoke flavored Morton sugar cure on 2 of the pieces. You ever try the smoke flavored one? I'm not big on too heavy of a smoke flavor, so I'm not expecting to love it.
> 
> So, with the normal Morton sugar cure, I spread it all over the piece and placed it in a 2 gallon baggie on Sunday. Last night I went in to flip them. They are all green! The juices are green and the cure looks like I smeared guacamole all over my bacon. Is that normal?
> 
> The one that I used the packet with isn't as green as the straight sugar cure, but still green. The smoke flavored ones aren't green, they're brown like I expected.
> 
> I hope I didn't get a bad bag of sugar cure.


Ive never even seen the smoke flavored cure. I just smoke mine on low heat after the cure. I can't imagine the cure being bad.


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## jeff47041

I used Mortan sugar cure for my bacons. I put WAY too much on it because my neighbor told me how he does it and just smears it on. I should have followed the directions.

Anyway, I left the sugar cure on the bacons for a week, flipping them daily. I took them out and washed them well. I sliced some and it tasted like pure salt. Yuk.

I soaked them in ice water for 3 hours, changed the water, soaked in ice water another 3 hours, changed the water, and soaked them in ice water for another 3 hours. They were a lot better, but still a bit too salty.

I rubbed thick brown sugar all over them, put them in a container in the frig and covered them in water. I flipped them every day for 4 days. I washed them well, dried them, and got them ready for the smoker.

I had 38 lbs of bacon. I smoked 10 lbs with apple wood for 2 hours at about 70 degrees. They are pretty good.

I smoked 18 lbs with hickory wood for 2 hours at about 70 degrees. They are really good.

I smoked 10 lbs with red oak for 3 hours at about 200 degrees. They are awesome.

I'm really glad that soaking the "way too salty" bacons in ice water and then brown sugar water did the trick and saved our bacons. Next time, we're gonna do almost all of it with red oak. 
I gotta get someone to send me some pecan wood so I can try that for smoking.


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## Wellrounded

jeff47041 said:


> I used Mortan sugar cure for my bacons. I put WAY too much on it because my neighbor told me how he does it and just smears it on. I should have followed the directions.
> 
> Anyway, I left the sugar cure on the bacons for a week, flipping them daily. I took them out and washed them well. I sliced some and it tasted like pure salt. Yuk.
> 
> I soaked them in ice water for 3 hours, changed the water, soaked in ice water another 3 hours, changed the water, and soaked them in ice water for another 3 hours. They were a lot better, but still a bit too salty.
> 
> I rubbed thick brown sugar all over them, put them in a container in the frig and covered them in water. I flipped them every day for 4 days. I washed them well, dried them, and got them ready for the smoker.
> 
> I had 38 lbs of bacon. I smoked 10 lbs with apple wood for 2 hours at about 70 degrees. They are pretty good.
> 
> I smoked 18 lbs with hickory wood for 2 hours at about 70 degrees. They are really good.
> 
> I smoked 10 lbs with red oak for 3 hours at about 200 degrees. They are awesome.
> 
> I'm really glad that soaking the "way too salty" bacons in ice water and then brown sugar water did the trick and saved our bacons. Next time, we're gonna do almost all of it with red oak.
> I gotta get someone to send me some pecan wood so I can try that for smoking.


I hot smoke mine 95% of the time now. It's so damn good.


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## hashbrown

A friend butchered a hog and I traded him some deer loin for some side meat to make some bacon with. I sugar cured it and smoked it over hickory. This morning we had a breakfast of our labor. The eggs bacon hash browns and apple butter all came off of our place and my wife made the bread as well.


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