Making bacon

[Realearner]

Hi all, just had my second go at making bacon and this time got it right. It's great when you cook it as no horrible White water coming out of the bacon, and I have left the skin on so nice crunchy rind
Cut some thick rashers and some chunky lardons for pasta, going to take some to work see what the guys think, they liked the apple smoked ham from the last weekend.
Next time I am going to smoke the bacon also. But must modify my offset smoker first as maintaining the temperature was a struggle with the cold weather, anyway that's another story.

[Bernie]

My mouth is watering.

Do you have any notes or photos you could share? Where did you get the pork, what was the process? It sounds interesting.

[Realearner]

Just cheap pork belly, salt and sugar light brown. Put all over rub it in, save some back for later. Place in non metallic dish off of the bottom somehow and refrigerate check every day and pour of the liquid for between 3 to 4 days.
This should firm up the meat and cut and cook. Or as I will next time smoke it.
Ratio of salt to sugar about 3/5ths salt 2/5ths sugar. But you can play with these to your taste.
Oh one more thing, once removed from fridge for the final time do remember to rinse off rub as it will taste very salty
Sorry did not do any pictures, maybe next time if I remember.

[Peaks]

Fish also has a recipe for home dry cure - see previous threads

[Realearner]

Yes loads on you tube also

[Chubbs]

I have been planning to build an outside smoker for a while now but as usual, other things take priority. I want to go the whole hog and build a pizza oven, bbq grill and smoker. I have most of the materials which I managed to get from freecycle, saving me a fortune. It is going to be block built and I have even managed to get a shed load of fire bricks to line it out with.

When I first read this post I joined a meat smoking forum over the pond. Its a great site, loads of very knowledgeable
members as well.

Have you seen the forum.

[Realearner]

Seen some stuff, even got a really good little book about build your own smoker. Will see if I can find it and let you know. But let me know the forum if you can.

[Chubbs]

Here it is mate

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/

Our friends over the pond really do know how to cook meat a man's way.

[butchthedog]

Hi Realearner, I'm going to try that recipe of yours. That has to be a big improvement on the shop bought micro thin offerings, I think that if there was no water injected into shop bought bacon there would be nothing there to taste Lol.

Mouth's watering thinking about that home cure, Dave

[Realearner]

It is, but you can add or subtract different ingredients. Have a quick look at any forums or just google it. You will be surprised at the different types of rub. This is only my second go and it worked. But my first time I had a large lump of extremely salty meat, that I could not eat, too much salt and too long in the fridge. So a bit of trial and error on my part.
But good luck and, cut the belly into small parts and try a couple of different rubs and see what happens to each.