Cigar Asylum Cigar Forum - View Single Post - Un-Cured Bacon....

OLS · 05-27-2011, 07:27 PM

As luck would have it, I am BASICALLYdoing the same thing now, but be advised, I am bucking SOME trends in my methods and some
would disagree with my method. I CAN say no, you can't just smoke it, unless you are planning to smoke it for 48 hours or so, and by
then you will have cooked it, and you will never be able to maintain a steady temp at 150 or so.

SO, yes, you an 'save some steps', but you need to cure it first. I used kosher salt, and believe me, I tried once with regular table salt
and got bad results. You are trying to "cure out" the excess moisture which is a breeding ground for bacteria. Get yourself a box of
kosher salt and you can avoid the "pink salt" that adds some of the things that go into bacon that curing your own is supposed to be
about avoiding. If you have a slab, sprinkle one side liberally with the kosher salt, and repeat on the other side. Leave the skin on.
Place it in a container with either channels in the bottom, or some kind of device to raise the meat above the bottom of the container
and put it into a cold fridge. Above 40 you can get bacteria growth...below 36, it won't cure. Every day or twice a day, flip the meat
and pour off the liquid that collects under the meat. For best results, cure it at least 4 days. This will result in a significantly stiffer
and harder piece of meat, which means much of the moisture has been drawn out of the meat. I also use brown sugar in my cure "rub".
THEY say to replace the salt if it seems to have disappeared along the way. When enough time has passed, wash the salt off the
meat, pat it dry and wait for a shiny, slightly crystalline coating to develop on the meat, usually 40 mins to 2 hours. Then smoke away.
I would think no hotter than 150 if you use heat at all. Use any kind of smoke wood you want, hickory is classic, apple or pear is really tasty.
I smoked my best batch for 6 hours. It was freaking fantastic. Then cool it in the freezer so you can slice it. Electric knife is best, but I
used a sharp french knife. It should keep a week in the fridge, months in the freezer.

If you use smoke only, there will be too much moisture in the meat, no matter how long you smoke it. I call this condition "flabby".
I also used some garlic powder and a little mustard powder in my rub. made for some good tasting meat. Remember to wash the salt off
thoroughly before you smoke it. FAR too salty if you leave it on.

05-27-2011, 07:27 PM	#2
OLS Suck It Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Brad Location: TN Posts: 7,912 Trading: (19)	Re: Un-Cured Bacon.... As luck would have it, I am BASICALLYdoing the same thing now, but be advised, I am bucking SOME trends in my methods and some would disagree with my method. I CAN say no, you can't just smoke it, unless you are planning to smoke it for 48 hours or so, and by then you will have cooked it, and you will never be able to maintain a steady temp at 150 or so. SO, yes, you an 'save some steps', but you need to cure it first. I used kosher salt, and believe me, I tried once with regular table salt and got bad results. You are trying to "cure out" the excess moisture which is a breeding ground for bacteria. Get yourself a box of kosher salt and you can avoid the "pink salt" that adds some of the things that go into bacon that curing your own is supposed to be about avoiding. If you have a slab, sprinkle one side liberally with the kosher salt, and repeat on the other side. Leave the skin on. Place it in a container with either channels in the bottom, or some kind of device to raise the meat above the bottom of the container and put it into a cold fridge. Above 40 you can get bacteria growth...below 36, it won't cure. Every day or twice a day, flip the meat and pour off the liquid that collects under the meat. For best results, cure it at least 4 days. This will result in a significantly stiffer and harder piece of meat, which means much of the moisture has been drawn out of the meat. I also use brown sugar in my cure "rub". THEY say to replace the salt if it seems to have disappeared along the way. When enough time has passed, wash the salt off the meat, pat it dry and wait for a shiny, slightly crystalline coating to develop on the meat, usually 40 mins to 2 hours. Then smoke away. I would think no hotter than 150 if you use heat at all. Use any kind of smoke wood you want, hickory is classic, apple or pear is really tasty. I smoked my best batch for 6 hours. It was freaking fantastic. Then cool it in the freezer so you can slice it. Electric knife is best, but I used a sharp french knife. It should keep a week in the fridge, months in the freezer. If you use smoke only, there will be too much moisture in the meat, no matter how long you smoke it. I call this condition "flabby". I also used some garlic powder and a little mustard powder in my rub. made for some good tasting meat. Remember to wash the salt off thoroughly before you smoke it. FAR too salty if you leave it on.