Bringing home the bacon!!!

[gsganzer]

I just mixed the Cajun cure and have the 2.5# belly, thawed, rubbed and bagged.

I have 2 more 5# bellies. I'll see how the Cajun comes out and if I like it, I'll do the 5# bellies the same and then slice and freeze.

I need to buy a new meat slicer. I don't use one too often, so I'll probably get the Ostba model I've seen reviewed.

 

[gsganzer]

I started the cajun bacon smoke process. I'm smoking it with pecan pellets. When I smoked cheese yesterday, the pecan smoke was very distinctive and smelled great. I'm hoping this turns out well.

Why do all the good things take time? Cure for 5-10 days, smoke for 4-8 hours.

Smoking cheese is even worse! Smoke for 2-4 hours, rest for 24 in parchment paper, then vacuum seal and let mellow for 2 weeks to 2 months!! I need to find some hobbies that require less patience.

Anyway, here's the "before" picture. I'll post another when it's done, and I've sliced it.

 

[gsganzer]

I'm developing a severe smoking habit

While waiting on the Cajun bacon to smoke, I decided to smoke some coarse sea salt using the smoke tube that I used to cold smoke cheese yesterday.

The other year, I had an incredible margarita made with chargrilled oranges with smoked sea salt on the rim. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it was similar to this margarita recipe. I decided to smoke some salt so I can try this recipe when the weather warms.

Chargrilled margarita w/ smoked sea salt

 

[gsganzer]

I just thawed and rubbed down another 5lb. belly. I'm making the Cajun cured bacon recipe again.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I'm developing a severe smoking habit

While waiting on the Cajun bacon to smoke, I decided to smoke some coarse sea salt using the smoke tube that I used to cold smoke cheese yesterday.

The other year, I had an incredible margarita made with chargrilled oranges with smoked sea salt on the rim. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it was similar to this margarita recipe. I decided to smoke some salt so I can try this recipe when the weather warms.

Chargrilled margarita w/ smoked sea salt

And? How did the salt turn out? I want to try this. Any advice?

 

[OzarkChris]

Anyone make their own bacon?

I have many times with many different brines. I think the best tasting, but really unconventional was soaking it in a mixture of red wine, orange juice and soy sauce - with pink salt, and other spices (pepper, garlic, etc, etc) for several days to a week. Turned out really yummy. Dry rubs, for me, don't get on meat until right before I smoke it.

 

[gsganzer]

And? How did the salt turn out? I want to try this. Any advice?

The salt turned out great! I used coarse sea salt, spread it out on a pie pan and used the same smoke tube. Every once in a while, I'd stir the salt until it all had the color I wanted. I probably smoked it 6 hours or so. I then put it in an empty plastic salt grinder that I saved from some store-bought salt I finished.

My wife even commented about how nice the smoked salt flavor is.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

The salt turned out great! I used coarse sea salt, spread it out on a pie pan and used the same smoke tube. Every once in a while, I'd stir the salt until it all had the color I wanted. I probably smoked it 6 hours or so. I then put it in an empty plastic salt grinder that I saved from some store-bought salt I finished.

My wife even commented about how nice the smoked salt flavor is.

I suppose you can do it on a smoker at low heat. The melting point of salt is REALLY high. But I do have a smoke tube as well. I MUST try this! As far as color, it just kind of turns brown?

 

[gsganzer]

I suppose you can do it on a smoker at low heat. The melting point of salt is REALLY high. But I do have a smoke tube as well. I MUST try this! As far as color, it just kind of turns brown?

I'm sure you could use hot smoke. I just smoked it until it turned a light brown color.

 

[gsganzer]

I just threw a 5# belly on the smoker. It was rubbed with the cajun cure and has sat curing for 10 days.