Another use for the keezer - making bacon

[Dutto]

Love it!

I've simplified my own bacon making process by using:

• Slab of pork from Tesco. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/258261577
• Large sealable bag.
• Surfys Bacon Cure (I like the molasses flavour). Molasses Bacon and Ham Dry Cure Mix

After curing I cut the joint in two and cold smoke half of it before leaving it to mature in the fridge for a few days. After maturing, I slice the lot up into bacon slices and store them in the freezer after wrapping in clingfilm.

As I am currently trying to lose weight it may be a long time before I get to cure any more bacon!

PS
Eating a small amount means that I can't justify the price of a bacon slicer; but I did treat myself to an electric knife to slice up the cured bacon and it works a treat.

 

[RichardM]

This site is a good sources of supplies for curing and sausage making, it also has a very good forum Sausage Making, Curing & Meat Processing Supplies | sausagemaking.org

 

[Geoffinthewilds]

Trust me to bump into this thread on the 2nd day of yet another diet

 

[crowcrow]

Just before I washed off the final lot of salt mix

I then rinsed it all with cold water - and patted it dry and then wiped it down with malt vinegar.

I then cleaned and dried the box out and returned it to the keezer (covered with area towel again) - should be ready to eat on Wednesday! Cannot wait.

 

[dan125]

Very much inspired by this thread I've got a couple of bits of bacon curing but have gone with the equilibrium curing method.

A peice of back bacon to start


And then the next day (after my new vac sealer arrived early) I started off some streaky with the addition of a bit of paprika


I quite fancy having a go at cold smoking the streaky and would be really interested to hear how you go about it @Dutto

 

[Dutto]

I use a smoker made from an old coffee maker, an aquarium pump, a length of copper tubing (to cool the smoke before it enters the smoke-box), a clear-plastic smoke box and an old fridge tray to keep the meat, cheese, fish etc off the floor of the smoker.

Here's how to make the smoker off YouTube ...



There are many other versions available but I tried a few and found that this on suits me best.

A number of tips are that I use:

1. A blowtorch to get the wood-chips to light. (It usually takes two cupfuls to smoke a full box.)
2. A pair of pliers to put the smoking chips in place.
3. A 22 > 15mm reducer and 600mm of copper pipe to route the smoke out of the smoker.
4. Water to seal off the smoke as it exits the cafeteria. (This cools the smoke.)
5. A 10mm copper tube leading to the Smoke Box.
6. So little smoke escapes the system that I smoke inside the Brew Shed. I use this hot smoker for meals for two ... My Mum bought it for me when I had a boat and I now use it on a paella burner rather than the meths system that's provided.

I hope the above, along with the video, is sufficient to get you going and I apologise for not taking a photograph of everything in place, but I'm still not allowed to put any weight on my fractured femur!

With a lot of luck, I should be fully mobile after 25th June and I have 2kg of pork loin coming this Saturday so I'm hoping that I will have some cured pork to smoke by then!

If you have any problems then please let me know.

 

[crowcrow]

AMAZING Dutto! Love that - a cold smoker is on my list of things to do, but my list is long and no idea if it will happen this year. But you've made it look very achievable, nom

 

[nixhaz]

Trust me to bump into this thread on the 2nd day of yet another diet

Google Ketogenic diet. All the bacon you can eat! (works a treat too, a stone down since I started it).

 

[dan125]

My bacon came out of the cure today but didn't look quite the same as yours @crowcrow
Planning to get the streaky smoked on Saturday night with a simple cold smoke generator and cardboard box method, if the weather allows

 

[crowcrow]

Amazing! I wanted to have some today, maybe tomorrow. I used PDV salt, not sure if they makes a difference - £12 for 25kg delivered from ebay. Feels extra soft and dry.

 

[dan125]

Amazing! I wanted to gave some today, maybe tomorrow. I used PDV salt, not sure if they makes a difference - £12 for 25kg delivered from ebay. Feels extra soft and dry.

Hadn't heard of PDV salt before

 

[Hanglow]

Nice

I do the equilibrium method, got some easy cure then add my own dried herbs and spices etc. I leave it unsmoked.

Pork shoulder is good too, for collar bacon which you don't get much anymore.

 

[dan125]

Nice

I do the equilibrium method, got some easy cure then add my own dried herbs and spices etc. I leave it unsmoked.

Pork shoulder is good too, for collar bacon which you don't get much anymore.

How have you found it? I bought some cure #1 and mixed up my own.
Interesting about the pork shoulder - I'm going shopping tomorrow and was thinking of getting a leg joint to try some ham
Hoping to try the back bacon, unsmoked on Sunday morning.

 

[Hanglow]

I love it - very bacony flavour, and no excess water like you get in a lot of shop bought bacons.. It is a bit rustic as I just put it in the freezer for half an hour then sliced it with my knife, so some bits are a bit thick cut, but I like my bacon like that.

I need to get some belly, I've not actually tried that yet

Here's some from february that had just been rinsed post cure, pre cut

 

[Hanglow]

I just realised I've got lots of spanish smoked paprika, might give that a go next time

 

[crowcrow]

So, finally ate the bacon, best (unsmoked) bacon I've ever had - delicious!

Chilled for 20 mins in chest freezer and then placed between two chopping boards and used my sharpest knife. The chopping boards allowed me to let a small amount 'Hang over' and then chop that bit off using the boards as guides.

Delicious - not too porky (I don't really like pork) - smoker def is on my list. Is it too late to smoke the slab now?

 

[dan125]

So, finally ate the bacon, best (unsmoked) bacon I've ever had - delicious! View attachment 27498

Chilled for 20 mins in chest freezer and then placed between two chopping boards and used my sharpest knife. The chopping boards allowed me to let a small amount 'Hang over' and then chop that bit off using the boards as guides.
View attachment 27499
Delicious - not too porky (I don't really like pork) - smoker def is on my list. Is it too late to smoke the slab now?

Looks amazing and very professional thin slices
Not sure how long you can leave it before smoking but I'm hoping to smoke my streaky tonight so we can have a bacon fest on sunday morning

 

[dan125]

Cold smoking underway.
I might upgrade to @Dutto 's hi-tech method if all goes well.
I'm using 50/50 cherry/beech dust for what I hope will be a mild smoke and it seems to be working well.
The method is completely borrowed from

https://www.woodsmokeforum.uk/topic/315-cardboard-box-smoker-deluxe/

 

[Dutto]

........

Delicious - not too porky (I don't really like pork) - smoker def is on my list. Is it too late to smoke the slab now?

I've never smoked bacon slices, but if there's a slab left that hasn't been frozen then I can't see any reason why it can't be smoked.

With regard to the slices, 'cos I've not done it doesn't mean that it can't be done!

However, 'cos the smoky flavour has to penetrate into the slab I tend to do it for quite a time as the only smoky flavour (apart from the end pieces which I reserve for myself ) are on the surface; but if I ever smoked slices then it will be a very light smoke because a very "smoky" flavour is an acquired taste and can stink the kitchen out.

Enjoy!

 

[dan125]

My streaky survived the night in the smoker ok and now smells like a bonfire