Another use for the keezer - making bacon

[crowcrow]

Man that looks lovely! Right I need to get making a smoker.
Since the bacon making process of easier than I thought, I'd suggest making smaller amounts than I did. I made 1.6kg as I thought it would be a pain, but it was so simple I'll make smaller batches next time so I can mess around with flavours and styles (and techniques) more.

Gutted I just threw away a load of cardboard boxes, but I'll need to order some chips anyway. Anyone got tips for where to get good woodchips or pellets from? I'll join that forum now!

 

[dan125]

Anyone got tips for where to get good woodchips or pellets from?

I bought this set:-
https://www.smokewoodshack.com/product-page/ultimate-cold-smoking-gift-set
There are cheaper cold smoke generators on amazon etc, but I thought this was pretty good value with all the different wood dusts and the book.

The set is a penny under the free shipping threshold so I also bought a cherry plank to try plank grilling.

 

[dan125]

And I might have accidently dropped a 2kg boned leg joint in my trolley yesterday for ham.

 

[Nicks90]

Have to admit, I'm more of a hot smoker - low and slow for maybe 6 hours - but I think I might have to have a go at this.

Anyway, here's 1.5kg of pork shoulder after an afternoon at 110c using a paprika rub with a hickory smoke

 

[Dutto]

Got a 2.2kg Pork Loin Joint from Tesco today.

It is now residing in a Tesco Plastic Bag with 100g of Surfys Molasses Bacon & Ham Dry Cure Mix (which is slightly over the recommended 90g)!

As it's just over 3" tall it will stay in the fridge (being massaged and turned daily) for 10 days (2x3 + 4), rinsed then dried and put back in the fridge for a day (to create a pellicle for the smoke to stick to) and then cold smoked.

Guess what? By the time it is ready for smoking I will have been to the local x-ray and fracture clinic and (hopefully) I will be able to put a bit of weight on my repaired femur. i.e. I will be able to do the smoking and slicing myself!

As usual "Here's hoping!"

 

[dan125]

Been having an early morning slicing session ready for breakfast and it wasn't a great success, especially with the thicker unsmoked loin, despite freezing for 30 mins and sharpening my best knife as best I could.
The last few slices are particularly tricky but I've got something resembling bacon

 

[dan125]

Just finished feasting on bacon and really impressed.
Great old fashioned meaty bacon that cooks lovely.
The smoked streaky was a bit like it was cooked over a campfire but tasty in a sandwich.

 

[Dutto]

Just looking at that frying bacon makes my mouth water!

If I lose:

• 10kg I will move from "Obese I" to "Overweight"
• 20kg I will mover from "Obese I" to "Normal"

It's just a case of willpower!

 

[BeerCat]

That looks great, i make my own jerky but the problem is i eat it all the same day!

 

[crowcrow]

Just looking at that frying bacon makes my mouth water!

If I lose:

• 10kg I will move from "Obese I" to "Overweight"
• 20kg I will mover from "Obese I" to "Normal"

It's just a case of willpower!

I tried atkins and lost weight but found it hard to stick to. I then moved to 'Slow Carb' as in the book '4 Hour Body' - basically eat whatever you want except refined carbs which you replace with pulses or green veg. I went from over 85kg to 72kg really easily. Might not work for you but it was a diet I really enjoyed and one I stick to on and off today (other than when I accidentally buy a 4 pack of snickers and eat them all or have 5 pints....) worth looking at.

 

[Burlyman]

Bacon hanging in the pub eh! Smoked with...Benson and hedges,Senior Service and Old Shag...

 

[Dutto]

...... I went from over 85kg to 72kg really easily. .................

You sir, are an unmitigated swine!

The last time I was anywhere near those figures I was aged 19 after three months of starvation, calisthenics and a variety of "sports" (e.g. battering your fellow trainees) I left the Pannal Ash Police College near Harrogate weighing a mere 70kg.

They hadn't invented BMI back then, but for my age, height etc the 70kg put me right in the middle at a BMI of 21.6; and a lot of the drunks I met were capable of throwing someone of my weight quite a distance, if I let them!

Move forward 58 years and the weight is currently at 105kg. Unfortunately the BMI stays the same, but I can sneak into the "Normal" BMI Category by losing yet another 25kg. TBH, I've tried a wide variety of diets and the only solution is:

1. Take your time.
2. Eat less calories.
3. Exercise more.

 

[Nicks90]

That's always the right way, no such thing as a 'diet'. By their very nature they don't work unless you make fundamental and permanent changes to your diet. Or you put it back on again.

Consume less calories and move more is the only way.
I tried to cheat and kept eating/drinking the same amount, but just tried running twice as much. Sort of worked, but I ended up with knee problems and had to dial it back. And now I have a beer belly as I didn't dial back the eating and drinking!!!!

 

[dan125]

We finished off the smoked streaky today and the smokey character has calmed down a bit after a week, and is much more akin to a shop bought smoked bacon.
Delicious

 

[Druss]

I make my own bacon pretty regularly, I go for the old fashioned salt/sugar mix (60/40℅ sugar/salt) and avoid the nitrate laden cure mixes at all costs.

I'm the only meat eater in my household so it lasts me quite a while, I've done huge cuts of gammon, pork, belly and even a few big pieces of beef using the same principle.

Not tried smoking it yet, that would be cool but seems a bit complicated, I just like seeing it hanging in my kitchen really!

 

[crowcrow]

Smoking kit arrived today - cannot wait to try it out

 

[dan125]

I found cutting my lastest batch a bit easier with a razor sharp chopper and leaving it a bit longer in the freezer before starting (45mins), but rashers are still like thin gammon steaks
This is one of the same Tesco loins that @Dutto mentioned I think... I cured it all with juniper berries, bay leaves and soft dark sugar along with the salt, and the other half of the loin is cold smoking over apple and maple as I type

 

[dan125]

Probably should have double checked the forecast before starting to cold smoke in a cardboard box.
Oops

 

[marshbrewer]

That's always the right way, no such thing as a 'diet'. By their very nature they don't work unless you make fundamental and permanent changes to your diet. Or you put it back on again.

This. If you look at all of the diets that work for people, whatever they claim, they work by reducing calorie intake. Sometimes its subliminal, for instance lots of people who loose weight on 'keto' diets, if you look at their food diaries, eat less calories because a high protein diet makes you feel 'full' more quickly, ergo you eat less calories. But at the end of the day, you just cannot ignore the laws of thermodynamics. Energy in = (Energy out +Energy Stored) . There is no ware else for it to go, and it cannot be destroyed.

 

[Drunkula]

Ketogenic diet.

Ketogenic diet is absolute ********.