Making Bacon-- Hog Hunt produces fine Pork

We completed our first batch of Bacon today, and started the curing process on the second chunk of Pork Belly.
 
The first batch was done using the recipe that comes with the Morton's Sugar Cure. Basically one and a half cups of curing mix with one cup of Brown Sugar added and mixed in.  The result is a bit salty for our tastes...I am not a fan of 'strong' country ham either.  The Bacon is fine for sandwiches and with other food, but to eat plain it is a bit salty for our tastes.
After rubbing in the curing mix, we allowed the pork to sit in sealed bags in the refrigerator , turning it once a day for 5 days. The rinsed it off and put it in the smoker for 6 hour
Then sliced and packaged the bacon for our normal use amounts
Batch number two saw us cut the curing salt by 50% and doubling the Brown Sugar amount. it is in the refrigerator now, I will report on how the taste changed with the recipe. Batches 3 and 4 will follow when we settle on the mix ratios. We are smoking over applewood and will do one batch with Maple Sugar and maplewood smoke
Bacon cure mix-


Batch one being sliced and packaged for use.

i'll be over for breakfast!
 

It looks great Al, was it smoked in the Smoke house ????????

I am jealous! So is Bob!

The big Smokehouse is 80% complete...but these bellies have to be done now, so I used my Masterchef electric smoker with Applewood from our trees.
Annie, There will be some with us when we head north.

Interesting!.............will await the results.  Made a new batch of my boneless country ribs today (see other post on making bacon), using a linguica style recipe with brown sugar........5 day cure......came out really nice.
 
I noticed you slice and then freeze it?  I just freeze chunks and thaw a piece to use in the next few days.  you notice any difference?

first time here...so can't compare yet. We slice then freeze portion size pkgs.  Will report when we test quality after a time lapse.

Hey Al,  Is this wild boar from your hunting trip?  

Joe,  yes this pork is from the two hogs we shot on our recent hunt. We selected the two largest and most domesticated looking hogs from a herd of about 50 that was working its way thru feeders in the woods. Some of the hogs would be called Feral Pigs as they look almost farm fresh, but the attitude and behaviors are sure like the big razorbacks in the herd (pack?). Anyway we took these two...total about 640 lbs hanging weight. We got four chunks of Pork Belly to try to turn into bacon.
Here are the hogs ready to butcher.

 
BTW the second batch is curing much better. We are turning it twice a day, and will do 5 short days til smoker time.

Al, how is the rest of the meat?  I am told that wild boar/pigs are only good for hams and sausage because the meat is tough.

Al, I got some garlic bacon from ? on the internet, it was delicious, ever thought of adding some fresh garlic to the cure?
Wish I could remember the company.

Looking forward to some.......

Annie
Tom, We decided not to add the garlic but make it brown-sugar/maple 'tint'
 
Joe, Large Boars can be 'gamey' but the smaller hogs and the sows don't get that 'male' hormone that alters the overall flavor. We have had sausage, loin, ribs, and bacon so far and it is as good or better than 'store-pork'.

CTF..when I make my "bacon", using boneless style country rib, i always use a generous amount of garlic in the recipe.....that and redwine vinegar help give it a nice edge and flavor

FriedClamFanatic


CTF..when I make my "bacon", using boneless style country rib, i always use a generous amount of garlic in the recipe.....that and redwine vinegar help give it a nice edge and flavor

FCF, sounds delicious!

OK  batch 2 is in the smoker.  This one seems to be less salty with a brown-sugar tinge to the brine.
5 hours to go now at 190 degrees.

Mouthwatering!

that looks AWESOME!
 
 

OK, When we took the meat out of the smoker, the top rack...a thinner piece, was done completely. We are snacking on it !!!  The others will be treated like partially cooked bacon, to be fried to crisp it up. The balance of sugar and salt is just right in these pieces.
Here is the finished meat as is came out of the smoker...Totals about 11 lbs.




  I think this batch will be "Just Right" on a "Three Bears Scale of 1 to 3"

i am envious! Happy breakfasts and blts!
 

looks great........hope it tastes so too!

mayor al


OK  batch 2 is in the smoker.  This one seems to be less salty with a brown-sugar tinge to the brine.
5 hours to go now at 190 degrees.

What kind of smoker is that?

Al and Janet,
Absolutely lovely and I'm sure it was delicious!!

Boy Al, are you lucky. Bacon prices are heading up and that's no "boloney"
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/10/01/bacon-shortage-baloney-but-prices-to-rise.html

Kevin,
My full-sized "OutHouse Smoke House" is about 80% completed. we had hoped to have it done in time for this project, so as to be able to do all of the Pork Belly at one time...but construction delays have slowed it done a bit.
Here's the foundation and then you can see the size of the project...in its 'being built'  location. When done, we will move it onto the foundation, beside the steps to the deck.  The firebox will extend down the slope and be connected with stovepipe for about a 6-8 foot distance. It is 4x4x7 foot and will have white-oak barn siding over the plywood when done. (our own wood from a downed oak tree).

 
Better view of the project.  A full report will be posted when we get it "Smoking"

The smoker being used is one of the Masterchef electric boxes...About $199 at Lowes the last time we looked.  We use a mix of Jack Daniels charcoal pellets and our own applewood for smoking fuel.
TO ALL-  Yeah it looks good and tastes great also.  We are going to do the final Batch of 4 chunks of Pork Belly starting their cure tonight, then into the smoker on Saturday.
 

UPDATE-
The last batch of Hog Belly is out of the 'cure' and into the Smoker. 4 hours at 190 degrees with maplechips and some hickory mixed in will do the job this time. We totaled about 30 lbs of finished Bacon (before frying), sliced and packaged for the winter use. I'll add a photo to this post when we get the meat out of the smoker this afternoon.

Fantastic!

Someones going to bacon heaven!

OK, Here is the last batch of the Missouri Hog Belly to Bacon conversion adventure.
The final product looks and tastes like Bacon...not smoked pork. This is our best yet. we totaled the whole project at between 25 and 30 lbs of sliced Bacon and useable scraps for "Beans N Things" !

Mam o man--heat some of that up to go with my sourdough bread,fried green tomatoes,fresh crisp romaine and Hellman's and you just might have a world champion quality BLT!