Hatch Chile Hickory Smoked Bacon Project Part Three: Recipe, Technique, Smoking etc

Here's the recipe:
1 pork belly, we used a 10.35lb Berkshire
1/2 c. Salt, Kosher
4 t. Salt, pink, curing
1/2 c. Sugar, turbinado
1/2 c. Chile powder, Hatch, green-divided into 1/4ths
1/4 c. Pepper, black
Method
* Sprinkle ingredients all over belly-be thorough,start with pink salt
* Only use 1/4th of chile powder
* Put belly in fridge in large pan
* Every 24 hours flip belly over and liberally sprinkle reserved chile powder on belly
* Do this for 9 days
* Rinse seasonings off belly with cold water
* Let dry for 24 hours
* Build fire in backyard, smoke belly with favorite wood for 2 hours
* Return belly to fridge
* Let sit overnight
* At this point it's time to slice your belly, this is a crucial stage in your project. We used our electric slicer at work so the bacon looks professional. If you don't have an electric slicer use your sharpest knife, take your time and make your cuts as even as possible
 
Backstory, pics, tasting notes http://www.scrumptiousche...-Eating?adminview=true

WAY to much work for me!
I let these guys do the work and I just enjoy the fruits of their labor!
http://theporkshopaz.com/

I've been making my own bacon for many years...that seems like an awful lot of Pink Salt......
Having said that I'll bet it taste good with the Hatch powder, not sure adding it all up front wouldn't be a better idea...seems like as the belly cures and creates it own brine you aren't really benefiting by adding it over the course of the cure.

thanks for the feedback....haven't done a belly in a long time and this one was an experiment...the pink salt worked out-ratio wise-to the size of the belly...it was a mite salty...belly lost about 2.5 lbs of weight during the curing process-9 days.
 
Picking up another one this weekend and will report back. Care to post your recipe?
 
www.scrumptiouschef.com

I smoke pork belly here at my restaurant for about 5 hours, no seasoning at all, cool it overnight slice it thick and fry it, folks love it, tremendous pork flavor!

scrumptiouschef


thanks for the feedback....haven't done a belly in a long time and this one was an experiment...the pink salt worked out-ratio wise-to the size of the belly...it was a mite salty...belly lost about 2.5 lbs of weight during the curing process-9 days.

Picking up another one this weekend and will report back. Care to post your recipe?

www.scrumptiouschef.com

 
Sure...but it'll have to wait until I'm at home and have access to it.
 
I use a basic cure (about a pound of salt, a little less sugar, and a small amount of pink salt) I dredge the bellies in this cure (plus additional flavorings) until they are well covered, throw them into 2 gallon ziplocs and into the fridge they go.......I let them go until they feel right. Normally 6-7 days... Then I let them air dry in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours, most times 48. Then they dry on the counter until they come to room temp.
 
Then onto the Weber Kettles to smoke at 200'-225' until they come up to 155'....I use a variety of hard woods (Hickory, Apple, Cherry, Oak, Crabapple) depending on how I've altered my cure...(maple syrup, brown sugar....on and on)
Normally I do 30-40lbs at a time.....
Edit to say...I leave the skin on until after I smoke the bellies....then I use the skin for beans and soups.
 
If I am making Pancetta, skin gets removed prior to the cure, in which case the skins get made into fried pork skins.....

My basic cure:
1 1/2lbs Kosher salt
3/4 lbs Granulated Sugar
2  Oz Pink Salt (Insta Cure#1)
 
For my Maple Bacon:
 
I use about 1/2 cup of the basic cure, and I add to it, 1/2 cup pure Maple Syrup, 1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper, and a 1/2 tablespoon cayenne.
 
But the variations are endless, just use 1/2 to a cup of basic cure and add what ever you want...you just need enough to totally dredge your bellies. I cut mine into 5-7lb square slabs and use the trimmings to make homemade Salt Pork.

Thanks for all the feedback y'all. I'm getting another big belly tomorrow and will report back on the process.
 
Pic of fresh sliced belly over here http://www.scrumptiousche...riday-October-8th-2011

New belly goes in the cure tonight. World's first Turkish bacon?