Food and Drink Homemade bacon

**Fire Me Boy!** · 08:24 AM

Anyone ever made it?

My brother got me America's Test Kitchen's DIY cookbook (they're the peeps that do Cook's Illustrated), and it includes a good lookin' recipe for homemade bacon that they swear beats the pants off most anything you can buy... plus, since you have it in slab form (which seems to be pretty hard to find unless you order it), you can do nice things like lardons.

Anyhoo, after wandering all over the butcher shops and grocery stores in Montgomery (only one could get it, and it was $8/pound), I asked the meat manager at Publix if he could get any, and he said yes. And it was only going to be $3.19/pound. I went to pick it up this morning and the guy had made a mistake - my 5-pound order was 11.44 pounds, but it was marked at $2.69/pound. The manager said he knew that was more than I wanted, but if I'd take the whole thing, he'd take another 40 cents off per pound.

So I have 11 pounds of pork belly in my fridge, some pink salt on the way for the cure, and a box full of apple wood in my shed. And bacon will be made.

They also have a recipe for pancetta, which I'll attempt at some point, too.

cabletech94 · 12-30-2012, 08:22 AM

i'd put my money that Mo has.

Mr. Laz · 12-30-2012, 08:44 AM

brother in-law smokes his own bacon

not sure if that is 'making it' or just smoking it.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 12-30-2012, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

brother in-law smokes his own bacon

not sure if that is 'making it' or just smoking it.

Well, to make it bacon you do have to do stuff to it, otherwise it'd just be smoked pork belly.

boogblaster · 12-30-2012, 10:04 AM

i used to smoke the belly when i cooked whole hog bbq .. id take tyhe bellies off let em kool out in brownsugar brime then rinse kool longer then slice up .. was real yummy .. i used any fruit wood plus oak .....

NewChief · 12-30-2012, 10:05 AM

One of my friends makes his own and it's amazing. Also delicious is thick cut (like little nuggets) smoked then grilled. Holy shit. Bacon nuggets.

Dave · 12-30-2012, 10:09 AM

You need to cure it first.

seclark · 12-30-2012, 10:09 AM

love it.
never made it.
mo should be able to help, i bet.
sec

LiveSteam · 12-30-2012, 10:17 AM

Best thread ever

**Fire Me Boy!** · 12-30-2012, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave

You need to cure it first.

You talkin' to me?

(I've ordered pink salt for the cure, but don't have it yet.)

Dave · 12-30-2012, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

You talkin' to me?

(I've ordered pink salt for the cure, but don't have it yet.)

Just a comment.

Every recipe I've seen for bacon has a method for curing. Like 7 days.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 12-30-2012, 10:32 AM

The Cook's Illustrated one I'm using is 7-10 days. Need to find maple sugar, too.

Bump · 12-30-2012, 10:32 AM

I have a friend who smokes his own bacon. He doesn't have a meat slicer though and cutting it is a pain in the butt though.

BigOlChiefsfan · 12-30-2012, 10:37 AM

This just proves how good it is to eat LOW on the hog.

I used to help my grandparents make bacon when we'd butcher hogs. Totally worth the grief. Here's your goal: Burger's Bacon

**Rain Man** · 12-30-2012, 10:40 AM

No posts yet about how homemade bacon gives us a lardon? Tsk, tsk.

12-30-2012, 08:18 AM
Fire Me Boy! Cast Iron Jedi Join Date: Nov 2004 Casino cash: $35027	Homemade bacon Anyone ever made it? My brother got me America's Test Kitchen's DIY cookbook (they're the peeps that do Cook's Illustrated), and it includes a good lookin' recipe for homemade bacon that they swear beats the pants off most anything you can buy... plus, since you have it in slab form (which seems to be pretty hard to find unless you order it), you can do nice things like lardons. Anyhoo, after wandering all over the butcher shops and grocery stores in Montgomery (only one could get it, and it was $8/pound), I asked the meat manager at Publix if he could get any, and he said yes. And it was only going to be $3.19/pound. I went to pick it up this morning and the guy had made a mistake - my 5-pound order was 11.44 pounds, but it was marked at $2.69/pound. The manager said he knew that was more than I wanted, but if I'd take the whole thing, he'd take another 40 cents off per pound. So I have 11 pounds of pork belly in my fridge, some pink salt on the way for the cure, and a box full of apple wood in my shed. And bacon will be made. They also have a recipe for pancetta, which I'll attempt at some point, too. Last edited by Fire Me Boy!; 12-30-2012 at 08:24 AM.. Reason: Fixing a typo
Posts: 19,091

12-30-2012, 08:22 AM	#2
cabletech94 Mowin' grass, breakin' glass!! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Pitt Casino cash: $25031474	i'd put my money that Mo has. __________________ Adopt a Chief Mr. Andy Studebaker, bitches!!!
Posts: 4,223

12-30-2012, 08:44 AM	#3
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $393180	brother in-law smokes his own bacon not sure if that is 'making it' or just smoking it.
Posts: 73,945

12-30-2012, 10:04 AM	#5
boogblaster MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Verdigris Valley Campsite Casino cash: $1098271	i used to smoke the belly when i cooked whole hog bbq .. id take tyhe bellies off let em kool out in brownsugar brime then rinse kool longer then slice up .. was real yummy .. i used any fruit wood plus oak ..... __________________ Taco Tuesdays
Posts: 10,219

12-30-2012, 10:05 AM	#6
NewChief Greenbacker and Loving Liberal Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Fayetteville, AR Casino cash: $152592	One of my friends makes his own and it's amazing. Also delicious is thick cut (like little nuggets) smoked then grilled. Holy shit. Bacon nuggets. __________________ In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican. - H. L. Mencken
Posts: 17,142

12-30-2012, 10:09 AM	#7
Dave New Hope Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Florida Casino cash: $171607	You need to cure it first.
Posts: 45,362

12-30-2012, 10:09 AM	#8
seclark MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: nemo Casino cash: $222	love it. never made it. mo should be able to help, i bet. sec __________________ "Mr. seclark. Wrong for gravy, wrong for jelly, wrong for biscuits." -rj "If every Planeteer who was disliked by another Planeteer stopped being a Planeteer we wouldn't have any Planeteers." -rj
Posts: 9,298

12-30-2012, 10:17 AM	#9
LiveSteam All aboard the crazy train Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: homeof43conferencetitles Casino cash: $40919	Best thread ever
Posts: 12,102

12-30-2012, 10:32 AM	#12
Fire Me Boy! Cast Iron Jedi Join Date: Nov 2004 Casino cash: $35027	The Cook's Illustrated one I'm using is 7-10 days. Need to find maple sugar, too.
Posts: 19,091

12-30-2012, 10:32 AM	#13
Bump Legalize It Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Boston sucks :( Casino cash: $52841	I have a friend who smokes his own bacon. He doesn't have a meat slicer though and cutting it is a pain in the butt though. __________________ Marijuana is only illegal because it helps
Posts: 11,099

12-30-2012, 10:37 AM	#14
BigOlChiefsfan Certified Bourbon taster Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $50008147	This just proves how good it is to eat LOW on the hog. I used to help my grandparents make bacon when we'd butcher hogs. Totally worth the grief. Here's your goal: Burger's Bacon __________________ A man can never own too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition. -- R. Kipling
Posts: 4,124

12-30-2012, 10:40 AM	#15
Rain Man Welcome, Eric Fisher & Friends Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: 1.61 KM high city Casino cash: $62676243	No posts yet about how homemade bacon gives us a lardon? Tsk, tsk. __________________ Onward Fisher, Onward Fisher, block right through that line. Block the ball clear down the field, a touchdown sure this time. Onward Fisher, Onward Fisher, fight on for her fame. Fight, fellows, fight, fight, fight, we'll win this game.
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