Making bacon

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Anyone made bacon?
I have some pork belly I want to brine, smoke and freeze so it’s genuinely nitrate free but I can’t decide how to proceed.

I think badjak posted a link long ago about a szechaun pepper version? I can’t find it so any help would be appreciated.

 

[badjak]

Anyone made bacon?
I have some pork belly I want to brine, smoke and freeze so it’s genuinely nitrate free but I can’t decide how to proceed.

I think badjak posted a link long ago about a szechaun pepper version? I can’t find it so any help would be appreciated.

Yeah, I will be able to find it back.
But I use nitrite in my bacon as that's the standard (pink salt, prague powder, cure 1 & 2).
Sometimes celery salt is used, but that just means nitrates in a different form and you are never sure how much you add

 

[badjak]

It's here Sichuan Chinese Bacon Recipe - How to Make Chinese Bacon

 

[TastyReuben]

We did when I was a kid, since we raised our own meat, but I’d be no help now, unfortunately.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

It's here Sichuan Chinese Bacon Recipe - How to Make Chinese Bacon

That’s the job. Sounds fantastic
And such a good’n you can have a sticker from a lovely pic my son did when he was about 5yrs old

 

[badjak]

Note to the recipe..
I smoked it at much lower temperatures with a cold smoke generator and beech, as (I think) is more usual in Northern Europe.

 

[medtran49]

Craig made bacon long ago. I'm sure he used a recipe out of 1 of his smoking cookbooks. I'll look through if you have a different idea on the cure flavor profile.

I made German/Austrian type speck once using heritage pork jowl. I used juniper berries, caraway seeds, a few yellow mustard seeds, garlic powder, a small bay leaf, a bit of brown sugar, kosher salt, and a bit of pink salt. Whirled it all in the spice grinder to make a powder. Will go into greater detail if desired. Smoked over alder.

I've been wanting to make kaesespatzle again, but am having trouble finding a speck substitute. So, I'll pick up some pork belly when we go to the butcher market and use a similar cure.

 

[medtran49]

Not bacon per se, but could be used on pork belly.

Recipe - Tasso

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Craig made bacon long ago. I'm sure he used a recipe out of 1 of his smoking cookbooks. I'll look through if you have a different idea on the cure flavor profile.

I made German/Austrian type speck once using heritage pork jowl. I used juniper berries, caraway seeds, a few yellow mustard seeds, garlic powder, a small bay leaf, a bit of brown sugar, kosher salt, and a bit of pink salt. Whirled it all in the spice grinder to make a powder. Will go into greater detail if desired. Smoked over alder.

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Honestly that’s sounds lovely.
My bezzie is about to have a pig slaughtered and she said the pork belly will be coming my way so two distinctly recipes would be fantastic.

 

[badjak]

I would definitely do a "traditional" one so you have a good comparison with the stuff you buy
And then a couple to play

 

[medtran49]

Honestly that’s sounds lovely.
My bezzie is about to have a pig slaughtered and she said the pork belly will be coming my way so two distinctly recipes would be fantastic.

Ask if you can get the jowl too. Guanciale is traditionally made with jowl.

 

[CookieMonster]

I've been wanting to make kaesespatzle again, but am having trouble finding a speck substitute. So, I'll pick up some pork belly when we go to the butcher market and use a similar cure.

Wegman's has real speck at the deli . . . here's their Florida locations
Wegmans stores in Florida

 

[medtran49]

Thanks, but that's Italian speck, the cure is different, and the closest is 4+ hours away.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Ask if you can get the jowl too. Guanciale is traditionally made with jowl.

Oddly jowl is easier to get than kidney! So yes guanciale is a distinct possibility.

 

[Barriehie]

Not bacon per se, but could be used on pork belly.

Recipe - Tasso

Yes!