Help- Need BACON!!!

[WildHarmonyFarm]

Hi! I have (2)- 6 pound slabs of fresh bacon in my frig and want to try smoking them. I found *some* info on this forum, and suggestions to check out posts by SKR8PN on sufficientself.com, which I did. I found his "majic Dust" recipe for the rub, and smoking times/temps. But there isn't any mention of whether the rub needs to dry cure on the bacon for any length of time. Most books I've read says the bacon needs to "cure" in the mix for 5-7 days before smoking, but since this is my first time I don't know whether this is necessary since I'll be smoking (SKR8PN says the bacon will be about 1/3 cooked by the time it's done) and then slicing and freezing. Anyone have any more info or suggestions? I had planned on doing the smoking this weekend. HELP!!

Much Appreciated!
Cindy

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I made bacon this spring from our hogs. I cut them into manageable pieces, rubbed on the cure/spices, put them in big ziploc bags in the fridge and kept them there for a week - turning them every day. Then we smoked them with applewood and it's absolutely divine!

 

[WildHarmonyFarm]

Awesome! Yes, I was thinking even tho I'm smoking it still needs to cure for a week. I'm also trying not to use nitrites in the cure- would you mind sharing your recipe? I'm not sure the "rub" I found was an actual "curing" recipe.

 

[WildHarmonyFarm]

Also, SKR8PN smoked at 200 for about 3 hours, but a lot of the other stuff I read said don't go any higher than 140, as the fat will start to render. Would you mind sharing your experience with the smoking as well? Thank you so much!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Unfortunately, I did use a commercial cure. I was afraid to go off on my own for the first tme I ever made bacon. Still delicious but I'll go nitrate-less next time for sure. The instructions I had said to smoke to an internal temp of 150, but if I remember right I pulled it off about about 145 because I didn't want to render the fat either. At that temp it was starting to get 'soft' but not really cooked at all.

For me - the apple wood made the biggest difference. I gave some of the bacon to my neighbor (who helped with the butchering) and he smoked his with oak. The apple wood bacon was better by far!

 

[WildHarmonyFarm]

Thanks for that info- I was going to try Hickory, since I already have some from another smoke. If anyone else has info on not using the nitrites, your input would be appreciated! Or any other newbie tips

 

[WildHarmonyFarm]

Also, I'm wondering how necessary the nitrites are, as the bacon will go in the freezer after smoking, and when used will be fried crisp. I think the nitrites are to discourage botulism, which would be killed anyway at temps over 180.

 

[Cricket]

In my 1970's era pig book, the author says that people told him that if you don't use nitrates, you're meat will turn a gray color, but that did NOT happen and his meat was fine.