Zalick
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
First attempt at smoking bacon. I have no idea how to evaluate a pork belly, but I got one at Costco that looked good enough! Trimmed up the edges and and flaps. I used the trimmings to make some delicious burnt ends. I think the belly was about 10lbs.
I cured with salt and prague powder only. I wanted to get a baseline flavor before adding brown sugar, maple etc. I had planned a 7 day cure but life got in the way so it became 14 days. For that reason, I decided to smoke to an IT of 150 for safety.
I don't know if its a dry cure, but I didn't add any liquid. I spread the cure evenly over the belly and put in a plastic bag. Every day I flipped and massaged the liquid.
After 14 days I forgot to rinse and just patted it dry and then in fridge for 24 hours. Realized I forgot the rinse, so I rinsed, dried and another 24hrs in fridge. Michael Symon recipe is 48hrs in fridge, so I figured I was ok!
I smoked for about 1hr on my MAK 2star at smoke setting. Then bumped to 225 until IT of 150. Took about another 2 hrs. (I didn't time it)
I haven't tried it yet. Going to cook up the end pieces tonight with my wife!
I cured with salt and prague powder only. I wanted to get a baseline flavor before adding brown sugar, maple etc. I had planned a 7 day cure but life got in the way so it became 14 days. For that reason, I decided to smoke to an IT of 150 for safety.
I don't know if its a dry cure, but I didn't add any liquid. I spread the cure evenly over the belly and put in a plastic bag. Every day I flipped and massaged the liquid.
After 14 days I forgot to rinse and just patted it dry and then in fridge for 24 hours. Realized I forgot the rinse, so I rinsed, dried and another 24hrs in fridge. Michael Symon recipe is 48hrs in fridge, so I figured I was ok!
I smoked for about 1hr on my MAK 2star at smoke setting. Then bumped to 225 until IT of 150. Took about another 2 hrs. (I didn't time it)
I haven't tried it yet. Going to cook up the end pieces tonight with my wife!