Mmmmm, Bacon... the project!

Ok. So after reading a bunch on the subject, I decided to go simple for the first run. I did a couple things different from the brine recipe I was given.
Here is a breakdown in grams, so in the future, changes are simpler.
Based on a US gallon = 3785 grams, i used:
3785 grams water
165 grams kosher salt
130 grams of pure maple sugar
200 grams dark brown sugar
1720 grams of pork loin
6000 grams total weight of brine and meat x 0.000120 Ppm / 0.064 % nitrite = 11.25 grams cure (The Prague powder I got was 6.4% nitrite)
I completely mixed the brine, then injected in several places, recovering the run off, maintaining the proportions. Purchased a new container for the purpose, now the waiting game.
My tunnel vision, while preparing/trimming the loin, mixing/weighing ingredients had me forgetting to take photos, but here are the 2 pieces in the brine.

http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu37/bladebuilder/LL_zps2120bc0f.jpg
After removing the loins from the brine, and rinsing them. I did the recommended test fry. A nice mix of sweet and salty. neither overpowering. this is gonna be good! 24 hours on a rack in the fridge to dry up. It the smoker in the morning!

So at 0-DARK-30 I fired up the A-Maze-N pellet smoker with maple pellets, and set it all out in my offset smoker/grill.

We have thin blue smoke!

So after 4 hours of cold smoke, (45 degrees) I upped the temp in the smoker to 150 for 2 hours, then 180 for 2, and 200 till internal temp was 150. (actually hit 156) I was busy eating dinner.
Sorry for the poor light photo, after a day or so in the fridge to mellow out, I will get better ones. The color isnt as dark as the photo shows... Not sure why.
Has a nice maple smell, and a decent, clean smoke smell. Not overpowering at all. Gotta say I am pleased for a first attempt!

Looks delicious. But is "Not overpowering at all" your only comment on how it tastes (assuming that wasn't another reference only to the smell)?

Phase II
Smokehouse!!
So I'm really hooked bad!! I started with a simple back bacon question, now I have 60 pounds of belly on the way, and of course, had to start a smoker! Mainly because I don't already have enough on my plate, but hey, I needed the distraction right?
I had intended to go with a full cedar build, then thought about a cinderblock base, but with winter closing in, I took cues from some other builds I have seen here in my research.
I priced cedar lumber for the framing, and holy crap!! It's expensive here!! So spruce framed it will be!!
Base framed

Sides and front framed, base complete

Sides and front attached to base


So, managed to get the walls closed in today, and the roof framed. The Cedar I purchased was in bundles, and of course, the best boards were on the outside. SO even though I bought an extra bundle to be safe, I am still short.
So This is how it looks. I went with floor registers, instead of a chimney after looking at a bunch of different builds. These are the larger size, 2 baffles in each. It is looking better than I thought it would. I have very little framing experience.
Dimensions: 36" x 36' 6'6" front. 6' back. Dimensions to underside of the roof. I was gonna go 6' front 5'6" back, but I'm 6'4" and I hate ducking!

larrybard said:

Looks delicious. But is "Not overpowering at all" your only comment on how it tastes (assuming that wasn't another reference only to the smell)?

Click to expand...

Was a comment on how it smells, coming out of the smoker. It was cooked up for breakfast this morning. Smoke was nice, not strong or acrid. You could pick out the maple sugar flavor, and the salt balance was close. I may go a little heavier on the salt next time. Texture was nice. Tender not chewy. For a first run, I'd call it a success. If I didnt change a thing, it would be good. But the fun of doing it yourself, is the ability to change and try new things!

Thanks for looking!

I made bacon with almost the same ingredients and technique back in early August (never made any type of bacon before). It was awesome and quickly eaten. Yours looks great.

Pierre, Nice work Man! Talk about going after it. I can see that little smoke shack now way way up in Northern Canada.

I've found that rinsing my smoked meats with warm water after they're smoked will clear up any bitter smoke after taste. I smoke with all kind of woods but ive been using a lot of Pecan lately with excellent results.

If you're going to take charcutterie seriously, look into Sodium Erythrobate. Its just a powerful anti-oxidant but will facilitate your cures fast and deeper and keep any fat from going yellow. It will also stabilize your products for longer shelf life.

Can't wait to see some of that Game you hunt, hanging from a gambrel in that shack.

Way to go!

Well done pierre...now i want bacon Mmmm.

When I first saw the cuts of meat I thought to myself, "That's not what you use to make bacon." Then it dawned on me .... Canadian bacon. Yum!!! Your smokehouse looks ready to put out some great smoked meats.

This was a test run, to check the flavor and smoking really. I have 60 pounds of belly on the way though!!

So tell me about Sodium Erythrobate, is it used in place of nitrites? or with?

Quick update on the build... Did the doors, and corner trim today. Mounted the door, realized my hands were shaking... Oh yeah! Haven't eaten or had anything to drink since dinner yesterday!!

Nice work Pierre, that smoke house is over the top!

Awesome thread. My mouth waters every time I look at it!

Are you going to have an external heat/smoke source so you can do cold smoking?

Well done! What did you learn? any tips?

Pierre good work, how is the setup for smoking in your smoke shed?

For cold smoking, I'll be using an A-Maze-N pellet smoker. Either inside, or in an attached box on the outside. For hot smoking, I have a 30000 BTU burner coming. With 3 adjustable fire rings. It has been used a lot in similar builds I found while researching with great success. As far as what I learned, so far it is that home made bacon is many levels better than store bought product. Unless you splurge for product from mom and pop operations. But then the home made option is cheaper. I know I could buy a lot of bacon for what it costs to build this smoker, but hey, in the end, I come out on top! 😊

Awsome!

Getting closer!! Finished and installed the doors, fascia trim and overhang. And covered the roof with cedar shakes. Outside got a coat of boiled linseed oil.

^^ That just looks like Canada.

I bet the bacon is incredible.

You know what I'm think'n? That smokehouse looks a little heavy. How are you going to move it to its final spot?

I think that's the best looking, best constructed smokehouse I've ever seen.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES!! Had an hour this morning so decided to get half of the fresh bellies I ordered, curing.
Going to go with a simple cure, salt, sugars, and curing salt. Additional flavoring may be added prior to smoking.
The set up.


First slab, 4.98kg
Will receive:
112.5 gr salt
40 gr dark brown sugar, 40 gr light brown sugar
12 gr curing salt 6.4% nitrite



Now the waiting game. Now too get the smokehouse all wrapped up!!
Second slab was done the same way. Third slab, I used half and half brown sugar, and pure maple sugar.

Home brew. Check
Home made bacon. Check
Home made Canadian bacon. Check
Home made Canadian smoker. Check
Home made knife. Check

I'll just go ahead and assume that is a home made computer.

BTW, where does one get 60 lbs of pork belly?

Looks great though.

Man Pierre your making me hungry. Is that sideboard with bottom drawers an antique? Like the kitchen Tile too.

erickso1 said:

BTW, where does one get 60 lbs of pork belly?

Click to expand...

From a 1200 lb pig of course:groucho:

Maple cured applewood.

Umm, this is stupid. As in FREAKING STUPIDLY AMAZING!
I want to build a smoke house! Haven't a clue where I would put it, but that's unimportant. Bacon is what's at hand here!

Well here are the results!
The bottom two feet got a couple layers of 1200* Kaowool insulation, then covered with 24 gauge stainless steel. I used stainless gas line for the inside portion. Wasnt sure how rubber would hold.

Installed a dial gauge gas regulator.

Sitting on the back deck

As for the bacon. I did 3 types. All sugar/salt cure
One is just maple sugar/brown sugar/salt/cure. Number 2 is CBP onion and garlic, just a light dusting, and the third got a little molasses added. All three went in the smoke house, with a burner running (it was -37 C here with the wind chill when I smoked) Smoke was courteous of the AMNPS, with maple pellets.
I did 6 hours of smoke first night (it was 5:30 pm when I started) A rest in the cooler over night, then back in the smoker next day for another 14 hours.
Here are the bellies hanging

A little thin blue smoke
[video=youtube;ToNU_guR1ZI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToNU_guR1ZI[/video]
And after the smoke!


And the taste test of trimmed ends!

WOW

That is a baller smoker. Down here we don't have to insulate so we can build out of almost anything, but the wood looks great. And you can't argue with the result, the bacon looks great. It looks like you can fit a kid or a lamb in there, got a Christmas dinner planned?

smoked meat goodness!

I'll second that Wow. Heck I'll even third it! Wow!