So, depending on how big a belly you have, I'd consider dividing it and doing different flavors. I like to do ~4lb sections.
For a basic cure, the free side is fine. I start with a basic cure of salt, PP #1, pepper, sugar. Cure, then rinse and smoke to about 150F. Good 'traditional' bacon. If you want other flavors, just add them to the cure. Personally, I'd be a little nervous with fresh peppers simply because I've not done it and would wonder how they held up to the week (or so) long cure.
Honestly, though, as long as you cure correctly, bacon is one of the easiest things to do. Have fun!
I recently made bacon for the first time and couldn't leave well enough alone. Modified Meathead's maple bacon by substituting molasses and espresso for maple syrup and water. Was very good but also a bit different from traditional bacon flavors so perhaps I got lucky. Next batch I'll do straight up traditional.
Alright - everything is done curing, so today is BACON DAY!! Very excited.
I figured I'd also do burnt ends with half, and bring to my grandpa's birthday this weekend. A few quick pork belly questions:
1) Do you trim the fat off the top? I've seen mixed results when I've tried to search for the answer.
2) I'm assuming that if I smoke the pork belly cubes today, that I can just braise them on Saturday with no problem. The only risk being that they won't make it that long.
3) Do you put a pan underneath the pork cubes to catch any drippings?
Alright - everything is done curing, so today is BACON DAY!! Very excited.
I figured I'd also do burnt ends with half, and bring to my grandpa's birthday this weekend. A few quick pork belly questions:
1) Do you trim the fat off the top? I've seen mixed results when I've tried to search for the answer.
2) I'm assuming that if I smoke the pork belly cubes today, that I can just braise them on Saturday with no problem. The only risk being that they won't make it that long.
3) Do you put a pan underneath the pork cubes to catch any drippings?
As always, thanks in advance for your insight.
Before you smoke, slice off a bit, cook it and taste for salt level. You can desalinate before smoking if too salty...
Hmm... I don't know about belly burnt ends with the cure. I mean it's big pieces of salty belly. But how bad could it be?
Trim the fat? Do you mean the skin? Bellies usually are ~50% fat so... im confused here.
Last edited by rickgregory; October 7, 2020, 12:27 PM.
The skin is trimmed but the top 1/4 of the belly is a thicker layer of fat. I have seem some recipes call for the removal of the fat cap, and other that seem to leave it.
Leave it. trimming it makes no sense to me. This is one of those things that's personal - some bellies are almost all fat, some only about 1/4 and it really depends on what you like. I just assume bacon is going to be relatively fatty.
it won't affect the smoking. On smoking... try to get it low and slow as you can to maximize smoke time. I mean 250+ works, bu you're only smoking to about 150F and it won't take a long time to get there at those temps.
I have made burnt ends with the cured belly before. Overall I liked them with the uncured belly more. The texture on the cured belly wasn't quite as tender and melt in your mouth as with the uncured. They were still good but not as good. I don't see any issues with smoking them now and then braising later either. You might have to braise longer since you are starting with cold meat but it shouldn't create any problems.
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