Different textures of cooked bacon - brined vs. dry cured.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 18:14

Based on a new calculation my brine strength appears to be about 28°.

w1sby · Post by **w1sby** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 20:35

Baconologist wrote: I don't like to pour off the fat during cooking because in my experience it limits flavor. I do soak up all excess grease after cooking with paper towels.

I like soaking it up with biscuits

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 21:53

I never discard bacon fat. It is good for cooking almost everything. From shortening in yeast bread and oatmeal cookies to fried potatoes to popcorn.

randalleg · Post by **randalleg** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 04:55

I agree with the bake your bacon enthusiasts. Also if you want nice even lardons go the same route. I like to do the diced bacon on a perforated pan with a regular pan below and "roast" them as the fat drains thru to the lower pan.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 21:06

I removed the bacon slabs from the cure. The one from the brine last night and the dry cure today. They have both dried and are at present soaking up hickory smoke.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 01:33

Sounds good Ross. Now... start soaking your camera "shutter finger" in warm salt water... in preparation of clicking on some great photos of each. After the salt water soak, consider a nice shutter finger rubdown with some warm lard and peppermint oil... applied by a buxom young thing about 40 years your junior!

viola! You should be able to snap photos for hours.

Yer' ol' pard with best wishes,
Chuckwagon

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 02:02

That seems like a plan.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 02:56

6 hours of heavy hickory smoke:

I couldn't get the heat up in the smoker so they will finish in the oven.

The smaller piece has a "D" incised in the surface to identify it as compared to brined .

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 04:10

Wow, they look great. I'll bet your kitchen smells grrrreat right about now!

Which one are you placing bets on?

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 04:21

At this stage it is a toss up. The look, feel and flexibility seem to be quite close. Today was rather windy the RH was about 25% and the air temperature was about 65° F My smoker is a BBQ grill so it is very well ventilated. I was able to get the thermometer in the top to show 160°F but the meat never dripped any fat. The smaller piece is out of the oven and in a few minutes I will pull the other.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 15:31

Fresh from the oven IM= 140°

12 hours in the fridge:

Taking a piece out of the middle:

Wet cured on the right.
The fried slices:

three slices wet cure because they are shorter.
Nancy and I both ate knife cut bites of each and at the end Nancy preferred the brine cured . She doubted that most people would discern a difference on a breakfast plate or in a sandwich. With allowances for the differences in the two pieces the brine cure probably picked up a little more salt and sugar. The details for the dry cure and the brine are posted earlier in this thread.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 01:16

Nice work pal! Interesting too. Very nice looking final product.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 02:07

If you make a single cut along one muscle and slice that into medallions and place those pieces on a little piece of cheese on a cracker in a toaster oven you get a rather nice snack.

Post by **redzed** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 16:05

Now that's bacon! Makes you never again buy the soft, slimy, packaged stuff you get at the supermarket.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 16:58

The next best part is I paid 69 cents per pound.

Different textures of cooked bacon - brined vs. dry cured.

Cure time for cure is done

The report