Speaking of Bacon . . . anyone have thoughts about the safety of making bacon and cold smoking?
I check in on the website amazingribs.com often and the guy that runs that website very strongly cautions against home cooks making their own bacon. I'm assuming if you use an adequate amount of Prague powder, you are avoiding potential contamination, but has not been a theory I have felt confident testing
quote:Originally posted by Parcival:
Speaking of Bacon . . . anyone have thoughts about the safety of making bacon and cold smoking?
I check in on the website amazingribs.com often and the guy that runs that website very strongly cautions against home cooks making their own bacon. I'm assuming if you use an adequate amount of Prague powder, you are avoiding potential contamination, but has not been a theory I have felt confident testing
Sorry, but IMO and the opinion of many other smokers that I am in contact with, the guy that runs the amazingribs.com website doesn't know
I've made 100's of lbs. of bacon. Hot, warm, and cold smoked. Once the meat is cured, it is pretty durable. There will never be a problem, as long as you follow a few simple rules.
First off, make sure your bacon is thoroughly cured. You can do a straight salt cure, like in some of the charcuterie books I've read, but I wouldn't recommend it. Use Prague powder/pink salt (not Himalayan)/cure #1; it's all the same thing. (Morton's Tenderquick is something altogether different, having regular salt and other stuff already blended in. I don't care for it, and you can't use it as a substitute in brining formula calculations.)
For dry curing, the formula is .25% cure #1 and 2%-3% each salt and sugar, by weight of the meat. It will penetrate 1/4" per side, per day, plus two more days to make sure equilibrium is reached. Brining time should actually be 2+ weeks for the sugar to take effect. It is a large molecule and doesn't penetrate the meat as fast as salt. The meat will have a salty flavor with shorter curing times.
For wet curing (which is what I do, as it is as foolproof as you can get.)
Per gallon of cold water:
1 T. cure #1
1/3 c. to 1 cup sea salt ( I use just over 1/3 cup for low sodium bacon. If done properly, you won't miss the salt.)
1/2 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
Usually do 2 weeks, but I have let it go as long as 3 (when something else came up), and once equilibrium is reached, it will not absorb any more cure or salt.
As for the cold smoking, it is best done in cooler temps in the Fall or Spring, with the smoker between 40°F to 70°F. Any colder, and condensation will form on the meat and ruin the smoke. Any warmer, and you begin to change the texture of the finished product. I have cold smoked bacon for 8 hours a day, for 3 days, putting it back in the fridge each night. But I know some who smoke every day, up to a week. It depends on what kind of wood you're using as well. For my 3-day, I used a light peach wood. Truthfully, it could have gone a couple more days. But if you're using something heavier like hickory, you need to adjust accordingly. It's all a matter of personal preference.
quote:Originally posted by mneeley490:
Found a 4.75 lb. frozen Butterball turkey breast roast at Costco the other day for about $13. It's in the smoker now at 275°, with some rub and injected with garlic butter. Using orange wood for smoke; I really like orange with poultry. If it turns out well, I will probably go back and get a couple more for Thanksgiving. So much easier than messing with a whole turkey.
This turned out very well. I have two of them brining in orange juice tonight, & will go into the smoker tomorrow morning. The in-laws always want to take some home.
Smoking a 15 lb turkey tomorrow. It's in a Bourbon & Apple Cider brine right now.
I plan to inject with Tony's Rosemary Butter.
Smoker will be locked in at 300-325F, using a mix of Cherry and Apple wood.
I plan to inject with Tony's Rosemary Butter.
Smoker will be locked in at 300-325F, using a mix of Cherry and Apple wood.
Being as it is that I am, the "very best of show" in the pit, I am taking the honours of smoking the turkey this holiday. It's nearly finished, and will be resting for several hours. Injecting is for amateurs and the BBQ competition circuit 
I am also cold smoking a side of wild salmon, after which I had cured it with salt, sugar and my Award Winning proprietary blend of herbs and spices. A prime rib roast will also be on the table, carefully slow cooked in my wood burning oven, thank you very much.
Cheers!
~W&FE~
I am also cold smoking a side of wild salmon, after which I had cured it with salt, sugar and my Award Winning proprietary blend of herbs and spices. A prime rib roast will also be on the table, carefully slow cooked in my wood burning oven, thank you very much.Cheers!
~W&FE~
I spatchcocked an 18 pound pasture raised turkey and dry brined for the last two days. It’ll go on the smoker with some pecan wood in a few hours. Happy Thanksgiving!
quote:Originally posted by Wine and Food Expert:
Injecting is for amateurs and the BBQ competition circuit
You would not think so if you were ever to have the privilege of trying my pulled pork,
7 lb. breast on the smoker with Emeril's cajun injection throughout. I always do one like this (spicy) either smoked or fried, and a more traditional one in the oven which sees an overnight citrus based brine.
quote:Originally posted by mneeley490:quote:Originally posted by Wine and Food Expert:
Injecting is for amateurs and the BBQ competition circuit
You would not think so if you were ever to have the privilege of trying my pulled pork,.
Pulled pork, should be, simple, rubbed and cooked slow, low, absolutely! My proprietary dry rub with salt, pepper, paprika, onion and garlic powder has won the world over and influenced some of the great Pit Masters of the BBQ world, mind you. I have signed multiple NDS for my services and cannot divulge their information. However, I smoke the pork on my homemade (I am, a self-taught welder, mind you again) smoker, sustained at 275 degrees. 6 hours later, I begin spraying with a 50/50 blend of my home made apple cidre vinegar and juice from my Pink Lady apples, directly from my Estate orchard, obviously!. Wrap in foil when the bark is "perfect" and cook to doneness, if you know what that is
. I trust you will use my method and never turn back, truthfully.Cheers!
~W&FE~
quote:Originally posted by mneeley490:quote:Originally posted by mneeley490:
Found a 4.75 lb. frozen Butterball turkey breast roast at Costco the other day for about $13. It's in the smoker now at 275°, with some rub and injected with garlic butter. Using orange wood for smoke; I really like orange with poultry. If it turns out well, I will probably go back and get a couple more for Thanksgiving. So much easier than messing with a whole turkey.
This turned out very well. I have two of them brining in orange juice tonight, & will go into the smoker tomorrow morning. The in-laws always want to take some home.
These went over very well; a little too well. Twenty people showed up and no one touched my mother-in-law's 14 lb. oven bird.
Also brought some homemade Char Siu and soppressata that went pretty quick, too.
Will be smoking 20+ lbs of bacon on Sunday. That's a small batch for me, but it should cover Xmas presents to the relatives.
Bought a frozen turkey breast, will smoke sometime in the future. Love them for sandwiches and cheaper than buying turkey from the deli.
quote:Originally posted by ThistlinTom:
Bought a frozen turkey breast, will smoke sometime in the future. Love them for sandwiches and cheaper than buying turkey from the deli.
Tom, what wood do you usually use on turkey? Personally, I love orange, but it can sometimes be tough to find in the PNW. You should have access to plenty of it in the Scottsdale area.
quote:Originally posted by mneeley490:quote:Originally posted by ThistlinTom:
Bought a frozen turkey breast, will smoke sometime in the future. Love them for sandwiches and cheaper than buying turkey from the deli.
Tom, what wood do you usually use on turkey? Personally, I love orange, but it can sometimes be tough to find in the PNW. You should have access to plenty of it in the Scottsdale area.
I haven't tried orange wood, usually use apple or cherry wood. I may have to look for it.
Prime Rib with Pecan wood!
quote:Originally posted by Lakersguy:
Prime Rib with Pecan wood!
Yumm!
quote:Originally posted by Lakersguy:
Prime Rib with Pecan wood!
I did a 16 lb. whole bone in standing rib roast over pecan myself for Christmas. I felt like I was in the Flintstones.
It was some tough sledding near the end as it was only -2 outside. There were no leftovers, so I guess the crowd approved.
quote:Originally posted by thelostverse:quote:Originally posted by Lakersguy:
Prime Rib with Pecan wood!
I did a 16 lb. whole bone in standing rib roast over pecan myself for Christmas. I felt like I was in the Flintstones.
I was joking with D that I wouldn’t be surprised if you were tending to meat and fire outside.
Shorts and Jimmy Buffet shirt?
quote:Originally posted by billhike:
I was joking with D that I wouldn’t be surprised if you were tending to meat and fire outside.
Shorts and Jimmy Buffet shirt?
You know me well Bill. Indeed it was shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. I did comment that it was one of the colder cooks that I can remember.
Last couple weeks:
Bone in prime rib (salt/pepper)
Pork shoulder (cider based brine then a brown sugar based rub)
Turkey breasts (2 day brine, then a rub)
Prime rib and turkey breasts were outstanding. I have yet to conquer the large pork cuts (I've had great success with brisket which I feel is more challenging).
Would LOVE to get a good pork butt/shoulder recipe from someone and actually follow it, which I never do!
Bone in prime rib (salt/pepper)
Pork shoulder (cider based brine then a brown sugar based rub)
Turkey breasts (2 day brine, then a rub)
Prime rib and turkey breasts were outstanding. I have yet to conquer the large pork cuts (I've had great success with brisket which I feel is more challenging).
Would LOVE to get a good pork butt/shoulder recipe from someone and actually follow it, which I never do!