@DemoniacKid Yea, I've been cooking since I was your age. This video shows how to basically smoke the pork belly. Check out my latest video "Bacon from start to finish".
I have not found a source for pork bellies here in Silicon Valley but I have cured and smoked hams. I use pork loin and cut it into "mini-hams' to freeze. I have got to try this bacon recipe of yours.
@AnotherAmateur There has to be an Asian grocery store there some where, that's where I always find it. Actually cured pork loin is what's considered Canadian bacon, good stuff too.
@JDMb18hatch You could do that but you wouldn't be making homemade bacon if you start with commercial made bacon. I've had many brands of bacon and they are all wonderful, none can compare to this though. I you tried this, you would agree.
I make bacon according to Charcuterie. I suggest "cooking by hand" by paul bertolli. Make the Tesa recipe. Easy and awesome. I also made pancetta and that is some good stuff. Nice work
@justwired I actually like Coors Light, I remember when you couldn't get it east of the Mississippi river. I used to live in NY, we went skiing in VT one year and the ski lodge had shipped in cases of Coors. It was a really big deal to be able to drink Coors, I've stuck with it once they started selling it nationally. I drink other higher end stuff but Coors is my day to day beer.
@kuei1248 I guess I should have said it's lean for bacon, and it's the fat that really makes it taste so good. You obviously don't like bacon so why the negative comment?
@kuei1248 Thanks, this was my first attempt, it turned out pretty good. Later attempts turned out much better. I'm actually curing an Italian style called Guanciale, it's supposed to be made with pork jowl but I couldn't find any so I'm using pork belly.
@NohbdyThere The comment "Bacon has about as much fat as meat" simply means that bacon has about the same amount of fat as meat, it's a ratio, basically 50/50. Thats 50% meat to 50% fat.
@tdjtx Yeah, a clearer way of saying that would be "Bacon has as much fat as it does meat" or something. I don't know, I'll go delete my shit. Pointless arguments due to misunderstandings.
Well I had heard of people using their wine refrigerators to do the curing because the temperature is controllable so that's where I tried mine. It got moldy at some of the pin hole I made so it would dry. It was green mold, not the good, white mold.
I'll be taking a class on charcuterie at the French Culinary Institute here in New York come September, so hopefully they'll be able to tell me what I did wrong.
Well I had heard of people using their wine refrigerators to do the curing because the temperature is controllable so that's where I tried mine. It got moldy at some of the pin hole I made so it would dry. It was green mold, not the good, white mold.
I'll be taking a class on charcuterie at the French Culinary Institute here in New York come September, so hopefully they'll be able to tell me what I did wrong.
what were you smoking it with in wales were i live home cured bacon is salted for up to 2 weeks and i agree with you taste nice and also what joint are you using good video i will attempt this in the summer thanks can you tell me to please can you smoke fish in this way
It seemed the bacon was cooked to much when I smoked it on my grill skin side up. I was thinking if the skin was down it wouldn't over cook it. I've since switched to a smoker to smoke my bacon now.
At the end of the video, you mention the recipe, but left out the amount of "curing salt" (different from the Kosher). What amount and what kind did you use?
Hey, tdjtx! I tried your bacon recipe this weekend, and it was friggin' awesome! When you smoke bacon next time, use your same cure recipe, but for the smoke, use one half Apple and one half Maple and let them soak in bourbon all day in the heat of the sun. Do that in one of those ZipLoK plastic bowls with the lid or Tupperware. The flavor will be unbelievable!
The interesting thing about bacon is that there are many ways to make it, as this video demonstrates. But, this is not the best way nor is the pork belly the best cut to use. Despite that, even this approach will yield a FAR BETTER product than the crap at the grocery store.
I am simply amazed that as much as everyone loves bacon (even vegetarians will cheat when it comes to bacon), Americans are sold inferior bacon. Not the case in Europe!
Here in the US bacon is always made from pork belly, unless it's "Canadian" bacon which is made from the pork loin. It's not "barbecued bacon", I simply used my gas grill with a smoker box to "smoke" the bacon with hickory chips. I recently use my larger smoker to make a larger batch of bacon and it turned out much better. I do agree that the process I used yields much better bacon than you will find in the grocery store.
Next time, just for grins, try using a Pork Butt instead. In the U.S. it's referred to as "Buckboard Bacon". You'll have far less fat (about 25%) but the exact same bacon flavor. The fact is, any cut of pork can be made into bacon. It's not the cut that creates the taste, it's the curing and smoking. BTW, you'll have a longer curing time with a pork butt because it's a thicker cut.
@tdjtx Watched your vids, nice one . What I like about you is that your not scared to experiment. Have the same book as you and its full of interesting ideas. Just finished cold smoking two sides of salmon and it's awesome. Happy smoking from this side of the pond.
I never heard of buckboard bacon but going to try this, how do you smoke it, in strips or as a whole butt? wow, never thought of that, but you're right, it's pork. I'll check this out. maybe you should make a vid on Buckboard bacon
I just smoked the whole thing. I recently bought some "ham bags", they are cotton mesh bags that you place things like ham in that will be smoked. I thought it was really good and boston butt is much easier to find than pork belly.
@camcoop25 -- Pork butt. Check out this guy's other videos. He made some using pork butt at my suggestion. What's great about pork butt is that it's 25% fat 75% meat. Tastes exactly like bacon, because all pork will taste like bacon if properly cured and properly smoked. Absolutely the best bacon you've ever tasted. Give it a try...
@camcoop25 -- Pork butt. Check out this guy's other videos. He made some using pork butt at my suggestion. What's great about pork butt is that it's 25% fat 75% meat -- just the opposite with pork belly. Tastes exactly like bacon, because all pork will taste like bacon if properly cured and properly smoked. Absolutely the best bacon you've ever tasted. Give it a try...
Hickory Hickory Hickory!!!!! If you want to get artsy fartsy, you can add a little apple or pecan with the hickory, but hickory is essential to get that perfect smoked bacon flavor. Nothing else comes close.
And no matter how good it might sound at first, never ever smoke with pressure treated lumber. hahahahahaha lol :-)
Coors Lite, Juicy Juice, and bacon? You're my kind of man.
TimoMcD 2 months ago
Hello, im only 16 and iv cooked and wanted to be a chief for ages! Please can you tell me how to smoke it? :)
DemoniacKid 3 months ago
@DemoniacKid Yea, I've been cooking since I was your age. This video shows how to basically smoke the pork belly. Check out my latest video "Bacon from start to finish".
tdjtx 3 months ago
I have not found a source for pork bellies here in Silicon Valley but I have cured and smoked hams. I use pork loin and cut it into "mini-hams' to freeze. I have got to try this bacon recipe of yours.
AnotherAmateur 3 months ago
@AnotherAmateur There has to be an Asian grocery store there some where, that's where I always find it. Actually cured pork loin is what's considered Canadian bacon, good stuff too.
tdjtx 3 months ago
Why can't u just buy a slab of bacon season it and smoke it to a finish then slice and eat?
JDMb18hatch 5 months ago
@JDMb18hatch You could do that but you wouldn't be making homemade bacon if you start with commercial made bacon. I've had many brands of bacon and they are all wonderful, none can compare to this though. I you tried this, you would agree.
tdjtx 5 months ago
Can you omit the smoking process?
grekito 8 months ago
@grekito You could, it would be more like an Italian pancetta. Still very tasty.
tdjtx 8 months ago
I make bacon according to Charcuterie. I suggest "cooking by hand" by paul bertolli. Make the Tesa recipe. Easy and awesome. I also made pancetta and that is some good stuff. Nice work
brycro 11 months ago
@brycro Thanks, I love pancetta. Makes the best spaghetti carbonara
tdjtx 8 months ago
You got me searching for bacon in the refrigerator.
sushi81 1 year ago
You should cook the bacon at a lower temperature to allow the fat to render properly.
SeeMeEat 1 year ago 4
@SeeMeEat I normally cook it in the oven, I fried up a few pieces for this video just to show how it looks cooked.
tdjtx 1 year ago
coors light thats right
justwired 1 year ago
@justwired I actually like Coors Light, I remember when you couldn't get it east of the Mississippi river. I used to live in NY, we went skiing in VT one year and the ski lodge had shipped in cases of Coors. It was a really big deal to be able to drink Coors, I've stuck with it once they started selling it nationally. I drink other higher end stuff but Coors is my day to day beer.
tdjtx 1 year ago
@tdjtx When was this 1982?
cave62 1 year ago
@cave62 Yea, '82 or '83
tdjtx 1 year ago
Lean MY ASS! Bacon has about as much fat as meat.
kuei1248 1 year ago
@kuei1248 I guess I should have said it's lean for bacon, and it's the fat that really makes it taste so good. You obviously don't like bacon so why the negative comment?
tdjtx 1 year ago
@tdjtx ...I love bacon! That is why I watched. Not a negative comment, just fact. Looks like you did a great job.
kuei1248 1 year ago
@kuei1248 Thanks, this was my first attempt, it turned out pretty good. Later attempts turned out much better. I'm actually curing an Italian style called Guanciale, it's supposed to be made with pork jowl but I couldn't find any so I'm using pork belly.
tdjtx 1 year ago
Comment removed
NohbdyThere 1 year ago
@NohbdyThere ,,,And?
kuei1248 1 year ago
Comment removed
NohbdyThere 1 year ago
@NohbdyThere ....Meat is not fat. Fat is in meat, but they are not the same. Bacon has excessive amounts of fat. More than most meat.
kuei1248 1 year ago
Comment removed
NohbdyThere 1 year ago
@NohbdyThere ...Yes, bacon is about 50% meat and 50% fat.
kuei1248 1 year ago
Comment removed
NohbdyThere 1 year ago
@NohbdyThere ....Chalk it up to this. Bacon is more than meat. It is meat and fat. The fat is NOT meat.
kuei1248 1 year ago
Comment removed
NohbdyThere 1 year ago
@NohbdyThere ...I think you misunderstood. But, hey, it's ok. It's just bacon.
kuei1248 1 year ago
@NohbdyThere The comment "Bacon has about as much fat as meat" simply means that bacon has about the same amount of fat as meat, it's a ratio, basically 50/50. Thats 50% meat to 50% fat.
tdjtx 1 year ago
@tdjtx Yeah, a clearer way of saying that would be "Bacon has as much fat as it does meat" or something. I don't know, I'll go delete my shit. Pointless arguments due to misunderstandings.
NohbdyThere 1 year ago
where does one buy pork belly?
cave62 1 year ago
@cave62 normally I've been getting it at a local Asian Supermarket. I recently found it at Wholefoods.
tdjtx 1 year ago
Dude, speak up!
Scrap5000 1 year ago 6
@Scrap5000 turn the volume up on your speakers!
tdjtx 1 year ago
A salute to you and the bacon good sir!
mongreleater 1 year ago
I smell bacon
emoneyblue 1 year ago
I have the same book and it rocks!
Scrap5000 1 year ago
Yes it does, it's my favorite right now. Check out my video on Pork Belly Confit, it is a variation of the one in the book.
tdjtx 1 year ago
@tdjtx
Have you tried to make the sopressata from the book yet? I had an epic fail with it and wondered if anyone had a success story.
pcc68 1 year ago
@pcc68 No I haven't, I'm a little hesitant to make dry cured sausage. What happened? I do like making fresh sausage that gets eaten right away.
tdjtx 1 year ago
@tdjtx
Well I had heard of people using their wine refrigerators to do the curing because the temperature is controllable so that's where I tried mine. It got moldy at some of the pin hole I made so it would dry. It was green mold, not the good, white mold.
I'll be taking a class on charcuterie at the French Culinary Institute here in New York come September, so hopefully they'll be able to tell me what I did wrong.
pcc68 1 year ago
@tdjtx
Well I had heard of people using their wine refrigerators to do the curing because the temperature is controllable so that's where I tried mine. It got moldy at some of the pin hole I made so it would dry. It was green mold, not the good, white mold.
I'll be taking a class on charcuterie at the French Culinary Institute here in New York come September, so hopefully they'll be able to tell me what I did wrong.
pcc68 1 year ago
@Scrap5000 I made the "spicy smoke-roasted pork loin" on page 89 last week. It turned out really good. I'll be uploading the video shortly.
tdjtx 1 year ago
what were you smoking it with in wales were i live home cured bacon is salted for up to 2 weeks and i agree with you taste nice and also what joint are you using good video i will attempt this in the summer thanks can you tell me to please can you smoke fish in this way
shanondor 2 years ago
what was the difference between skin side down compared to up
mreisma 2 years ago
It seemed the bacon was cooked to much when I smoked it on my grill skin side up. I was thinking if the skin was down it wouldn't over cook it. I've since switched to a smoker to smoke my bacon now.
tdjtx 2 years ago
cut the rind off before you smoke and you get better smoke taste. I cut it off before I cure
eckankar 2 years ago
NICE VID...ANYTHNG BWT HAMS?
ron368toro 2 years ago
Check my other videos. There is one where I cured a ham, it's still hanging in my garage.
tdjtx 2 years ago
you really should of saved the rind... =(
pillowpoop 2 years ago
yea, would have been really good in a pot of bean soup. Live and learn.
tdjtx 2 years ago
At the end of the video, you mention the recipe, but left out the amount of "curing salt" (different from the Kosher). What amount and what kind did you use?
GeorgeLarson 2 years ago
Here is the actual cure from "Charcuterie".
2 oz kosher salt (about 1/4 cup)
2 tsp pink salt (curing salt, I use Morton's Tender Quick.
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
This will cure 5 lbs of pork belly.
tdjtx 2 years ago
Hey, tdjtx! I tried your bacon recipe this weekend, and it was friggin' awesome! When you smoke bacon next time, use your same cure recipe, but for the smoke, use one half Apple and one half Maple and let them soak in bourbon all day in the heat of the sun. Do that in one of those ZipLoK plastic bowls with the lid or Tupperware. The flavor will be unbelievable!
Humpahna 2 years ago
This cracks me up -- barbecued bacon.
The interesting thing about bacon is that there are many ways to make it, as this video demonstrates. But, this is not the best way nor is the pork belly the best cut to use. Despite that, even this approach will yield a FAR BETTER product than the crap at the grocery store.
I am simply amazed that as much as everyone loves bacon (even vegetarians will cheat when it comes to bacon), Americans are sold inferior bacon. Not the case in Europe!
cseeger1 2 years ago 4
Here in the US bacon is always made from pork belly, unless it's "Canadian" bacon which is made from the pork loin. It's not "barbecued bacon", I simply used my gas grill with a smoker box to "smoke" the bacon with hickory chips. I recently use my larger smoker to make a larger batch of bacon and it turned out much better. I do agree that the process I used yields much better bacon than you will find in the grocery store.
tdjtx 2 years ago
Next time, just for grins, try using a Pork Butt instead. In the U.S. it's referred to as "Buckboard Bacon". You'll have far less fat (about 25%) but the exact same bacon flavor. The fact is, any cut of pork can be made into bacon. It's not the cut that creates the taste, it's the curing and smoking. BTW, you'll have a longer curing time with a pork butt because it's a thicker cut.
werzmywahjeena 2 years ago
Thanks for the suggestion. I looked up Buckboard Bacon and found a really interesting recipe. I just started curing some yesterday.
tdjtx 2 years ago
@tdjtx Watched your vids, nice one . What I like about you is that your not scared to experiment. Have the same book as you and its full of interesting ideas. Just finished cold smoking two sides of salmon and it's awesome. Happy smoking from this side of the pond.
068694 2 years ago
I never heard of buckboard bacon but going to try this, how do you smoke it, in strips or as a whole butt? wow, never thought of that, but you're right, it's pork. I'll check this out. maybe you should make a vid on Buckboard bacon
eckankar 2 years ago
I just smoked the whole thing. I recently bought some "ham bags", they are cotton mesh bags that you place things like ham in that will be smoked. I thought it was really good and boston butt is much easier to find than pork belly.
tdjtx 2 years ago
@cseeger1
Don't keep us in suspense.... what is the better way you have and what cut of meat should we use?
camcoop25 11 months ago
@camcoop25 -- Pork butt. Check out this guy's other videos. He made some using pork butt at my suggestion. What's great about pork butt is that it's 25% fat 75% meat. Tastes exactly like bacon, because all pork will taste like bacon if properly cured and properly smoked. Absolutely the best bacon you've ever tasted. Give it a try...
cseeger1 11 months ago
@camcoop25 -- Pork butt. Check out this guy's other videos. He made some using pork butt at my suggestion. What's great about pork butt is that it's 25% fat 75% meat -- just the opposite with pork belly. Tastes exactly like bacon, because all pork will taste like bacon if properly cured and properly smoked. Absolutely the best bacon you've ever tasted. Give it a try...
cseeger1 11 months ago
@cseeger1 Yea, the pork butt was really good and much leaner than the pork belly. It's also easier to find in the grocery store.
tdjtx 11 months ago
It looks really delicious! I'm sure it's way better than shop bought bacon!
lottiesang 2 years ago
Looks great... I'm ready to do this. Which wood did you use for smoking?
ajayaruna 2 years ago
Hickory, but you could use any that you like. Apple wood is good.
tdjtx 2 years ago
Hickory Hickory Hickory!!!!! If you want to get artsy fartsy, you can add a little apple or pecan with the hickory, but hickory is essential to get that perfect smoked bacon flavor. Nothing else comes close.
And no matter how good it might sound at first, never ever smoke with pressure treated lumber. hahahahahaha lol :-)
PostalNation 2 years ago
that looks yummy 4 my tummy chummy
thesurfr 3 years ago
this videos a lie
1star
the man who made it refuses to fund my bacon addiction : (
dtj16 3 years ago