Bacon Beta

My first pork belly -> bacon attempt:

The pork belly spent it's first week curing in a basic dry-cure mix of salt sugar and pink salt.





The salts have pulled a few cups of pork water out.

After a week of this, pull it out of the container and rinse it all off.

I started to cut the skin off, I probably could have waited to do this, it might of have been easier.



The rosemary/xmas tree my wife bought died, so I decided to recycle it.



I used the dried rosemary pines and fresh cracked pepper to rub into the meat



Then I made a rigged indirect "smoker" with the rosemary branches



This thing is kinda embarrassing, and totally justifies all of you chipping in and getting me a proper smoker for my birthday.



Then wait until the internal temp hits 150dgF, so wait, this will take at least an hour


You'll get this - which I think is a little over cooked. This white is sweated out salt



Profile pic



After some frying



Sliced & bagged



All in all very good, different than the bogo bacon from acme. Still a little saltier than I would like, and next time either done in a proper smoker or not at all.





Zero Waste Policy



I threw the skins next to the bacon in the smoker and then finished on the griddle. They'll make great dot treats

Salting the hams

For the first three weeks of their second life these hams will be salted, wrapped, pressed and cooled to a temp of 34-38dgF

Here is my work table



Aluminum pan with a layer of salt with ham on top



A healthy salt massage



Wrapped tightly with saran wrap, which a workout and weighted down with heavy slate tiles

The Meat has come

My order of pork, two hams (Fresh not frozen legs with bone-in and skin on) and five pounds of pork belly.

The pork is from Meadow run farms and was processed here at Blixer's country meats.



This place was about 2 hours northwest of Philadelphia also referred to central nowhere. Great farms, dying small towns and snowdusted mountains.






From left to right: 27 Pound ham, 23 Pound ham, and 5 pounds of pork belly

Build it and the meats will come

I finished the Dry-Curing room



In the front of my home's basement, is a walled section about 6 feet deep and the width of my house. On the north side is a double sink and toilet, as well as a shower head. I decided to line the other half with insulation board and wall off a 6 foot section.



On the framed out wall and door, is also a built-in wine fridge, and will be used to help cool the room in warmer months.