In part 1 of this series, we set up two different cures for bacon and started our pancetta. The pancetta still has a few days left to cure before I move ahead with it, but I'll keep you informed.
Now, with part 2, I smoked the bacon two different ways. A long cold smoke (3-4 hours at 100 - 125F) and a shorter hot smoke (just under an hour at 375F). Both ways are meant to impart a great smokey flavor. Upon doing a little research, the kind of wood that has been used by others was usually fruit woods or hickory. Some of the hard core producers were using blends of as few as two types of woods all the way up to 6 or more! Not sure why they'd do that, but that's what I read.
One fellow blogger made a point to mention that mesquite is too strong a flavor for bacon. But, being as that mesquite chunks were the only wood I had on hand and wasn't about to make the trip to find, let along buy, different types of wood, I decided to give it a shot.
So, after soaking my mesquite wood chunks in water for two days, I got busy getting my smokers ready.
I like to smoke food, it's one of the greatest ways to turn something blah into something yummy, but could never wrap my head around the notion of running out and buying a "real" smoker. Yea, I know what your thinking, I WOULD go out and buy the biggest and the best if money was not an option, but since I'm not Richy Rich, building my own was a cheap alternative and it does the trick!
Here are my smoker set-ups. The hot smoker is a ghetto rendition of Alton Browns Terra-Cotta Flower Pot Smoker. I think I paid 30 bucks for everything. You'll notice it's flipped over. I do that for better smoke distribution and, it gives me the ability to smoke things thicker than ribs and chicken wings.
For the cold smoker, I just used my propane grill. After removing a grate from the grill, I started some charcoal in a couple pans, got the wood smoldering, then dumped the wood and coals onto a smaller grate from an old grill, piling them in the farthest corner from the bellies.
So, we have smoke, now the bellies. First thing I had to do it rinse off the cure and then dry them on racks in front of a box fan for about 2 hours (to form the "pellicle", a sort of skin that helps in smoke absorption, apparently). Alternatively, I could have done this over night in the fridge. The fan-trick worked like a charm.
From the wet-brine cured belly, I cut it in half and did one with the hot smoker. The other piece I did cold, along with the honey mustard dry-cured piece. It was suggested that I cure for three days, but on day three it was very windy with a huge chance for rain. I didn't want to chance it as this is too important :) It ended up being a four day cure instead.
I hot smoked at 375F for just under an hour. First I started a pile of charcoal and then, once we had white ash, I threw some chunks on top. It's a good idea to put a pan of water in with the wood to prevent drying out the meat and, it kinda acts as a catch pan to catch the dripping pork fat (messy stuff and the neighbors dogs love it!). Placed the rack on top and covered it for a few minutes until I started seeing billows of smoke.
I cold smoked between 100F and 125F as I had to add and remove wood chunks to get the proper temperature. I stuck a thermometer into the side of the grill to keep an eye on the inside temp without having to open it all the time. I ran out of wood at the 3.5 hour mark but I felt that may have been enough. I had no choice, really.
Once the hot smoked bacon (sounds like a black porn movie!) was done, the internal temp was 150F in the thickest part. This is what a few others have written is the temp it should be upon completion. I placed it on a plate and put into the fridge for about an hour. Then I threw it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it up for easier slicing.
The internal temp of the cold smoked bacon was just under 125F. Not sure if this was what it was supposed to be, but made sense as it was in that temperature being smoked for all that time. I also placed it on a plate and put it into the fridge for about an hour. Then, as with the hot smoked, I threw it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it up for easier slicing.
Now, for the moment that's been motivating me since this project started, EATING!!!
Let me give you the taste profiles for each of the three. It was amazing the difference in flavors between the three. Like night and day man.
First, let's start with the hot smoked piece; pepper crusted, brown sugar and cider vinegar wet cured for four days, turned daily. It was perfectly smoked. I mean, seriously, there was the PERFECT amount of smokiness and the mesquite wasn't over powering at all. It had the perfect balance of flavors. Sweet acidity and salty perfection. It had a little winy-ness that added a nice after taste. After frying a few pieces until golden and lightly crisp, it had an awesome chewiness with crisp edges that only well raised pigs fat could achieve. This was, by far, my favorite of the three.
The cold smoked version of that same cure wasn't quite as good. Tasty, yes, but not mind blowing like the hot smoked version. It lacked in enough smoke flavor. Yes, the smoke was there, but a lot lighter than the hot smoked version. The pepper came out better in this version. I could actually taste a nice peppery-ness that I couldn't really taste in the other one. It also had the perfect amount of salt. This would have to be my second favorite.
Lastly, the cold smoked honey mustard dry cured bacon. Well, this was my least favorite, sorry to say. I mean, you'd think it would ROCK! Its honey and mustard man! But, it was WAAYYYYYYY (that enough y's?) too salty and a little bitter. If I were to do that again, I would cut the salt amount in half, it was that bad. It browned way too fast in the pan, most likely because of the honey, and aside from the bitter mustard, had very little flavor. I think backing off on the salt and letting it cure for a week instead of 4 days to impart more honey and mustard flavor, would help.
I just had to put my favorite bacon into a sandwich. Just so happened that I had made a fresh loaf of white bread the night before (how convenient!). I fried a few pieces up, fried an egg in the rendered fat (yes, yes I did!!!), seared a couple slices of tomato, piled on the shredded cheddar, slathered a sweet thai chili mayo on the toasted bread with some butter and, JACKPOT MONEY SHOT!!! :) Yes, it was "da-lish".
Check back in a few days when I give you the run-down on my pancetta. I have high hopes for that :)
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