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Cured Meats & Food Preservation => Cured meats & Food Preservation => Charcuterie: Ham, Bacon, Sausage, etc. => Topic started by: zueth on February 02, 2018, 11:55:40 PM

Title: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: zueth on February 02, 2018, 11:55:40 PM
I made some maple bacon and smoked/cooked in smoker until IT of 140. When cooking the bacon what have you found works best. I assume I can’t use the normal temps and times that I use with store bought bacon. Thanks


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Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: teesquare on February 03, 2018, 06:30:43 AM
While your described method will be great - you should be able to cook your bacon any way that you would cook store bought bacon.
When I fry up bacon that I have cured....the smell is so much better. And the house has this incredible..."pork perfume". ;D
Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: Agustine on February 03, 2018, 08:22:35 AM
The only thing I have found because I use Maple Syrup as a coating I have to cook at a lower temp because the syrup tends to burn a bit. Maybe it is because of the lack of water in the pan that store bought gives you. 
Title: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: zueth on February 03, 2018, 11:13:47 AM
Okay, I normally cook at 400 in oven so maybe I will try 350. When I pan fry it’s normally over medium high heat so maybe I should try medium low heat.


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Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: Agustine on February 03, 2018, 11:27:04 AM
I have taken on the low & slow approach when pan frying and it seems to work better for me. 
Title: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: zueth on February 03, 2018, 11:35:43 AM
Okay. Thanks.


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Title: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: zueth on February 03, 2018, 12:51:09 PM
I put the bacon in a non pre-heated oven at set it to 350. Ended up cooking for 20 minutes. The bacon had great flavor the texture was just firmer that I am used to. I am use to cuting bacon with a fork but that was t happening. The sugars on outside got slightly burnt but not bad. How does the texture compare for others?



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Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: TentHunteR on February 03, 2018, 01:39:48 PM
I also cook my homemade maple or Cider Mill bacon slowly because of the slightly higher sugar content. If doing it in an oven I cook it around 275-300 for about 20-25 minutes.

One more thing worth mentioning, when hot-smoking bacon, it's best to take it to 150*-152* so the myoglobin fully denatures and sets properly.  This helps keep it from turning a grayish color after slicing.
Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: KJRsmoker on February 03, 2018, 02:10:39 PM
I brine my pork belly in a mixture of brown sugar, salt, curing salt, pepper, and maple syrup for 7 days.  Rinse then soak for 3 hours.  Dry off and on a cooling rack on a baking sheet and into the fridge uncovered for 24 hours.  Smoke for 4 hours in my MAK.  Cool, vacuum seal, chill, then slice. 

I cook it in the oven on a foil lined baking sheet for about 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the slices) at 375F.
Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: Pam Gould on February 03, 2018, 02:20:10 PM
The only thing I have found because I use Maple Syrup as a coating I have to cook at a lower temp because the syrup tends to burn a bit. Maybe it is because of the lack of water in the pan that store bought gives you.
[/quote ]
It's the sugar in the maple sugar that makes it burn..might try cooking with a lil lower heat, sugar burns quickly when it hot.  I put mine on a rack and a half sheet pan in the oven.400º till acon is done the way I like it..go for it.  .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: Agustine on February 03, 2018, 02:31:52 PM
Or just buy one of these. one minute & 30 seconds per slice in the microwave. Works pretty darn good and easy to clean up :)

(https://i.imgur.com/OMicK1d.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/TURZbTL.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/i2CXT3K.jpg)
Title: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: zueth on February 03, 2018, 03:42:15 PM
I also cook my homemade maple or Cider Mill bacon slowly because of the slightly higher sugar content. If doing it in an oven I cook it around 275-300 for about 20-25 minutes.

One more thing worth mentioning, when hot-smoking bacon, it's best to take it to 150*-152* so the myoglobin fully denatures and sets properly.  This helps keep it from turning a grayish color after slicing.
Thanks I can try a higher IT next time. Took forever to get to 140 when cooking at 160 so called it good. I think I will try a lower temp next time to se if I get a softer texture that is fork tender.


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Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: mikeharold on February 07, 2018, 10:34:29 AM
My favorite way to do homemade(or any bacon for that matter) is on my MAK. 300 for about 40-45 minutes depending on the thickness. Best bacon ever! Takes time, but your patience is well rewarded.
Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: zueth on February 07, 2018, 04:40:55 PM
I brine my pork belly in a mixture of brown sugar, salt, curing salt, pepper, and maple syrup for 7 days.  Rinse then soak for 3 hours.  Dry off and on a cooling rack on a baking sheet and into the fridge uncovered for 24 hours.  Smoke for 4 hours in my MAK.  Cool, vacuum seal, chill, then slice. 

I cook it in the oven on a foil lined baking sheet for about 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the slices) at 375F.

When you smoke on MAK is that around 180 degrees?  if so then I assume that is not enough time to get IT up, so kinda like cold smoking?
Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: teesquare on February 08, 2018, 11:17:49 AM
I try to keep the temps down lower  - by adding toys of ice below the bacon bellies, if I am making bacon during a warm period. ( I put them on the top rack in my MAK)
If bacon gets too warm - it will "fat out" - and you will lose a lot of it - and make a mess....because the fat is melting at 180F. 
THIS>>>> http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=400.0

Is the best thread for bacon making. You will find the information to be really well laid out, and - if you have any questions we are here!
Title: Re: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: KJRsmoker on February 08, 2018, 12:57:56 PM
I brine my pork belly in a mixture of brown sugar, salt, curing salt, pepper, and maple syrup for 7 days.  Rinse then soak for 3 hours.  Dry off and on a cooling rack on a baking sheet and into the fridge uncovered for 24 hours.  Smoke for 4 hours in my MAK.  Cool, vacuum seal, chill, then slice. 

I cook it in the oven on a foil lined baking sheet for about 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the slices) at 375F.

When you smoke on MAK is that around 180 degrees?  if so then I assume that is not enough time to get IT up, so kinda like cold smoking?

The SMOKE setting on the MAK kept the temperature around 165F or so.  The internal temperature got to about 150F.
Title: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: zueth on February 08, 2018, 08:38:49 PM
Okay thanks


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Title: Cooking home cured bacon
Post by: zueth on February 13, 2018, 10:38:35 PM
I also cook my homemade maple or Cider Mill bacon slowly because of the slightly higher sugar content. If doing it in an oven I cook it around 275-300 for about 20-25 minutes.

One more thing worth mentioning, when hot-smoking bacon, it's best to take it to 150*-152* so the myoglobin fully denatures and sets properly.  This helps keep it from turning a grayish color after slicing.
I did 300 for 25 minutes and it was perfect. Thanks


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