Michigan is smokin'

annie1992

11 years ago

As some of you may remember, I got half a pig in the fall from a local farmer since I didn't raise my own this year. We got the belly portion whole and unsmoked, so we could make our own bacon.

The pork was nicely lean, and after curing Elery rubbed it with a mixture of brown sugar and grade B maple syrup:

Several hours in the smoker later:

We broke out the meat slicer and sliced it up. I wish the slicer was a bit larger as we have to cut the belly in half and end up with slices about 6 inches long, nothing bigger will fit on the slicer. Still, it works pretty well for a small/cheap slicer:

So, since we are trying to eat healthier, what do we do? Smoke 15 pounds of bacon, LOL. Ah well, as Robert Burns said, the best laid plans of mice and men "oft gang awry". (grin)

Annie

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (52)

jessyf
11 years ago
Annie and Elery are makin' bacon....
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
Yeah, Jessica, we are, but it's really, really GOOD bacon. Of course, you wouldn't consider that I'd do any less, would you? (grin).

Ann T, I think this was one of the best batches of pork I've ever gotten, I was greatly impressed and told Mary that she'd done an exceptional job with her pigs this year. They'd been pastured more because of the drought and the cost of corn was high, so she was finding alternative feeds, like the whey from a local cheesemaker and those turnips and parsnips that were going for $2 a 50 pound bag for deer feed. It sure worked, IMO.

Come on up, Di, you aren't far away. We'll have breakfast, I'll start the coffee....

Annie
Related Discussions
ACS Pre Meeting Tours
Q
Comments (3)
hey ... cool.. send me an email .. if you havent already ... if its any help... from OH.. come up 109 .. into adrian.. i can mapquest it for you from there .... now lets be real clear.. its been near or over 100 for the last 2 weeks ... the lawn is brown thatch.. only the plantain are poking up.. too hot to even mow those [though hoping for such] ...round up doest work on dormant weeds ... etc.. blah.. blah ... i do not feel the garden is up to par ... but i am sure that wont stop us from having a good time ... yesterday.. it was 104.. with a heat index of 109 to 116 ... in celcius.. that is RFH ... lol it was almost impossible to walk out there and bend over to put the irrigation on the hosta ... i await all visitors.. with baited breath.. may even brush my teeth to avoid that.. lol ... anyone else?? ken Here is a link that might be useful: who knew.. i guess i dont have to brush.. just breath deeply .. lol
...See More
Hardy Palms???
Q
Comments (5)
I think I'll give http://seedrack.com/01.html a try. They are just seeds but they are cheaper, and I have some time left to wait for them to grow I suppose. They also have several of the hardier selections. I've been to chillypalm too they look respectable. The thing I'd think about getting plants that have already been growing is you don't really know where they've been growing at. A more northern claim of provenance is probably better. For zone 7 I like several like Windmill Palm, Silver Mazari Palm, Louisiana Sabal Palm and even the Joshua Tree. There might be more thats not coming to mind, not coming to mind because I don't know anymore myself! Will
...See More
Brisket question
Q
Comments (89)
Who knew that brisket, of all things, could make people fight? At our house, a big brisket meal makes us pretty mellow. We even have a song that goes, "Oh, it's good to be a dog on yontif,* 'cause on yontif, a dog gets brisket." * Yiddish for holiday I'm not a food scientist or a chef or a cookbook writer or anything else special, food-wise. But I am a genuine Jewish mother. And I figure it's about time that one waded into this. I've made a lot of briskets. Very many briskets. And I've eaten many many many briskets, cooked all different ways, including smoked brisket, which was indeed very good. But that doesn't mean it's always the flavor you are going for, even if it were possible to say that it's somehow objectively superior to braising or roasting. To me, that argument is as silly as trying to prove that fried chicken is definitively, universally, always better than oven-roasted. Anyway, even if I do think one way is better, sometimes I don't want it to taste "better," I want it to taste like "home." I've always made mine in the oven, sometimes starting it on the cooktop. Here are two recipes we like a lot, one simple and old-fashioned and using onion soup and jam, one more fancy. We never get any complaints, and, the song notwithstanding, there isn't always any left for the dog. Brisket 5-10 lb. Brisket 2 8-oz. Jars apricot preserves 2 packets dried onion soup 2 T ginger salt, pepper, and garlic powder Mix jam, soup mix, and ginger in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the brisket and pour garlic powder on it. Rub sauce mixture all over roasting pan and brisket. Cover tightly and bake 350 for 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours. Remove from pan and slice. Spoon some of the gravy over it. Cover again and bake another 30 minutes before serving. *** BEEF BRISKET WITH MERLOT AND PRUNES 1 4-to 4 1/2-pound flat-cut (also called first-cut) beef brisket, trimmed of most fat 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted) 1 cup Merlot or other dry red wine 2 pounds onions, sliced 4 medium carrots, peeled, thinly sliced 16 garlic cloves, peeled 1 1/2 cups pitted large prunes (about 8 ounces) 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon prune juice 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325 F. Pat brisket dry; sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy extra-large skillet over high heat. Add brisket and cook until deep brown, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer brisket, fat side up, to large roasting pan. Add tomatoes with juice and wine to skillet. Remove from heat, scrape up any browned bits, and pour mixture over brisket. Distribute onions, carrots, and garlic around brisket. Add prunes and thyme; drizzle with 1/2 cup prune juice and 3 tablespoons vinegar. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place pan over 2 burners and bring to boil. Cover pan with heavy-duty foil; place in oven. Braise brisket until tender, about 3 hours 15 minutes. Uncover and cool 1 hour at room temperature. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with foil and chill. Bring just to simmer over 2 burners before continuing. Remove brisket from roasting pan, scraping off juices. Place on work surface; cut across grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Spoon off fat from top of pan juices. Place 1 cup vegetables (no prunes) and 1 cup braising liquid from pan into processor and puree. Return puree to pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon prune juice and 1 teaspoon vinegar to pan. Heat sauce; season with salt and pepper. Overlap brisket slices in 13x9x2- inch glass baking dish. Pour sauce over brisket, separating slices to allow some sauce to flow between. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm brisket, covered, in 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle brisket with parsley; serve.
...See More
Canadian bacon in the smoker
Q
Comments (9)
Finally getting back to the Canadian Bacon. annie I did follow thru...ordered the book "Charcuterie" by Chefs Polsyn and Ruhlman. Found it very interesting. Interesting enough we first cured and smoke one pork loins cut in half. Turned out so tasty and by the time 3 kids and families visited we had not enough left to freeze. This past week we did two whole loins cut in half giving us 4 pieces. Again they are so good and enough for each kid and families to have a meal and plenty to freeze. Next a try at Peameal bacon and the Spicy Dry Rub loin. Oh yes did want to mention the book I received was the revised and updated verison. Our smoker setup on first try our first loins done Our second smoking session done And the best part of all.... time to enjoy
...See More
compumom
11 years ago
Amazing, and healthy when preserved "naturally". ;-P

However, if you should feel the need to unload some of that bacon, please send it out here!
Islay_Corbel
11 years ago
On my way!
caliloo
11 years ago
Looks amazing.... nicely done!

Alexa
ci_lantro
11 years ago
Wow...that bacon looks de-licious.
User
11 years ago
Wow, that's beautiful meat.

Portion control --- As we told our kids - bacon is a garnish.

Enjoy
User
11 years ago
Looks yummy Annie. Did you use the recipe in Charcuterie? I made it last year and was very pleased with the results.
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
11 years ago
There is a worldwide shortage of pork belly right after you posted your amazing bacon.

dcarch :-)
whgille
11 years ago
Annie, that bacon looks great! I am sure you will enjoy many meals to come.

Silvia
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
Islay, come on over, I'd love to meet you.!

Sharon, I did use the recipe in Charcuterie, we've used it before and it's always good. We smoked it for a while longer this time, as I didn't think the last bacon was quite "smoky" enough and we rubbed the slab with extra brown sugar and maple syrup for a bit extra sweet, that's what the Grandkids like.

momj47, I know all about portion control. I had a wise old doctor that told me to eat whatever I want, only eat half of it. It works pretty well.

Silvia, that 15 pounds will last us about a year, if the grandkids don't visit too often!

dcarch, you'd better rush out and get some before the shortage becomes acute, LOL.

Ann T, I was impressed with that pork way before I smoked it, it was just so nicely lean. That bacon is more lean than fat, which I like. The ends were waved for beans but poor Cooper was just going crazy, smelling that smoker.

c-lantro, hitch a ride with Di!

Ellen, it's funny you didn't offer to come HERE. In January. LOL I'll save some for you.

Thanks Alexa, the bacon is very good, I like it better than the store stuff with the fake smoke flavor, but it was really the pork that made it great. I'm definitely going to have to utilize her feeding techniques when I raise pigs again.

Annie
Solsthumper
11 years ago
Annie, be a dear, and press your face against the monitor, so I can punch it.

Seriously, There's a lot to be said for homemade bacon, and I think your photos did just that...I bet they'd be even better fried...

You know, of all the options on this forum, we should consider adding a Dribble Control button.

Sol
Rusty
11 years ago
"You know, of all the options on this forum, we should consider adding a Dribble Control button."

Definitely! !
I'm drooling all over my keyboard.
Of all the days to skip breakfast,
Why did I today?

Annie, that bacon looks fabulous!

Rusty
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
Sol, my friend, We have some in the refrigerator. I'll be frying it, maybe tomorrow. There's time for you to get here...

Rusty, never skip breakfast, that'll teach you. (grin)

Annie
cloudy_christine
11 years ago
That bacon looks so good!
mustangs81
11 years ago
I was picturing your beautiful bacon as I was reduced to selecting packaged bacon from Sam's Club. But what choice does a city girl have?? Gotta get my bacon fix.

This post was edited by mustangs on Tue, Jan 15, 13 at 6:58
wizardnm
11 years ago
Beautiful Bacon! You shouldn't tempt me this way, I know where you live!!!!

Nancy
triciae
11 years ago
The bacon looks delicious, Annie! Sure wish we had some in the freezer. But, alas, we lost both our freezer and Masterbuilt smoker in Sandy. We'll replace both but the smoker will wait until about April, or whenever it appears winter's over and we're waiting for President's Day sales to buy a new freezer. Enjoy that bacon!

/tricia
coconut_nj
11 years ago
Boy, Annie, that's some gorgeous bacon from start to finish. My favorite kind too, with more lean than fat. Those bags of turnips and such sure did the pig good. Love they used whey too. Good to remember. I'll wait to punch you until you show the cooked pics. LOL.
trixietx
11 years ago
Oh, that looks so good! I don't have a smoker, but have been thinking of getting one and I think you just convinced me! Enjoy your bacon!!!
angelaid
11 years ago
Oh my goodness, I can just smell it from here!
cookie8
11 years ago
I guess I am making a trip to the farm tomorrow to pick up some bacon.
jakkom
11 years ago
Beautiful stuff - and I'll bet it tastes even better than it looks. Nice job!
bcskye
11 years ago
Oh my gosh, Annie! Do your realize how you are torturing all of us? I have a smoker that I got for Christmas 2011 and I haven't used it yet. Shame on me! I'd love to make bacon like that, but have a little bit of the fear of doing the unknown. I don't need a dribble button, I need a certified drool catcher. Does one have to buy Charcuterie to get the recipe?
bcskye
11 years ago
Oh my gosh, Annie! Do your realize how you are torturing all of us? I have a smoker that I got for Christmas 2011 and I haven't used it yet. Shame on me! I'd love to make bacon like that, but have a little bit of the fear of doing the unknown. I don't need a dribble button, I need a certified drool catcher. Does one have to buy Charcuterie to get the recipe?
canfan
11 years ago
That looks delicious!!! Will have to be a copy cat and use our new Christma's smoker and follow in your foot steps!! Thanks for the inspiration!
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
OK, it's official, everyone is invited to Michigan for breakfast!

Nancy, you know the door is open, come any time. I have fresh eggs to go with the bacon, you know, and I'll bake bread...

bcskye, I'll post the recipe, but the book is wonderful and if you have a smoker I'd urge you to see if you can at least get a used copy. There are great instructions for Canadian Bacon, which will be my next project and many sausage recipes I want to try. Brian Polsyn is one of the authors and is a Michigan chef, had 5 Lakes Grill over by Detroit, the other is Michael Ruhlman. I've linked to his very simple instructions for bacon, and I'm thinking a generous sprinkle of black pepper on part of the next batch would be nice.

For those who have a smoker, go for it! It's easy, really it is. For those who don't, well, make friends with someone who does, LOL.

Oh, and coconut, I'll be cooking some tomorrow or the next day. I'd have cooked some already, but we were snacking on the crispy ends as it came out of the smoker!

Annie

Here is a link that might be useful: Bacon
riverrat1
11 years ago
Annie, doncha know that bacon is what makes the world go round! We sing that when we cook the slimey stuff we get here. Looks so good!
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
11 years ago
I'm in awe of how industrious you are along with how good that looks! ( I'd love to see a cooked slice)
ruthanna_gw
11 years ago
That looks fantastic, Annie.
gardengrl
11 years ago
D-R-O-O-L !!!

Okay Annie, you've convinced me to try smoking this year if only for the bacon! What kind of smoker are you and Elery using?
mustangs81
11 years ago
It will be a long drive so can I sleep in and have a late breakfast? Then maybe BLT's for lunch? Then some hugging with the kids for dessert?? huh, huh?
caflowerluver
11 years ago
I think I gained a pound just looking at that bacon. Beautifully yummy! I wish we had a smoker. DH is totally against it though. I keep working on him. Maybe someday I will get it.
Clare
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
Cathy, absolutely to all of the above. Oh, and Madi is currently visiting, so lots of cuddling...

Kathy, we are using an electric Masterbuilt, it's out in the garage. I have to move the Jeep out to use it there, though, or it smells like smoke for a week, and the neighbor's dog follows me down the street. (Well, not really, but I think she'd LIKE to)

RR, it sure does. That's why we make it. I think nearly all bacon is pretty good, though, even the "slimey stuff".

Thanks Ruthanna, I'm kind of embarrassed, I haven't tasted it yet...

BB, I got up at 6 am this morning and went to pick up Madi, she hasn't given me any time to cook bacon at all. Ah well, maybe tomorrow.

Clare, keep working at it. IT's great for Canadian bacon too, and smokes a great pork shoulder for pulled pork. Family parties make it a big hit. I think you NEED one. (wink)

Annie

This post was edited by annie1992 on Tue, Jan 15, 13 at 14:07
riverrat1
11 years ago
Cathy, meet me half way and we can go to Annie's together.

Annie, If we make it to Michigan ya better have a few slices of that good lookin bacon ready to cook for us! Is there a hotel close to you you? ;-)
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
Hotel? We don't need no stinkin' hotels! You can stay here. Better hurry while I still have a good supply.

Annie
riverrat1
11 years ago
Cathy? How does the latter part of February or the latter part of March look for you! I'm going to get me some some of that bacon!

Annie, I'm thinking of all the fun and memories we could make over some freaking bacon!

We will try to get there after Cathy responds.

Please save us one slice ;-)
KatieC
11 years ago
Ooooooo...Smokin' Camp! lol

That is gorgeous. I made a batch a couple of months ago using the basic cure from Charcuterie. It was the best so far, but it was a small piggy. Bacon is good, but thin...not nearly as pretty as yours.

I'm using a Masterbuilt, too. It really is a simple process. Cheese is next on my list.
momto4kids
11 years ago
Wow! I'm so impressed! (I'm going to meet up with Cathy and RR :) if we're gettin' some of that bacon!!)

Bacon is about the only "meat" I eat anymore...and that's mainly because I don't consider it meat. I prefer to think of it as "flavoring." LOL! That's how I get around the whole meat-thing.

Annie, I was thinking of you the other night while watching Iron Chef with Bobby Flay and Viet Pham in their "Battle Ground Meat." Flay made something I had never heard of...sausage crepinette...which I immediately decided you have probably made before. It was beautiful...what he further did with it.

Just curious, have you made sausage crepinette? Is it more like sausage or more like bacon? Is it fatty, fatty, fatty?

This post was edited by momto4kids on Wed, Jan 16, 13 at 19:42
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
Oh dear, Deb, I have to tell you that I haven't made it. It's actually more of a sausage, but instead of casing they use "caul fat", which is the membrane that surrounds an animal's stomach and internal organs, to wrap it in. I suppose it's no worse/different than using natural casings, which are usually intestines, but it's easy to get casings, harder to get caul fat. I didn't see that "Iron Chef" but I think bacon would be better anyway. Oh yeah, sausage wrapped in bacon, how could it be better than that?

Really, RR? A trip to Michigan with Cathy? Oh Deb, please come along, it would be such fun. I'll save POUNDS of bacon, maybe even make some more if you'll all come visit. I won't even try to convince Deb to eat grassfed beef...

And I'll find housing for you too! If Elery's house isn't sold it's less than an hour from Sherry and Karen (lakemayor). If it is, there's still my house. I'll hurry and try to finish those upstairs bedrooms that we're remodeling, I'll HURRY!!!

Annie
mustangs81
11 years ago
Hey RR, I'm in but only if Annie doesn't go through hoops making arrangements for us.

I've never had bacon as a motivator for a road trip before!
mabeldingeldine_gw
11 years ago
O. M. G. Count me among the droolers.
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
I won't jump through hoops, Cathy, I promise. But you don't need to find a hotel, really you don't.

Katie, come along, just think of the things we could smoke. Um.....that didn't sound right, LOL.

Thanks, Mabel. Have a napkin. (grin)

Annie
mustangs81
11 years ago
ha ha ha ha-that was funny Annie!

You very thoughtful but you have been there-done that and know very well that it's about the company not the accommodations so I'd be happy with a tent. Let me take that back, we are talking Michigan in the winter.
KatieC
11 years ago
Tent, hmmm? Geeez...no wonder you like Idaho. We can fix you right up, just bring a big can of Cutters if it's May-Aug. :-P
bcskye
11 years ago
Today I drove 35 miles to a Barnes and Nobles and bought Charcuterie. Haven't had a chance to look through it, but I know I'm going to love trying out new things. It may be a while before I get to do any smoking, but I'm sure there will be some good things I can try out sooner. See, Annie, you've been a good influence on me. Now all I have to do is get in touch with my nephew so he can recommend a farmer or butcher where I can get the meat I want that hasn't been treated with all kinds of hormones, etc.
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
bcskye, a good influence? Wow, that's something I don't hear a lot. I always figured that I had a purpose in life, I could serve as a bad example. (grin)

Cathy, I like to camp. I have a tent. I don't think it's a good idea from about November through April in Michigan, LOL. Nope, we'll find you a real bed somewhere warm. We've even gotten these amazing and wonderful devices here in Michigan. We call them furnaces. Now, if we just get anything less than 10 feet of snow, we're good!

Katie, you're one step ahead of me, we need Cutter's in April and by September we're praying for a frost to kill off the flies. Ugh. Did I mention mosquitos? LOL

Annie
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
11 years ago
A while back I rented a farm to grow things. There was a stream there. I used bacon on a string, no need for a hook, and caught many crawdaddies.

Apparently bacon as bait works on people also.

dcarch
mustangs81
11 years ago
Oh yeah, bacon bait is what grandbabies use too.

Katie, I'm armed, last week I came across 5 cans of Cutters in the garage. I've so wanted to get back to Coeur d'Alene.
annie1992
Original Author
11 years ago
Wow, I guess bacon is pretty good bait for things besides catfish (which I've also caught with canned corn). Odd, what can be bait.

Nice fish, BTW. Looks bigger than some I've caught ice fishing!

dcarch, we've also baited crawfish/crawdaddies with nearly everything that doesn't fall apart in the water. My girls and their friends used to catch buckets full and cook them, then try to convince me to help them pick the shells. Nope, they caught them, they pick them!

Yes indeed, bacon is good bait.

Annie

Michigan is smokin'

Comments (52)

annie1992Original Author

Related Discussions

annie1992Original Author

annie1992Original Author

annie1992Original Author

annie1992Original Author

annie1992Original Author

annie1992Original Author

annie1992Original Author

annie1992Original Author

annie1992Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author

annie1992
Original Author