Everything is better with bacon

annie1992

16 years ago

Elery and I have spent the last week curing bacon. We had two pork bellies curing in the fridge in maple syrup and brown sugar cure:

They went into the smoker with some apple wood chips and came out several hours later:

We sliced bacon, and sliced bacon and sliced bacon. 25 pounds of bacon:

The end pieces got cut into chunks for bean soup or greens:

The end result was some nicely lean and maple-y sweet bacon, cut about half way between the commercially available thick cut and thin cut:

And it was pretty darned good with a farm fresh egg and homemade toasted honey wheat bread!

Annie

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Comments (45)

sheshebop
16 years ago
I am drooling! One of my favorite foods, that I unfortunately have given up for awhile. Looks great Annie.
CA Kate z9
16 years ago
Oh Annie: that looks sooooooo good! I love bacon and yours looks terrific.
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Yep. My SS's BM is just like this. she hasn't really worked since SS was about 1-2ish. She used to work as some sort of home health care person and, from what I hear, she actually made pretty decent money, especially considering that she doesn't have a degree. (she worked for a home health care company that her aunt owns.) Anyway, she moved in with a boyfriend and stopped working altogether. DH paid for everything for SS---anything he needed, BM would just ask and DH would either give her money or buy whatever it was--and then all the basics like health insurance, daycare (even though BM wasn't working!) medicines and extras like swim lessons, tumbling at the Y, school pictures, etc. BM is a big partyer---drinker and smoker. Same thing---funny that she always had money to get her nails done or buy cigarettes or drinks, but many times had to ask DH or her mom for gas money. Anyway, this has gone on for years. She moved back in with her folks briefly---then moved in with another boyfriend, and got pregnant within a few months. Then they got married. So now she also has two kids, and her DH has another daughter, as well. So 3 kids total and she still didn't work for a couple years---meanwhile, they are struggling, from what we hear, there's not much food, her DH's car is broken and he can't afford to fix it so they're sharing 1 car, the gas was shut off for 2 weeks, etc. MY DH pays a small amount of c/s (most goes to state to pay back benefits she received) but I think she gets $130 or something. (They have joint custody, that's why the c/s is so low.) Anyway, the court papers say they are supposed to split everything 50-50, but it's a total crock, as she doesn't have the money---and DH is not going to make SS suffer. So he did soccer camp this summer-DH covered it all. This last week, he needed funds for his school lunch card and the school said $250/semester is about right for his age. So DH put it on there, didn't even ask BM because we know she doesn't have it. There is not much you can do except try not to let it stress you out. No, it's not okay for BM to try to support herself on child support, but there's also not much you can do about it---UNLESS it's really clear money is being mismanaged, and the kids are suffering. Your DH could maybe look into modifying the custody agreement if he thinks it would be better for the kids to be with him full-time. I think Ima pointed out one time, though, that if he does that, and BM says she cannot support her kids, DH runs the risk of having c/s increased to her. He would REALLY have to be able to prove that they money is being mismanaged. I do have to say, though---we found out recently that BM got a part-time job, and she told DH it was great because the schedule is flex, and the money is good, too. I honestly was happy to hear this---good for her! It is a positive step in the right direction for her, and I hope she sticks with it. If she and her DH can get things together, that is just better for SS.
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lindac
16 years ago
Imagine what you could get if you sold that stuff???
Looks fabulous!
caliloo
16 years ago
hOLY cARP! Well done you two!!!!

That is amazing looking and considering I made "bacon potatoes" and fried cabbage in bacon fat I am in the total bacon zone! I may have to go up to the local farm tomorrow to see what their bacon offerings are.....

Alexa
User
16 years ago
OOOOH I'm so impressed. I can just imagine how wonderful your home smoked bacon is.

Ann
jimster
16 years ago
That is some good looking bacon!

How did you slice it? With a knife? Or did you use a slicer?

Jim
wizardnm
16 years ago
OMG that looks awesome!
I wonder where I could get a pork belly, already have a smoker and maple syrup.

But I'd need you and Elery to coach....

Nancy
lsr2002
16 years ago
It looks fabulous and I can only imagine how wonderful it tastes. I would love your meal at any time of the day.

Lee
jojoco
16 years ago
I can't believe that is akin to the stuff in the stores. Great job!
Jo
andyman
16 years ago
How does one clean drool out of the keyboard?
--Andy
colleenoz
16 years ago
Mmmm.... bacony goodness.
jessyf
16 years ago
I can look! Thats about it!
petaloid
16 years ago
The photos are great -- I can almost smell the smoky aroma .... slurp!
jonsgirl
16 years ago
I am craving a BLT...
compumom
16 years ago
Aww geez Annie, did ya have to post those yummy photos? Now I want some of your bacon! :P
Islay_Corbel
16 years ago
I want that !!!!!
canarybird01
16 years ago
Oh that looks so good Annie!

You and Elery make a great team and it looks like you're specialists in the art of making good bacon!

SharonCb
teresa_nc7
16 years ago
Miz Annie and Mr. Elery, I humbly bow in awe at your ability to put food by! Amazin' bacon! And I wish I was close enough to buy some from you too.

Teresa
JoanM
16 years ago
WOW! Beautiful.

What I would do with 25 pounds of bacon...
trixietx
16 years ago
I'm not a big breakfast person, but now I want bacon and eggs. That looks sooo good.
dirtgirl07
16 years ago
Oh my goodness! I AM a breakfast person and that's just the best looking sight - bacon and eggs, bacon and pancakes, or just bacon and a biscuit!!!
triciae
16 years ago
Gosh, Annie, it's 8:20 a.m. and I've not had breakfast. That pile of bacon has me drooling. I love bacon and so does DH although we don't eat much. I think we've got to learn more about this home smoking meats thing...

Great job & enjoy the bacon. I'm thinking about the scallop thread and how great your bacon would be around a scallop seared on the grill. Heck, that bacon would be good with anything!

/tricia
Tracey_OH
16 years ago
Okay, that is some beautiful bacon! I'm so impressed! You are the original Pioneer Woman :)

Tracey
eileenlaunonen
16 years ago
Oh that looks sooooooooooo good I could dive right in!!!
mustangs81
16 years ago
Fabulous! I would rather have a pound of fried bacon than a filet mignon.
doucanoe
16 years ago
Wow, that is about the best looking bacon I have ever seen! You two are so adventurous, and the results of your adventures are always amazing!

Linda
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
16 years ago
That really is impressive and it looks so good!
ruthanna_gw
16 years ago
That looks absolutely perfect, Annie.
Solsthumper
16 years ago
Mmm Bacon. My favorite food group.

Sol
kframe19
16 years ago
I've cured my own bacon a couple of times now.

First time I used a wet cure, the next time a dry cure.

I liked the wet cure better.

I need to do another batch.
cookebook
16 years ago
BLTs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yum!
jessicavanderhoff
16 years ago
Oh Annie, that is stunning! I am surrounded by all this useless bacon-free food. . .
althetrainer
16 years ago
OMG, that's a whole lot of bacon! Your family must love it! :-)

Al
madamg2u
16 years ago
Wow just wow!!
MadamG2U
lpinkmountain
16 years ago
Remind me Annie, was it your hog? Do you have pigs on the farm? Or just cows for eating?
annie1992
Original Author
16 years ago
OK, I just realized that I spent yesterday freezing 25 pounds of bacon and I had to get my cholesterol tested this morning, LOL, we'll see how that went.

Jim, we did break down and buy a meat slicer, between the bacon and slicing an entire brisket of pastrami, it seemed wise (and easier) to break down and buy a slicer.

Nancy, it's easy, really easy. The cure is just brown sugar, maple syrup and pink salt, you rub it on both sides of the slab and stick it in a 2 gallon ziplock bag, put it in the fridge. Every other day, turn it over as some liquid will collect. At the end of 9 days, smoke it over apple wood chips, I think Elery did this for 5 hours. I can send you the recipe but it would be more fun if we came up and helped you, or you came down. Oh, and Elery's son just went to the grocery store there and told the guy who runs the meat department that he wanted to buy a hog belly and they ordered it for him, so he made pancetta.

Yeah, I figure I have enough bacon to feed the entire forum BLTs when the tomatoes are ripe, if we can just convince Ann T, Teresa and Tricia to bake enough bread. (grin).

Actually, Elery's Dad loves bacon, so we're taking some to him, I figure he's 85 so he's earned the right to eat bacon a couple of times a week if it suits him, and I'm gonna make sure he gets the good stuff!

Annie
annie1992
Original Author
16 years ago
L, I didn't raise pigs last year, I had a neighbor who had a couple of litters of pigs that he was selling. He farms like I do, raising his own feed and usually sells the animals as feeder pigs. He and I struck a deal that he'd raise them to 240 - 260 lbs and then I'd pay him by the pound, so my 260 lb. hog ended up costing me about $100. I didn't have a trailer or any way to transport the little pigs home and no one really wanted to feed pigs everyday, so with Dad gone I wasn't driving to the farm everyday.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do this spring, buy little pigs or have one raised for me again....

Annie
kathleenca
16 years ago
Can you imagine what that quality of bacon would cost us at a store - if you could find one that carries good bacon??!!

I think I pay $6/lb for 'Amish' bacon at a real butcher. Applewood smoked bacon at Bristol Farms (admittedly, a carriage trade market) is $7/lb, I think. Sigh.

Yummy, Annie!
annie1992
Original Author
16 years ago
$7 a pound? Really? I'm astounded, I love bacon but I don't know how much I'd buy at that price!

Annie
lakeguy35
16 years ago
YUM!!

I'm going to have to try this....I've wanted to since Kframe posted about it a few years back. I'll have to get some tips from you and Elery when the time comes. I have to find some pork belly first.

Think I'll have breakfast for dinner tonight...with my plain ole bacon....LOL

David
pkramer60
16 years ago
Twenty five pounds of bacon? Ok, I won't tell Miss Piggy.

Now I wonder how long it would take me to drive over and up and raid the freezer......

And what is a feeder pig? City girl wants to know.
User
16 years ago
Mmm....that looks wonderful, even bacon is better with bacon. Enjoy
party_music50
16 years ago
Wow! wish I were there. :)
bri29
16 years ago
Annie, you're killing me! Now I want bacon in the worst way. Enjoy all that, and good luck with your cholesterol testing! :) Too bad I'm so far away or I'd be signing up for your bacon 101 course.
centralcacyclist
16 years ago
Bacon! A celebration of flavor.

85 year old people can eat anything they want.

Everything is better with bacon

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