Trout fisherman

Hi Wade

Just looked at Nisbets and they have a Buffalo cd277 slicer for sale at £296 or make an offer, is this model worth a go? 
Or is the cd278 a better model.

cheers Wade.

Bob, Somerset.

Hi Wade

Thanks for the info, very much appreciated.

will have a look at those Buffalo slicers.

will get back to you, if I buy one.

Cheers

Bob.

Hi

Does anyone know of a decent home meat slicer?

I had one a good few years ago and after a very short while it wasn’t fit for purpose.

Have now started cold smoking bacon and would like to get myself a new meat slicer,

but don’t want to purchase another one that will pack up after a few months.

I am in Somerset in the U.K.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Bob.

Hi Wade

i managed to cold smoke my first pork belly for bacon, using your impeccable advice and smoked it for 8 hours using apple wood dust. I can’t believe the flavour of the bacon, wow, the best I have tasted ever, by a million miles.

Thank you for all your expert advice, it worked wonders.

I now want to try another flavour, I’m thinking either maple or a mixture of apple and maple, any advice?

If I’m mixing different flavours, how do you get the mix right? 
If I’m doing half & half would the measure be by volume or weight, I’m assuming volume, because the weights may be different. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

Thanks a Million Wade, very much appreciate your input, couldn’t have achieved it without your input.👍👍👍

2 hours ago, Wade said:

Hi Bob

The cure will work perfectly well when vacuum packed. It would be interesting to know where they are getting their evidence from for this claim 

Vac packing helps to ensure that the cure remains in intimate contact with the surface of the meat for longer. If you do not vac pack and just use a ziplock bag you need to try to get as much air out of the bag as you can in order to minimise any space for a brine to form and cure to flow away from the meat. You will still get a brine forming around the meat when vac packing but it will not be as obvious as it will be more efficiently kept in contact with the meat surface so that it can diffuse inwards.

Either way, you should ensure that you turn your meat over in the fridge at least once every 24 hours to ensure any brine that is formed stays in contact with as much of the meat surface as possible.

Another good tip to ensure the even distribution of the cure. If you have one, weigh all of your cure ingredients into a spice grinder or coffee grinder and give it a blitz together before applying it to the meat surface. Dont forget that any cure that does not stick to the meat still needs to be added to the bag before it goes into the fridge.

Cheers

Wade

Hi Wade

Thanks for the information, it really helps me, as an absolute beginner.

After it has been smoked, you say leave it in the fridge for several days to allow the smoke to diffuse into it, do I leave it open on a rack or do I vacuum seal it again while the diffusing is working.

cheers Wade, I don’t know what I would have done without all the help and knowledge that you have shared with me. Thank you for your patience.

I will let you know how I get on soon.

Bob.

Somerset. U.K. 

Hi Wade

Your info is helping me immensely, I need all the I help I can get before I start on this venture.

I have watched quite a few YouTube videos and in a lot of them, after putting the cure on the belly

of pork, they then put it in a vacuum sealed bag, I have asked someone over here in  the UK about

It, and they recommend not to put it in a vacumm sealed bag while in the fridge, saying the cure 

will not work properly.

Can you point me in the right direction as to whether I can use this method or I cant use this method.

Again Wade, thank you so much for your info input, it is very much appreciated, I want to get the

procedure correct first time even if the bacon is either too smokey or not smokey enough.

Cheers Wade

Bob

U.K.

On 11/16/2023 at 1:24 PM, Wade said:

Hi Bob - No you do not need to smoke it. Once it is cured it is unsmoked (or "Green") bacon. If you would like "Smoked" bacon then smoke it.

However you prefer to eat it you slice and cook it in the usual way. Sliced it gives you bacon rashers, cut into steaks it gives bacon steaks, Cooked a a joint it becomes a bacon joint.

Cheers

Wade

Hi Wade

How long should I smoke the belly of pork for the best flavour.

Have read that it can be 3hours, Also can be 12 hours.

I don’t want to under smoke it or over smoke it and being that you have smoked bacon before, I thought you may be able to give me a good guide.

I don’t want to ruin the first one I smoke, but willing to experiment after I have already done my first smoking.

Thanks Wade, your info is really helping me to get the hang of smoking pork bellies.

very much appreciated.

Bob

Somerset

England.

Hi Wade

Its me again.

just a quick question, after I have cured a belly of pork and it’s rested and dried in the fridge, do I have to smoke it, or can I just cook the bacon slices without smoking it.

Kind Regards.

Bob.

from the U.K.

On 4/7/2021 at 6:57 AM, sotv said:

You get three racks with it 12 x 12 inches (maybe room for 1 more, but not seen any spares for sale) I've cold smoked a couple of 2kg loins at once (and I could do 3 easily with the 3 racks),  I have only put one piece on a seperate rack for meats (belly or loin) , but a couple of 1 kg for cheeses on each rack, personally think it would be to tight to fit 2 x  2kg loins on each rack , although the racks would probably hold the weight. It can get a little greasy from the smoke on the sides and back during use, so unless happy to clean it out after every smoke, would be wary of the meat touching the side or back and picking any of it up.

It is serving me very well with the three racks for what I do quantity wise, but for large quantities, like you do, something larger maybe more better for yourself? 

Hi There

if your proQ generator only lasts 6-7 hours, do you refill it and carry on or do you only smoke the belly of pork for 6-7 hours.

I’m looking to start cold smoking and from what I’ve read, it says you should smoke pork belly for around 12 hours.

your reply will really help.

cheers Bob

Hi

Could you please advise a good cold smoking recipe book to purchase and learn from.

cheers 

Bob.