John Anderson

Hmmm nice. Pretty close to the method I use . Nice thick cut bacon , a man after my own heart .

Needs to smoke 6-10 hours I take slightly different approach. I coat in sugar , salt, spice mix and vax pack drop into salad crisper in fridge turn over daily . Leave 10-14 days . Unpack clean off and hang for same amount of time it cured for . I personally don't use muslin . Smoke 6-10hours chill 24hrs slice and enjoy . I personally prefer muscovado sugar or even treacle, for a more robust flavour profile . I have tried maple syrup but cost to gain makes it impractical. Vac pack method still called dry cured and I would encourage you to check things like pintrest for recipie ideas. Please note like all these things it's down to personal taste if you like it and eat it then that's all that matters. Most people on pintrest posting bacon recipies are Americans , and advocate the use of wild hog or heritage pork belly for bacon . I worked as a chef for 25 + years and consider my pallet fairly educated and I cannot personally recommend premium pork for a robust bacon . Personally I buy pork loin when it's on special offer from Morrisons and buy a whole loin. Also the use of cure is totally up to yourself . I personally don't if it's for personal use and if it's for friends and family I tend to use 50 percent of recommended , just as a way of getting that pink store bought look rather than preservation. Pork loin is purchased and vac packed in salt/ sugar within 1- 2 hours , as long as salt / sugar is at correct level and meat is fresh .

Have had some communication with marcwillm from weald and hes has been most helpful, looking forward to incorporating his products into my minor obsessions . Currently using dry age bags on salumi a d some prime beef ,will be using his products on salami next Justin totally agree Smoked Paprika and pork is so good it will undoubtedly be taxed or banned Raptor72 Edinburgh is a very interesting place at least until environmental wardens rock up , trying to give you a head time about the smoke your producing in a built up area lol

Hi Wase have attached photo showing current batch of chacouteri. Top left is a bressola, dry cured for 2 1/2 months now vac packed to equalise. Below that two more bressola in dry cure bags ( supplied by weald ) both from a sirloin that was special offer from Morrison's in December worked out £8 ish a kilo . Main flavour will be from a half bottle of port and a handful of spices . Now moved to butchers netting as opposed to string , for no other reason than appearances. Bottom left is pork fillets dry aged traditionally both now equalising in vac pack , one sweetish and one with a little heat , very simple and quick at approx a month start to finish Moving to the right I have a pork coppa muscle or capicola in butchers netting an dry age bag , a nice blend of game seasoning. Far right is a pork loin, maple flavoured dry cured and cold smoked using a hardwood dust of unknown types for 5 or 6 hours AKA BACON !! I made a curing chamber from an ex display wine cooker and a ink bird controller with a humidifier . Currently moving on to dry age bags so chamber now reverting back to fridge . I have been using umai bags ,prices are extortionate and customer service is lamentable also one month lead time is chronic. Now discovered weald packaging so happy bunny now Currently don't have salami on the go as only have one curing chamber and could not have salumi and salamis in same chamber as strong spices and garlic from salami would taint salumi. Now I have started using dry cure bags I should be able to run both at same time , I'm waiting for casings to arrive. To cold smoke I purchased a wire mesh rack which spirals into the centre and is loaded with wood dust and is started with a tea light candle , believe such things are used in barbecue pits but work quite well in cobbled together smokers made from stuff kicking about my garden ie metal sheeting from an old metal shed or even an cardboard box. It's all very ad hoc. Planning on making dedicated smoker in very near future , definatly looking to forum on this one. In saying that I want to start with the basics and use and understand the age old and traditional methods before considering more modern meathods ie electric or pellet types . I always like to understand the old fashioned techniques before relying on modern technology. So ive only cold smoked Home made bacon , sausages , hotdogs and pork ribs anything that's supposed to be hot smoked is Finished in domestic oven or vac packed and poached soups vide style both of which have given interesting results

Hi there novice from bonnie Scotland just starting on my journey of exploration . Have recently started my own charcuterie its occurred to me that smoking is a natural extension. I worked as a chef for 25+ years currently having to take time off work as wife is a tad poorly , leaving me quite a bit of time ( just so long I'm around should my better half need me ) . Loo,ing to try at least once all things charcuterie, hot smoking and cold smoking .