Pork Belly

[PSU-85]

Just finished up my first attempt at bacon. Are there different grades of pork belly or is it pot luck when it comes to belly selection? I made the maple bacon from Amazin Ribs and while I’m really pleased with the taste, the belly I had is kind or fatty. Fried up a few pieces and the grease left behind was more than I’m used to seeing with commercial bacon. My belly was something I snagged at the grocery store. Never saw them in the store before or since. Nothing on the label other than the indication that it was skinless.

2 hours at 200
1 hour at 225
Started at 44 and pulled at 150
Cookin Pellets Apple Mash

 

[sweetride95]

I have only bought belly from my local costco. I usually go through every belly carefully, searching for the meatiest. I look for the one with the most visible meat and has a flexable feel. I had gotten one once was very firm, damn thing was 3/4 fat. It was almost a total loss. There's also some luck involved.

I like a good smoke on my bacon. I usually let it ride at 180 until I start getting 145F. If I get tight on time, I'll bump to 225 after a few hours at 180 to get it wrapped up. Hickory is my preferred pellet.

Bacon is fun, lots of methods to explore. Unless you miss the salt ratio badly, it's usually good to eat.

 

[Greg Jones]

I have only bought belly from my local costco. I usually go through every belly carefully, searching for the meatiest. I look for the one with the most visible meat and has a flexable feel. I had gotten one once was very firm, damn thing was 3/4 fat. It was almost a total loss. There's also some luck involved.

This is great advice, and I too have only bought pork belly from Costco. When meat is cold, the fattest cuts of meat have the most solid feel. So some cuts, like pork belly, you want to look for the most flexible packages. For other cuts, like pork butt, you may want more fat so look for the most solid packs.

 

[Infantryman]

I have only bought belly from my local costco. I usually go through every belly carefully, searching for the meatiest. I look for the one with the most visible meat and has a flexable feel. I had gotten one once was very firm, damn thing was 3/4 fat. It was almost a total loss. There's also some luck involved.

I like a good smoke on my bacon. I usually let it ride at 180 until I start getting 145F. If I get tight on time, I'll bump to 225 after a few hours at 180 to get it wrapped up. Hickory is my preferred pellet.

Bacon is fun, lots of methods to explore. Unless you miss the salt ratio badly, it's usually good to eat.

This is great advice, and I too have only bought pork belly from Costco. When meat is cold, the fattest cuts of meat have the most solid feel. So some cuts, like pork belly, you want to look for the most flexible packages. For other cuts, like pork butt, you may want more fat so look for the most solid packs.

Excellent tips......I personally have never seen Pork Belly anywhere in my area until very recently at Costco and it came pre-sliced in 1" thick, bacon size slices. I've yet to see a whole Pork Belly.

 

[Greg Jones]

It might be a regional thing with Costco. Here they sell the pre-sliced, and at least pre-COVID-19, they had the whole belly, usually two per package. Here’s some I cured and smoked back in December.

 

[Uncle BoBo]

I too have always gotten it from Costco cheaper than the butcher and I can see the fat to meat ratio
I use these seasonings let it marinate in fridge for 5-7days take it out soak in water for 1-2hrs (depending on how salty you want) pat dry let it sit an hr to tac up
Smoke on low 180° till internal temp is 140ish let sit till cool put in fridge to stiffen ( I found this to help slicing) and than season next batch n start over for the next weekend lol we eat a lot of bacon

 

[Gonefishin]

does anybody cut bacon with a knife, or do I need a slicer.

 

[Greg Jones]

I use a knife, and I smoke mine on wire racks. The racks leave a grid impression that makes it easy to follow to make the slices. However, we like thick sliced bacon. A slicer makes slicing thinner slices much easier.

 

[Buttah Butts]

I get my pork belly from my local butcher. They always have a great ratio of meat and fat. I have a slicer but usually just slice bacon with a good sharp knife. I’ll put it on the freezer for about 15 min to firm it up.

 

[Mastertech59]

does anybody cut bacon with a knife, or do I need a slicer.

Slicer for me I'm lazy.