How about some easy DIY bacon?

[NightSky]

On 8/14/2021 at 10:47 AM, Crossy said:

 

Cheap and cheerful https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i989076031-s6199684323.html

 

Madam said she didn't want one of the manual "slice when frozen" ones. We shall see how well it does the job.

 

Great but be careful with the fingers. A Spanish guy sliced through his fingers when I was a child and I will never forget that. Those machines make me cringe every time I see one because of the accidents that can happen.  
 

Enjoy the bacon, but please keep yours(and wife’s) fingers safe!

[rwill]

On 8/14/2021 at 11:16 AM, Crossy said:

I left out the optional sodium ascorbate 'coz I couldn't find it.

I found this on lazada:  Sodium L Ascorbate | Lazada.co.th

 

 

[Dene16]

4 hours ago, norfolkandchance said:

On a trip to Sardinia once we sat down for lunch and ordered  Antipasto. It arrived with meats and cheeses and included Casu Martzu ( soft cheese with maggots ).

So strange what we will eat. At the same place i stated that i was going to try every one of the 30+ cheeses we had on sale. Everyone laughed so much that day as i heaved my way through the blue and creme cheeses. Each to their  own, like marmite, i don't see how anyone can eat and like any of the mouldy blue cheeses. why not just go and lick the mould off a rotten orange. It tastes the same!!!

[Dene16]

On 8/14/2021 at 5:16 AM, Crossy said:

So I had a go at curing my own.

Definitely going to try this when i get back

[billd766]

2 hours ago, NightSky said:

Great but be careful with the fingers. A Spanish guy sliced through his fingers when I was a child and I will never forget that. Those machines make me cringe every time I see one because of the accidents that can happen.  
 

Enjoy the bacon, but please keep yours(and wife’s) fingers safe!

I keep reminding myself, my wife and my neighbours that the fingers under the knife blades (including the slicer) are yours.

 

ALWAYS cut away from yourself. Many years ago I didn't when I was slicing a leg of lamb, and s*** that hurt. Luckily I didn't need stitches but it was close.

[A1Str8]

When I was a kid we used to cure the pigs alive.

[bbudd]

Started off like you-couldn't get "real" bacon or ham back then

Then graduated to sausage making and smoke curing meats

 

Built a cold smoker and used coconut chips and fruit wood for a all-day smoke

Led the way to smoked fish/smoked turkey and smoked cheese

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, bbudd said:

Started off like you-couldn't get "real" bacon or ham back then

Then graduated to sausage making and smoke curing meats

 

Built a cold smoker and used coconut chips and fruit wood for a all-day smoke

Led the way to smoked fish/smoked turkey and smoked cheese

 

Yeah, I reckon it's definitely a slippery slope ???? 

 

I'm not really a lover of smoked stuff, but one can learn...

[billd766]

Some photos of my home made unsmoked bacon from last week.

[Crossy]

On 8/15/2021 at 8:29 PM, rwill said:

I found this on lazada:  Sodium L Ascorbate | Lazada.co.th

 

I may have spotted that too, but at 0.5g per kg of pig a 1kg pack is enough for half a ton** of bacon.

 

I'm not sure I will actually live long enough to eat that much.

 

EDIT **Actually it's two tons!!!

[PBob]

Thai Artisan Foods (on the web & Facebook) has a lot of things for curing meat, making cheese and pickling. I have had success with cheese cultures and curing ingredients.

 

On Youtube cuoredicioccolato.it has some interesting projects, many in Italian but some in English, I like the one where he uses the rind of a blue cheese to make blue cheese.

[alien365]

Please excuse my ignorance but will this also work to make a joint of gammon? Based on your post I've already ordered the ingredients to try the bacon, but I hear gammon is a bit healthier. 

[Crossy]

On 8/16/2021 at 9:27 PM, alien365 said:

Please excuse my ignorance but will this also work to make a joint of gammon? Based on your post I've already ordered the ingredients to try the bacon, but I hear gammon is a bit healthier. 

 

Others here are far more skilled than I so hopefully some advice coming soon.

 

You could try this recipe for ham, http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/calculator/paulines_ham/index.htm it's a bit more hassle.

[Tropposurfer]

Ahh seeing a woman slaving over a hot stove. Theres something primally satisfying in this image ... barefoot, chained to the sink, and stove, periodically pregnant lol ???? ???? ???? (poor attempt at humour I know, plz no nicker-twisters need apply lol ???? ???? ???? ) 

I love Thai bacon cause its nowhere near as salty as Aussie style.

[Crossy]

29 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

I love Thai bacon cause its nowhere near as salty as Aussie style.

 

Do try this DIY stuff, not too salty http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/?e=804

 

[billd766]

8 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

Ahh seeing a woman slaving over a hot stove. Theres something primally satisfying in this image ... barefoot, chained to the sink, and stove, periodically pregnant lol ???????????? (poor attempt at humour I know, plz no nicker-twisters need apply lol ???????????? ) 

I love Thai bacon cause its nowhere near as salty as Aussie style.

I make my own and I can use as much salt as I wish. I have done a few honey and mustard cures. I t tastes OK but the honey tends to stick to the (non-stick) pan and makes the eggs look burnt as well.

 

I have done gammon but a few years ago and the drawback is that I was the only person that ate it. OK for 1 or 2 kg but having to eat 5kg or more made me sick of the sight an taste of gammon.

 

I have done both wet and dry cures and dry cures is easier.

[Crossy]

Just kicked off another batch of 3kg of bacon, using the slightly less salt cure from the Mild Bacon page http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/?e=804

 

Once that's done maybe we'll try the ham for cold cuts ???? 

 

[recom273]

@Crossy

 

How did the reasonably priced slicer work out?

 

If you ever run out of ziploc bags - they are free on the betagrow counter at BigC. You can get 1kg lump in each bag. 

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, recom273 said:

How did the reasonably priced slicer work out?

 

It didn't, seller didn't ship, Lazada cancelled and refunded.

 

New one (slightly more expensive) on order and has shipped.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i2018040947-s6508042103.html

 

[Crossy]

Update, the site with the recipes and calculators has moved, it's all now at 

https://www.localfoodheroes.com/cured-meat/cured-meat-calculators/

 

Loads of other delicious stuff to make on that site too ???? 

[recom273]

I’m amazed @Crossy 

 

I made two batches of bacon, one about 1.5” and another slab about 6” following the instructions. I washed the first batch yesterday, left it to dry under a ceiling fan and then 3D printed a drying rack to sit on a plate in the fridge overnight. 
 

This morning, I put the meat in the freezer for a little while and just before frozen I cut some rashers, using this method I could get a thickness close to what would like.

 

Tastes great! Maybe a little too salty, but much nicer than the streaky stuff from the supermarkets and cheaper than Facebook sellers.
 

I turned my back and the missus carved a 1/4” steak. 

I’m hooked, I just splashed out on a cheap slicer on Lazada, and I need to find a local butcher, the slabs from Makro could do with a little bit more fat on the top. 

 

[Crossy]

5 minutes ago, recom273 said:

I turned my back and the missus carved a 1/4” steak. 

 

Yeah, my lady is hooked too although she had euro-style bacon when we lived in Belgium ????

 

There's a reduced salt version on the site too.

[billd766]

13 hours ago, Crossy said:

Update, the site with the recipes and calculators has moved, it's all now at 

https://www.localfoodheroes.com/cured-meat/cured-meat-calculators/

 

Loads of other delicious stuff to make on that site too ???? 

Thank you for the link.

 

I need to rebuild my food folder.

 

Hairy Bikers from the BBC Food have some very good recipes as well.

 

https://www.hairybikers.com

 

 

[nahkit]

Tried the mild bacon recipe using some belly pork and I was really pleased with the results. Might just have been lucky but if future attempts are just as good then I won't be buying bacon again. To dry it, I stood mine in the fridge on a metal rack that came with one of those glass ovens that I bought ages ago.

 

As mentioned in other posts, the biggest problem is getting uniform slices, even if I part-freeze it first. 

 

Crossy, Recom273 - any update on the slicers you ordered? I can't help thinking that the ones I've looked at on Lazada seem a bit on the small side, especially if you're slicing a nice slab of belly pork.

Edited September 28, 2021 by nahkit

[Crossy]

The slicer we have works reasonably well on part frozen pig, but it doesn't do very well with really thin slices, luckily as a Brit I like my bacon 3-4mm thick ????

 

I've got some ham-in-a-bag on the go, we shall see how the slicer works on cooked meat.

 

 

[recom273]

On 9/28/2021 at 12:30 PM, nahkit said:

Tried the mild bacon recipe using some belly pork and I was really pleased with the results. Might just have been lucky but if future attempts are just as good then I won't be buying bacon again. To dry it, I stood mine in the fridge on a metal rack that came with one of those glass ovens that I bought ages ago.

 

As mentioned in other posts, the biggest problem is getting uniform slices, even if I part-freeze it first. 

 

Crossy, Recom273 - any update on the slicers you ordered? I can't help thinking that the ones I've looked at on Lazada seem a bit on the small side, especially if you're slicing a nice slab of belly pork.

Yeah, I was thinking my first attempt was a fluke too - I went all in on the second batch, about 3kg in the fridge now and also gathering ingredients to make some pancetta.

 

The slicer is okayyy - I didn't freeze my joint, and found it was tearing the last part which was also thinner. I think you are correct, its not big enough for a whole belly slab from Makro, you might have to cut it in two. I had better looking rashers when cutting part-frozen with a long sharp knife, however, I don't think It would be so pretty when you got to the end of the joint - the slicer is kind of worth the money, its not great, but it makes light work of the job and I too am a Brit, so the thickness is fine for me. I looked at upgrading from the 1400B I paid and a better machine is quite an investment.

 

On the whole, I think it's a worthwhile activity .. For me, It was always bit of a luxury to dip into the freezer and sneak 3 rashers (or maybe 4 on a good day) for a sandwich. When you have all the kit, its just 150B on a lump of pork from Makro and a weeks wait.

[Crossy]

Just tested our "Pauline's Ham in a Bag" https://www.localfoodheroes.com/2021/08/paulines-ham-in-a-bag/

 

Just the basic recipe, nothing added - Wow!! Tastes like ham used to taste, looks like we won't be buying any more mass produced ham either.

 

Ham sarnie with butter and a smear of Coleman's mustard, heaven!!!

 

Need to start another batch of bacon soon, cant risk running out.

 

[nahkit]

On 10/1/2021 at 7:26 AM, Crossy said:

Just tested our "Pauline's Ham in a Bag" https://www.localfoodheroes.com/2021/08/paulines-ham-in-a-bag/

 

Just the basic recipe, nothing added - Wow!! Tastes like ham used to taste, looks like we won't be buying any more mass produced ham either.

 

Ham sarnie with butter and a smear of Coleman's mustard, heaven!!!

 

Need to start another batch of bacon soon, cant risk running out.

 

Certainly looks like the real thing.

 

Couple of questions :-

 

When you inject the brine, do you make a single injection into the centre of the meat or do you make several, spreading the brine around?

 

The recipe also says you should cook the meat in water but doesn't say whether you should cook it before or after its been in the brine?

[Crossy]

I injected a lot of small doses throughout the meat before putting it in the ziploc and removing as much air as possible.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i1889634560-s5921294166.html

 

Once cured I cooked it on a rack over water in a lidded pot. Used my handy-dandy meat thermometer to check for 72C in the centre.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i2476162602-s8709901780.html

[recom273]

 

This guy has a good use for our bacon slicers @Crossy