Go to an actual farmer n get your own hog

Thank you! Cane sugar is produced solely from sugarcane and is minimally processed. It has a slightly larger grain, and a darker color, since the molasses has not been refined out. I haven’t noticed a flavor difference between all the different types of sugar but the cane sugar definitely seems to good better and doesn’t burn so easily.

@@simplemansbbq5495 Awesome! Gonna have to try for sure. Thanks 😊 👍👍

I have had plenty of failed attempts where the taste was not good. It took me a long time to get to this point. However, everyone’s flavor profile is different, to me it might taste great, to others, not so much. That’s why I recommend using your favorite seasonings. With bacon, it’s not so much the seasoning you use but the preparation and cooking method that makes it turn out great.

Adding curing salt (pink) does preserve the meat better and helps during the brine. However, I don’t like adding that to my food. We already get enough preservatives in our day to day food. Literally everything has preservatives in it now. I package my bacon for the freezer in small bags so when we eat it, it will only be in the fridge for a few days. And yes, salt is the old school way to preserve food but curing salt does work better. Hope this helps!

@@simplemansbbq5495 Thank you for responding so fast I appreciate that.....I have one more question...I understand pork bellies have a lot of fat/skin on them. In your video it appeared that the one side had a lot more fat on it than the other side, do you cut the skin or any of the fat off before you cover with the mixture or do you leave it all on and remove after smoking....also if I was going to use curing salt would I just replace the amount of salt you used with pink curing salt or would that be a different amount. Thanks again

@@ronzman-vu6zy 1) Some people trim their pork belly’s. I do not. It all depends on your bacon preference and also how fatty the pork belly you have is. You will be surprised how nicely the fat cooks up into delicious crispy bacon! Lol, but to each their own. You should cut your first belly in half, one trimmed and one not. See what you like better. 2) There are curing salt calculators on the internet. It will help you calculate how much to use based off of pounds of meat, wet or dry brine. For an example, a 10 pounder with dry brine would be 25 g or 0.882 oz of pink curing salt.

Not at all, when I run out of room I just place the bacon on the rack in the main chamber. If you do it this way, I would recommend rotating and flipping it every 1 to 2 hours.

@@simplemansbbq5495 I am doing mine today, somehow I chose the coldest day in March here in WI to smoke.... Got the bacon going and a corn beef brisket. Wish me luck thanks for the video

Thank you sir! 1 cup salt, 1/4 garlic powder, 1/2 pure sugar, 1/4 chili pepper, 1/4 paprika. Please note, this makes a large batch so it will be way to much if you’re just doing 10lbs or less.

I use an equilibrium recipe it works by the weight of product

So spritz lemon juice during the smoking process?

I either use 2 gallon zip lock bags from Amazon or just put the belly’s in a large pan with a cover.

I have never tried that way. It would be a good way of drying it out though.

Thank you sir! 1 cup salt, 1/4 garlic powder, 1/2 pure sugar, 1/4 chili pepper, 1/4 paprika.

@@simplemansbbq5495 How much pepper ? or is it a 1/4 cup chili powder and 1/4 cup pepper

@@ronzman-vu6zy the ladder. 1/4 cup each.

@@simplemansbbq5495 Sorry to bug you so much, your video is awesome. with the above recipe ratio is that supposed to be enough for all 20 pounds your cooking on the video ? I mixed it all up but am only doing 5 pounds to test first so wondering if I should divide this mixture by 4....Thanks for all your help !!

@@ronzman-vu6zy the ratios is for 1 batch of seasoning. It’s definitely waaaaay more than you need for 5lbs of meat. Just give your slab a nice seasoning with it AMS safe the rest for later.

Sometimes it is sold without the rind which allows more of the flavor from the spices to penetrate the meat, making for a fuller flavor once you cook and consume it. I leave the rind on for my bacon and just brine it longer.

Two main reasons: so the seasons don’t burn and to rinse the extra salt off. This is just the way I do it. Do some more research and give it a try! I’m sure yours will turn out great!

@simplemansbbq5495 Thanks for the reply and elucidation, trying to figure out the best way! Be a while before we try it but looking forward to it 😊

I found it in the comments he listed: 1 cup salt, 1/4 garlic powder, 1/2 pure sugar, 1/4 chili pepper, 1/4 paprika. Please note, this makes a large batch so it will be way to much if you’re just doing 10lbs or less.

Most large grocery stores have it. Just ask the butcher for a whole pork belly.

@@simplemansbbq5495 thanks yes costco has it too but without the skin I like the skin on it

What’s your recipe? I would love to try it!

@Simple Man’s BBQ what's the best way to get it to you.

@@mikenicholson2548 if you could, put place it here in the comments. Then everyone can enjoy it!

No sir. I am against those types of preservatives/nitrates. I slice my bacon after it’s done smoking and put in small bags for the freezer. When I pull one out it is cooked and eaten within a few days. Granted, if I wanted to have a pound of bacon in my fridge for a month plus, it would go bad without the preservatives. This is just the way I do it, and I suggest you make tour own decision after some research. Smoke on brother!

@@simplemansbbq5495then what you made is smoked & salted pork belly. I’m sure it tastes great, but it’s not bacon

I just learned that celery salt is a good substitute for cure #1

@@coryanderson7581 what ratio to meat?

@@bcasey101 1 ounce of celery powder to every pound of meat

🤣😂 I sharpen before each cook but you are correct!

Amen. The sound of that nice knife slicing through the bacon and scraping the metal table top was painful!