Bacon School

It was another cold and foggy morning outside Catahoula when I met Chilebrown and his darling wife, Ms. Goofy (he calls her that - I don't) for another food swap. They were on their way to another barbecue judging and he was in a hurry for coffee, so he thrust a plastic bag into my hands, showed me the contents quickly, mumbled a few directions, made an offhand crack about my inability to follow directions, and fled inside to the warmth.


I'm in bacon school.  Chilebrown assures me that the lesson is easy and that the results will convince me never to buy supermarket bacon again. He supplied me with enough curing salt, applewood chips and directions on a little card to get me started.


I took the stuff home and spread it out on the counter with the slab of pork belly that I bought at 99 Ranch. As far as I know, my slab has no pedigree other than that it's pork from, uh, the belly.


The instructions were simple enough - spread the salts on the belly, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 7-10 days, "draining liquids as necessary." That last phrase sounds a little ominous but, otherwise, it seems like something I can do. Out of curiosity, I tasted the curing salt before spreading it on one side and then the other - it tasted salty and sweet. For all I know, it's just salt and brown sugar.  I'll have to do a little research...


So, anyway, that's where we are today. My belly is curing like mad in the fridge. So far (day two), it has not become necessary to pour off any liquids. 


Stand by for an update.