Thread: Sausage and Smoke Cooking

Originally Posted by 32t

I bought a pork belly today that was frozen.

Certainly not instant gratification.

But I got some olive oil to play with. Put it back into the jar after about 2.5 hours and will let it sit a few days to see if it was worth it............

My local Walmart doesn't seem to carry whole pork bellies/at least I've never seen them on display, the local Albertsons carries whole pork bellies without the skin for $6.99 a lb. Another outfit wants $7.99lb.

However today I found a family owned and operated Hispanic market that carries whole bellies with the skin on for $2.89 per lb, they are frozen. However when the cutter went back to get them, he found that they were out, but he asked if I could come back Tuesday afternoon as he should have them then.

I told him that I'd call first to make sure they had come in as I had to drive about 15 miles to get there. He said OK, but he was sure he'd have plenty.

I did ask him if they were usually on the 'lean side' and he said that they were.

Now Tim--what's up with the Olive Oil? Gonna add garlic and spices to flavor it?

Asian market, I think $3.49 lb but I would have to get my receipt. Convenient enough not to bother with saving money by driving. A fair enough fat at one end but most of it was good. I will show pictures of bacon.

The olive oil was a fun thing for me and something I could cold smoke without much effort. I put it in a shallow pan and planned on 3 hours. The smoke I guessed on the tube ran out between 2.5 and 3 hours.

As it was a first try to see what I think this batch had nothing else in it. One of the posts i read about it made sense that if yo over smoked it you could always add some more oil to mellow it.

Makes sense to me.

I'd never thought about smoked olive oil

While the place I'm getting the bellies from is 15 + or - miles from the Boars Nest, it's just a few blocks from my buddy Ski's place and I'm there at least once or twice a week to get my ass handed to me shooting pool.

I also have higher priced things that I order online delivered to Ski's as between state and local sales taxes they total up to right at 10%.

Speaking of higher priced items, that $129.99 slicer that I bought from Cabelas (and had delivered to Ski's) is boxed up and going back. It's more of a toy than a tool than I first thought. I think I've found something heavier duty and more suited for what I want it for (also more expensive). It's supposed to be at Ski's by this coming Friday.

I'll get the unit unboxed, de-oiled of the factory crud and cleaned and re-oiled to use on some newly made bacon. But I need to have things timed close as the Texas Meet is coming up very quickly

Dang it! Went to start curing my bacon and I didn't have all the ingredients I wanted.

I will have to stop at the store on the way home tomorrow.....

The belly will keep another day and if that is the worst mistake I make today that will be great!

Keep the belly as cold as possible and you should be fine.

It was frozen yesterday and it is in the cold part of my "extra" refrigerator.

For giggles I just went downstairs and measured its temp.

It is 29.5'F in the thick part.

I think I should be safe!

I cut the belly in quarters and kept 3 of them frozen to play with after this first experiment.

Originally Posted by 32t

It was frozen yesterday and it is in the cold part of my "extra" refrigerator.

For giggles I just went downstairs and measured its temp.

It is 29.5'F in the thick part.

I think I should be safe!

Yuppers! You should be more than good. Safe storage temps at store level for fresh products is considered between 34-36 degs F

Originally Posted by 32t

I cut the belly in quarters and kept 3 of them frozen to play with after this first experiment.

Out of curiosity--what was the total weight of the belly

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Out of curiosity--what was the total weight of the belly

The garbage bag is in the alley now and I ain't going out to dig it out!

This one weighs in just shy of 3 lbs and was from what I remember it was the second smallest.

The price I remember would make it out to about 13 lbs total so that seems right.

My calipers could use a little grease for lubrication so if you want I could go down and measure how thick it is.