Beer Bread and Bacon

[sfischer]

Those are my main hobbies now. I also fish and tie my own flies. Been making bacon for a few months just got into making panchetta, and thats some amazingly good stuff. Next time I make bacon I want to smoke some eggs I hear its amazing.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i've never heard of smoked eggs. How would you make those?

 

[flgardengirl]

So do you raise hogs and then butcher them or do you buy them already butchered to make bacon? We have been toying with the idea of raising a few hogs for meat. We made our own sausage last year it took half the day lol. I know bacon probably is a lot of work too. We cheated and bought boneless pork and added some fat to it. I also did some boneless chicken for chicken apple sausage but it came out a little too dry/lean next time I will have to add more fat. They were good though. DH put some ghost peppers in his..way too hot for me lol.
I haven't heard of smoked eggs either. Sounds good.

to BYC

 

[redhen]

Smoked eggs!!? HOw do you do that??

 

[sfischer]

Smoking eggs is easy. Boil them before hand and them place them in the smoker for a few hours (if its not a cold smoker less time like half an hour). The one time I tried it the white turned smoke colored and had a slight smoke flavor I would try it for longer next time.

When I make bacon I just get the bellies from the asian markets. Takes about a week to cure and then 4-6 hours to smoke. Really worth it though. But its the panchetta that is my favorite. I have a slab drying right now.

 

[ChicksterJo]

How do you make pancetta? I'd like to try some but it is pricey at the supermarket. We have a smoker and have tried smoking pork shoulder, pork ribs and whole chicken so far - never eggs. I'd try that next time!

 

[sfischer]

Making panchetta is the easiest thing in the world. You need the belly and pink curing salt.

http://www.chow.com/food-news/53527/make-your-own-pancetta/

Better explanation than I could do.

 

[homme]

Thanks for the Pancetta link, I'm sure I'll try it. Man, I love bacon but never made it. Used to make and smoke sausage a lot. I have a few dry cure sausage recipe links if you need them. I'd like to hear your bacon recipe.

 

[ChicksterJo]

Thanks for the link! Belly is expensive around here. I went to college in Chicago and for meat (and pork belly yum) I'd go to a butcher on the westside and they'd have pork belly for $1.29/lb. Here it's about $3 on sale. But I'll have to try that pancetta recipe anyway.

 

[AyeUpChuck]

We're getting two pigs in the fall to butcher in Spring. They're going to be finished on chantrelles, hazelnuts and truffles that we forage this fall and winter. I'm a former chef by trade and we had to butcher all our primals. I can break down a whole half a hog in about 30 mins. Maybe a bit longer for actual cuts etc. We're going to be making mainly cured meats with at least one whole pig. We're making pancetta, English back bacon, prosciutto, and countless other salamis and lardo. HIGHLY recommend it. If you have the space or know someone who does it's the best investment you'll ever make. Not only does it taste better because you've made it yourself but it's far less expensive if you can get pass the initial sticker shock.