Wild bacon!

[Txdragon]

From the wild hog I got yesterday, I pulled off some beautiful sides for bacon!! Each one is about 5-6 pounds after clean and trim. The first pic is after cleanup/before trim, second is after trim. Yeah, the inside skirt is still attached, but it's just too small to fuss about.






Will be mixing up my dry cure a bit later on. Ran out of time before having to start work this morning Certainly more to follow! This will be my first batch from a wild hog and I am certainly excited to see the results!

[BluDawg]

Must have been a good sized hawg I shot two in my front yard on Thursday that dressed out at 35 & 42 lb. Does that make me a baby killer I gave the bigger one away roasting the smaller one this week for a neighbor who is having a birthday party for his wife.

[Txdragon]

Not at all! Those are perfect for whole cooks! This one here dressed out to about 220. Full weight was about 250. Normally, there's just not enough pig there to get anything for bacon I am REALLY looking forward to the hams on this guy. The hinds are roughly 25lbs each. This was a really good pig with great potential!

[Txdragon]

Here is the dry cure I use for bacon. It works for commercial pigs, I don't see why it wouldn't for feral. 2 cups brown sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons of black pepper, 1 cup kosher salt, pink salt (per package directions per pound).




Then I will take the pork side and sprinkle a slight coat of kosher salt (as you can see I took the pic showing the first coat of salt with the starting application of the cure), then apply a hearty amount of the cure mix to each side.




Now they are bagged and in the bottom of the fridge and will remain for 5-6 days. I will flip them over 1 time each day. This week is going to be suspenseful

[ChileFarmer]

Don't see many hogs that size, nice looking bacon. Be an interesting thing to see how it turns out. Bet its good. I cure mine a little longer, maybe 10 days for me (dry Cure) CF

[Txdragon]

I cure them 24 hours per pound. If they were bigger, i'd have them in a bit longer

[Txdragon]

Giving the sides their daily flip today, I noticed these things tightened up considerably since I first put them in to cure. I mean, we're talking door mat stiff. Should I consider these are done now and get them promoted to the last stage, rinse, dry to form pellicle, etc? Or just keep on truckin' as originally planned til Friday?

[Txdragon]

Pulled them today, 1 day early, from the cure so they can get their pellicle on! Rinsed and patted dry, then gave em some pepper. I snapped the pic before peppering.







They are decently meaty, as seen here. This was 1 side cut in half (2 pieces shown). I didn't notice something until I uploaded the picture. Notice how the salt box says "Kosher for Passover", yet it's been kinda used to prop bacon? Kinda ironic..

[ChileFarmer]

Man, that is some lean bacon. Much better than what I am buying. Watching for smoke. CF

[tex_toby]

Dang I'd sure like to give that a try next to some biscuits and eggs!

[The Idiot]

That looks good! I wish we had wild pork running around over here!

[limey]

Dang I'd sure like to give that a try next to some biscuits and eggs!

+1, nice job.

[Txdragon]

That looks good! I wish we had wild pork running around over here!

Don't pigs originate from England? Or was it Spain?


Thanks Limey! I have been air drying them in the fridge now since last night. The smoke goes on them tomorrow!

[Txdragon]

Close to a 48 hour dry time in the fridge. Now ready for some smoke!!

[Txdragon]

Here we are getting some smoke. I tried something different since it was from a wild hog and went with mesquite. All I have to say is: WOW!!



Here we are all sliced up and ready to put in the pan. This batch makes for some EXCELLENT BLT's!! I think the mesquite added such an awesome flavor profile for sandwiches. Texas Toast with chipotle mayo, a little spicy brown mustard, lettuce and tomato. Sorry I didn't get pics of any of the sandwiches, you'll have to use your imagination there






Edit: Coming soon-Ham project!