Using a pellet grill for smoking bacon is pretty straightforward when using a pellet tube smoker. However, there are some key points that I’ve learned over the years that can help make things easier and more straightforward. Of course, like most things, experience and going through the learning curve is part of the process. The bacon we normally eat at …
Can I Cure Meat Without Nitrates/Nitrites (Pink Curing Salt)
Over the years I’ve done a lot of meat curing using sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite. Another name for these is pink curing salt. A question that comes up a lot around here, is whether you need to use them to make cured meats. Curing meat also has a wide meaning, whether it’s dry cured or smoked/cooked (hot smoking). So …
Why Does my Bacon Taste Like Ham?
Bacon can definitely taste like ham, and there is one main reason why this happens. It comes down to the technique that’s used to make the bacon. I’ve been making bacon and ham for nearly 20 years and have tried many different techniques. Hams comes in many varieties and so does bacon! But the main reason is this one below: …
Do I Need to add Curing Salt to Bacon?
Adding curing salt to your bacon is one of those things that many new meat curers ask. It’s also a question that often comes up here on my blog, so I thought I would share many years of research and give you some facts about it. I’ll go into it, how I do it and how I approach it. I …
How to Cook Trout on a Campfire (and Other Methods)
When it comes to fishing, catching and cooking trout on an open campfire this is something I love to do, either at home out the back or out in the bush. As a young kid I had an ability to catch trout nearly every single time I went out (after a few years maybe a decade of practice). I was …
Dry Curing Vs Wet Brining for Meat Curing
The two main methods of curing meat are dry curing and wet brining. I have done both methods in various ways over the years, and it will be helpful to provide explanations about how I do it. As well as which method suits different types of meat curing better. I start with a quick summary of each method and then …
Smokai Cold & Hot Smoke Generator Review in Detail
Being a super keen guy on curing and smoking all kinds of stuff, I’ve spent hundreds if not thousands of hours smoking over the years (not just meat either). As I’ve learned many of the in’s and out’s of cold smoking over 20 odd years, like everything I’m still learning. But it’s kind of become second nature too. Smokai is …
Is Cured Ham Considered Processed Meat?
Cured ham is delicious, but is it considered processed meat like the rest of them. Perhaps your mind has wandered into a random search, or maybe you are looking for healthy alternatives for your family to consume on your everyday sandwich. Ham has many variations as well, but since it’s a cured product, this site is all about all the …
Difference Between Cured Meat vs. Smoked Meat
Cured meat and smoked meats cross over in some ways but are also different, let’s look at both in detail. While both methods offer their own unique advantages (and flavors) to meat, curing vs.smoking meat has unique properties that make them quite distinct from one another. I’ve been keen on all types for year like dry cured meats made in …
Is Himalayan Pink Salt Good for Curing Meat?
I have used Himalayan pink salt for meat curing, but it seems there’s a bit of confusion about whether it’s a good thing and also actually what it is. This isn’t going to be very scientific (but will have links) but I have done a little bit of research before I have used it in the past for curing various …