Hot smoking bacon

From most of what I find online about making bacon everyone talks about cold smoking bacon. Is there anything wrong with hot smoking it? I assume this would make the bacon pre-cooked. What are the reasons for hot smoking it and reasons for not hot smoking it?

Nothing wrong with it, it would just be different. Many people do it, but it won't be the same thing as what you are used to.

It won't hurt your bacon to hot smoke. I do it all the time with great results. And yes it does pre-cook the bacon, but it's still best to fry it up to crisp it and rendering the fat. Although I have been known to sneak a taste when slicing.

I think if you have the capabilities to cold smoke to go ahead and try it. Cold smoke is to big a PITA for me, but it will give you longer contact time with a gentle smoke. Some places will do a cold and hot smoke.

Rob_B said:

I think if you have the capabilities to cold smoke to go ahead and try it. Cold smoke is to big a PITA for me, but it will give you longer contact time with a gentle smoke. Some places will do a cold and hot smoke.

Click to expand...

Cold smoking can be done very easily. Get a NEW soldering iron, some wood chips, and a soup can.

I always hot smoke to 150, though I have carelessly let it go above 185 due to distractions, with no adverse effect other than a slightly firmer texture than usual. Fry it up and prepare for the BLT of a lifetime. Also, letting it rest in the fridge before slicing makes all the difference in the world. Warm pork fat tends to really grease up the deli slicer!

I smoke mine at what would be considered medium heat. Ambient temps play a big role, as my smoker is outdoors. Cold smoking is technically no hotter than 70F, I believe, kinda hard to do in the summer here. Winter, maybe. My smoker temp usually doesn't get over 125F. I burn down some oak logs in a pit, then shovel a small amount of coals into the smoker and add wood chips/chunks, a big handful maybe 3 times over 3-4 hours. Ends up great. BTW my 'smoker' is a horizontal barrel type grill (mfg by Royal Oak, from Lowe's) that has a side mounted fire box.

Fat will render out during smoking if the temp gets too hot, changing the character of the meat. I dry rub mine for a week, rinse in fresh water, hang to dry overnight, then smoke, then hang for a few weeks in a temp controlled fridge at maybe 45F. The dry aging creates a really nice product, where the bacon is firm and is easily cut. The flavor concentrates and storability is greatly lengthened.

Bacon is proof that God loves us. Bacon makers unite