I know I have been gone forever. I am still alive, but had a crazy busy winter, but I am back now. I got a great gift for Christmas, a propane smoker. It is eaiser to regulate than my side firebox and I can get really low temps so it can act as a cold smoker as well. I LOVE IT!! I have friends that call me Martha Smoker because I will smoke almost anything. So far it has been wings, brisket, salt, trout, homemade sausages, chickens, and duck. Last week I made bacon. Honest. I got a pork belly from Dupont Farmer’s Market, cured it, and then smoked it over applewood. I will admit that it wasn’t perfect. It was WAY too salty! But being the Virginia girl that I am I soaked it for a few days (just like I would a Smithfield ham) and then it was more that edible. Dipal (Landon’s boyfriend) thinks I need to sell it to make the family fortune (he is very kind).
This week I got to meet the man who runs one of the best chaucuterie programs in the country (at Belmont Butchery in Ricmond) about my bacon and he kindly replied “it is a first step in the process”. I am proud of my first step, but I look forward to the ones to come.
