1.) Swamp Fox - 03/04/2020

I pucker up when I think about using backstrap for bacon, but then I watch the second video and get a giggle from the *outrageous* Midwest accent ...

2.) bluecat - 03/04/2020

In the second video, is that meat ready to eat or does it need to be dehydrated more? That would be an interesting way to make jerky as well without using the caulking gun (pia).

3.) DParker - 03/04/2020

[QUOTE=bluecat;60206]In the second video, is that meat ready to eat or does it need to be dehydrated more? That would be an interesting way to make jerky as well without using the caulking gun (pia).[/QUOTE]

About 24 seconds in he says that the bacon had been smoked "all day yesterday" (you have to really crank the volume up to hear him though). Unfortunately he doesn't say whether that's a cold or a hot smoke. But based on his setup (when he goes back to show you the jerky in the smoker) I surmised that it was a hot smoke. This was verified when I looked over on the right side and saw another of his videos, which was titled "HOW I SMOKE MY VENISON BACON", in which goes over the process and shows the smoker temperature probe reading 164°F, then states that he takes the bacon to an internal temp of about 155°F. So, yeah...already cooked and ready to eat. I had my favorite processor make bacon out of part of a deer a few years ago, and it looked exactly like that, so I assume it was made similarly. It was also cooked and quite good right out of the fridge, though it benefitted from some crisping-up time in a skillet first.

[video=youtube;ghM6q-E8wRs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghM6q-E8wRs[/video]

4.) bluecat - 03/04/2020

I heard that too, but the meat looked too pliable to me. So what is the difference between what he did and normal ground jerky? He put it in a loaf pan, smoked it and then cut it.
So, is that just thicker jerky?

5.) DParker - 03/04/2020

I think the biggest difference is the ~50% pork fat he ground in with it. That'll do a lot for pliability.

ETA: I also take his "smoking all day" claim with a grain of salt after seeing that he was smoking those relatively thin slabs at ~164°F until they hit an internal temp of ~155°F. When I smoke bellies post-cure right out of the fridge it only takes 3-4 hours for them to hit that target temp, with my smoker being held as close to that as I can. Granted, they're thinner than those venison slabs, but not by that much.

6.) Swamp Fox - 03/05/2020

.....

7.) DParker - 03/05/2020

Actually, now that I look again...those venison "bacon" slabs aren't any thicker than a typical pork belly.