Bacon jerky!

[Sniper-T]

that's right, I said it! And I'll say it again!

BACON JERKY!!

since I have 50+ pounds of awesome bacon in the freezers, that sounded like a challenge...
so I thawed 3 pounds, 2 regular and one thick. kept 1/2# of thick for Ravioli Carbonara dinner tonight and cooked the rest for the dehydrator as follows...

Laying out for the oven:



first batch draining;



Sprinkled some with Malabar pepper:




Tried some thick cut too:

[Sniper-T]

Sprinkled some with Mexican Cayenne Pepper:



For shits and giggle, I tied wrapping a couple in some paper towel:



I am going to do a tray worth with a maple syrup glaze, but 'll let them dry a little first:



- - - Updated - - -

details, and results to follow...

[ElevenBravo]

I hate you T! You took two great things and put them together, BACON + JERKY = AWESOME!

On a serious note, more details on dehydrate time and outcome... Also curious how long the jerky will last? Both in fridge and on trail, for example..


Thanks for the delicious post!

EB

[Sniper-T]

I've been reading a bunch online and hearing mixed results, anything from 2 days counter time to 8 months and counting. The general consensus thus far is cooking the bacon first (a few advocate going commando), but I didn't want to do a mixed batch, and I needed some cooked for dinner. I will post more info about the steps I took, and why, along with additional info about the dehydrator tray set up and rotation. This is new to me too, so thoughts, ideas, and questions are welcome (as always).

Oh, and i'm sure that if I covered it with msg or some other 'cure' it would increase longevity, but I am not into that kind of stuff if it can be avoided.

[bacpacker]

Looks AWESOME. What times dinner?

I to am curious about times and temps? I will definatly be giving this a try next time the dehydrator comes out.

[realist]

Hey Sniper I was always told to use very lean meat when making jerky. Obviously bacon is the last thing to be lean. Do you seen any problems with all the fat. Tks

[Sniper-T]

So I kicked on the dehydrator to 160 degrees (as hot as it would go) and let it rip.

I shuffled trays about every 4 hours, and wiped/blotted off excess oil/fat from the bacon itself and from the trays.

After 12 hours, I turned it down to 130 degrees, but only because I was leaving it for the day, and didn't want it at high temp unattended.

Will report more when I get home.

I am concerned about the fat, as I have always been a 'lean' minded guy as well, but I'll try anything once (or twice)

Once it is 'done' I'll package up some in several standard ways, and do the torture test on the counter to test longevity. (I say torture, because it'll be torture for me looking at it and not being able to eat it.

The rest I imagine I will inhale!



I am getting better though, it used to be bacon mainlining like this:

[AlphaTea]

I have to say that I am a connoisseur of fine bacon and well seasoned Jerky.
HOWEVER, in all my attempts at combining the two into an undiscovered man food have failed miserably. Any that was made by others was just not as good as regular bacon or regular jerky.
I wish you the best of luck and await your recipe if successful.

[Domeguy]

I know this is going to sound stupid, but can't you just cut off most of the fat. I know you won't have much left. Some of us with more 'delicate' systems can't stand the fat anyway. I think I'll try some as I seem to have the same dehydrator as you do. I'll do a pack with quite a bit of the fat trimmed off and see how it turns out.

[Kesephist]

My contribution.

What I have read of drying meats leads me to think that lower fat content means a more successful and longer-preserved end product.

That in mind, how would, I wonder, ham cuts, as opposed to bacon cuts of pork fare in drying?

Further, how about turkey bacon jerky?

Just some thoughts...

I do see the need to keep fat content down... but not OUT. Fat is the body's more basic fuel source. I carry a few more pounds than I should, and have lost a step or two in years because of it. The strenuous routine of post-SHTF will make the entire matter self-correcting, in one way or another.