Bacon and Lemons

It has been a long time, a very long time, since I've posted anything here.  Life seems to get in the way of the blog life.  A new granddaughter, changes at work, moving 300 miles (closer to my granddaughter), ailing family took up time.  Couple that with not having a camera handy when it's most needed.  Excuses, excuses!    My Grandmother told me that excuses are the sign of a weak person.

So back to busy-ness.  A few weeks ago, I discovered pay dirt in the form of a tiny, nearly hidden butcher shop in my new town.  Keep in mind I frequently read and am inspired by Cowgirl and Ohio Farmgirl.   These ladies can do ANYTHING and they DO everything.  Blend them with Maxine and you have the perfect woman.  Well, that would be the woman I want to be.

So, this week has been productive and fun.  We came back from a cousin's wedding, snagged back my dehydrator from Mom's.  (I had no room for it in the apartment, but now in a house - woo hoo, I can stretch my kitchen wings again).

Last week, I purchased a big bag of lemons. Today I sliced them in 1/8" slices and cranked up the heat (155 F) on my little Excalibur.  Six hours later, dried lemon slices.

 

Lemon Slices Drying

Then I purchased 20 lb of pork belly from the butcher yesterday.  It was frozen solid.  Really solid.  So solid, the butcher had to saw the slabs (frozen together) to make a sale.  Seven hours ticked by, then I could pull the still frozen slabs apart.

Slab set 1 of 2

OK, I'll get back on track.  The pork is beautifully streaked and very meaty.

Slab set 2 of 2

My mouth is watering for a bacon sandwich now.  But there are steps, and waiting, lots of waiting before that happens.

I grabbed my bacon cure (from the Pork Heaven near Mom's place) out of the pantry.

Bacon Cure

Trimmed the skin off the pork belly (see what to do with this little treasure (click here for chicharrones)

Trimming the skin off the pork belly

Massaged in the cure, anywhere and everywhere, wrapped in plastic bags and stuffed the meat into the refrigerator.

Cold curing

Now we wait for 5 days.  Tick... tick... tick... tick... tic

Y'all come back, now, ya hear?