I'm pissed!

Sanders · 10-28-2023, 08:25 AM

I bought some relatively high-priced, farm store pork belly to make bacon with. The people raise, slaughter, and butcher their own hogs. I bought two smallish (2-3 lbs ea) slabs. One was going to become a maple/bourbon/coffee bacon and the other a habenero/honey/brown sugar bacon.

This morning, I opened up the slabs to get them ready for curing only to find they had been sliced in half and were only 1/2" - 1/4" thick and the lean had been separated from the fat! I can't make bacon out of this, as it would only make spaghetti bacon slices when finished!

Why in the

would a butcher do that to a pork belly? When I ordered them, they were whole. I watched the butcher take the pork belly out of the cooler and into the back to cut off what I ordered. It wasn't cut in half then. When I got the meat, it was wrapped in butcher paper, so I couldn't see what had been done. There's no reason that I can even think of. I even told them I was going to make bacon out of them, and we talked recipes.

Not throwing them out, but now I have to cook them in some other way.

Hey, Boon! Can I re-freeze the pork in freezer bags or do I have to cook it all up?

aviator · 10-28-2023, 08:33 AM

you can re-freeze it but will lose some of the texture as the juices freeze, thaw. Wrap it as tight as possible to prevent air going in. I use those cling wrap plastic and wrap the meat, I've used it on salmon too, and that way you know what's inside.

But Boon is the meat expert, he may have a better way.

baboon · 10-28-2023, 10:27 AM

Your almost better off to cook it & then freeze it. I'd be looking at some form of asian inspired sauce for it. Pan sear the meat, then sauce it. The sauce would act as a barrier to freezer burn.

The last two pork belly I bought were still in the cryovac & marked down for the date. I refroze then but a cryovac bag is excellent to freeze in plush had jus enough tissue fluid in the bags to give an extra level of protection.

The ones I buy are 6-7 pounds. They are just the right size for the container I cure them. One fits well inside my Kamodo. I like smoking my bacon on the elevated rack for the best smoke coverage.

I watched this video a while back about smoking a brisket. He uses a 55 gallon drum upright smoker. It looks like it be great for bacon & sausage smoking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpKrDx0z-Kc&t=4s

Johnny · 10-31-2023, 09:29 PM

If I were you I would politely bring my concerns to the seller. If they didn't do the right thing, I'd politely thank them for their time and never do business with them again and advise others to do the same.

If I were the seller, I'd first of all apologize. Next, I would GIVE you the correct sliced meat and tell you to keep the bad stuff.

You would do well to speak to the seller. There's a good chance they're gonna do the right thing.

baboon · 10-31-2023, 11:13 PM

I actually had the first bacon off my last batch this morning. I was very meaty with a great flavor. My boy Renfield got the first slice that was all meat no fat. I diced it up fine & mixed it into his dry dog food. He certainly enjoyed it in a big way.

10-28-2023, 08:25 AM	#1
Sanders Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 66,557	I'm pissed! I bought some relatively high-priced, farm store pork belly to make bacon with. The people raise, slaughter, and butcher their own hogs. I bought two smallish (2-3 lbs ea) slabs. One was going to become a maple/bourbon/coffee bacon and the other a habenero/honey/brown sugar bacon. This morning, I opened up the slabs to get them ready for curing only to find they had been sliced in half and were only 1/2" - 1/4" thick and the lean had been separated from the fat! I can't make bacon out of this, as it would only make spaghetti bacon slices when finished! Why in the would a butcher do that to a pork belly? When I ordered them, they were whole. I watched the butcher take the pork belly out of the cooler and into the back to cut off what I ordered. It wasn't cut in half then. When I got the meat, it was wrapped in butcher paper, so I couldn't see what had been done. There's no reason that I can even think of. I even told them I was going to make bacon out of them, and we talked recipes. Not throwing them out, but now I have to cook them in some other way. Hey, Boon! Can I re-freeze the pork in freezer bags or do I have to cook it all up? __________________ "The truly dangerous man dresses inconspicuously and is soft- spoken. He walks away from most confrontations. The only time you learn that the truly dangerous man is mad at you is a split second before you die, for he never fights. He only kills. The truly dangerous man knows that fighting is what children do and killing is what men do." - Charley Reese 1986 3

10-28-2023, 08:33 AM	#2
aviator unum de multis Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bunker's Headquarters. Posts: 52,569	you can re-freeze it but will lose some of the texture as the juices freeze, thaw. Wrap it as tight as possible to prevent air going in. I use those cling wrap plastic and wrap the meat, I've used it on salmon too, and that way you know what's inside. But Boon is the meat expert, he may have a better way. __________________ "Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem." Pesident Ronald Reagan

10-28-2023, 10:27 AM	#3
baboon slug Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Out by the lake in central Texas Posts: 18,338	Your almost better off to cook it & then freeze it. I'd be looking at some form of asian inspired sauce for it. Pan sear the meat, then sauce it. The sauce would act as a barrier to freezer burn. The last two pork belly I bought were still in the cryovac & marked down for the date. I refroze then but a cryovac bag is excellent to freeze in plush had jus enough tissue fluid in the bags to give an extra level of protection. The ones I buy are 6-7 pounds. They are just the right size for the container I cure them. One fits well inside my Kamodo. I like smoking my bacon on the elevated rack for the best smoke coverage. I watched this video a while back about smoking a brisket. He uses a 55 gallon drum upright smoker. It looks like it be great for bacon & sausage smoking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpKrDx0z-Kc&t=4s

10-31-2023, 09:29 PM	#4
Johnny Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,238	If I were you I would politely bring my concerns to the seller. If they didn't do the right thing, I'd politely thank them for their time and never do business with them again and advise others to do the same. If I were the seller, I'd first of all apologize. Next, I would GIVE you the correct sliced meat and tell you to keep the bad stuff. You would do well to speak to the seller. There's a good chance they're gonna do the right thing.

10-31-2023, 11:13 PM	#5
baboon slug Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Out by the lake in central Texas Posts: 18,338	I actually had the first bacon off my last batch this morning. I was very meaty with a great flavor. My boy Renfield got the first slice that was all meat no fat. I diced it up fine & mixed it into his dry dog food. He certainly enjoyed it in a big way.