Adena Farms Smoked Beef Bacon

Beef bacon works great seared in a cast iron pan over medium heat. You can also shave it like roast beef which is great in a sandwich, or even better, add egg and cheese.

This recipe uses the flat of brisket, a little less fatty than the point end. It is the ultimate recipe for all the meat-lovers and is perfect for low and slow cooking.

INGREDIENTS 

For the Brine:

• 1 Gallon of Filtered Water 
• 1 cup Himalayan Salt
• 3 oz Cane Sugar
• 6 Bay Leaves
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp Juniper Berries *Did you know Juniper Berries were originally used by the Romans as pepper?
• 2 tsp Black Peppercorns

For the Brisket:

• 3-4 lb Adena Farms Whole Beef Brisket, Flat End (Leaner end)
• Wood Chips (Oak or Hickory work great with a little Mesquite)
• 1:1 Ratio White Vinegar and Apple Juice in a food grade spray bottle (approx 1/2 cup each should do)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients for the brine in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and stir well to dissolve sugar and salt. 
2. Allow the brine to cool completely.
3. Add the brisket to the brine and place in the fridge for five days. Weigh down the brisket to avoid the meat getting any air – a plate will do the trick!
4. After five days, remove the brisket and rinse well under cold water for 15-20mins. Always rinse after brining, to remove excess salt. If possible allow the brisket to dry in the fridge overnight, if not, pat dry. This allows the smoke to adhere to the beef better.
5. Bring your smoker up to 225°F with the wood chips. Once the temperature has come up, add brisket. Spray every hour with apple/vinegar mix.
6. The meat should take approx. 1.5 hours per pound. Closely monitor the smoker temperature to ensure it stays at 225°F. Temperature is key. Meat absorbs smoke best when raw. After about 2-3 hours, no more smoke is necessary. However, for larger pieces, be sure to fully cook the meat until internal temperature is reached. If you notice the meat is developing burnt ends you can wrap with foil and continue cooking until 180°F is reached.
7. Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 180°F, remove and allow to cool.
8. Once cool, slice and freeze between pieces of wax paper.

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