Homemade Sausage Making

Thanks to all for your replies and hard earned knowledge.... After reading all of the responses I have accepted I have done many things wrong!

I put the bacon into the smoker cold.... It may have sat on the counter for 15 min before placing into smoker.

The never let the bacon sit in smoker with slight heat to dry. I immediately started smoking.

About 2 hrs into the smoke, I went outside to check temp and notices a lot of condensation at top vents (which were fully open the entire time). There was enough water there that when I wiped the vent with my finger water dripped off of my finger.

And I need to work on DRYING off the meat a little better before putting into smoker.

I smoke my bacon (streaky) at low temperatures with a csg (very light smoke) for a good 10 hours or so, keep in the fridge at day time and smoke at night for another 10 hours. It produces the type of bacon I grew up with.

I cook/fry my bacon before eating

Bacon smoked till something like 69 oC is a total different product in my opinion and I would use it differently as well.

STICKSTRING wrote:And I need to work on DRYING off the meat a little better before putting into smoker.

Also check your smoker for moisture. I find it best to let everything get reasonably dry before putting it in the smoker and I will preheat it before I do it. One of my smokers - Wilbur - is notorious for building up condensation on the inside for some reason. I have to run it for a good hour to get it dry before putting meat in it. May not have anything to do with your smoker because Wilbur is a unique hand made smoker and has its on idiosyncrasies.

You don't have to bring your bacon temp up to 138, etc.
If the smoke is too much, simply reduce the time in the smoker.
You may only need 30 mins in your small Bradley with the wood puck, is hose Bradleys are very small and a little smoke from them goes a long way. Smoke is simply particles in the air...too many on your meat and it will taste like creosote.

You only need to cook the bacon when you eat it, not after your finished curing it.
My bacon never sees any temp north of 80 deg F at any time during the process...until it hits my oven or skillet right before I eat it.

Don't cook your bacon until you eat it, it's much better that way IMHO.
Just cure, smoke to taste, then package and freeze. Cook later when you are ready to actually eat it.