first buckboard bacon

[Unity]

My venture into cured meat started today. After reading the directions that came with the Hi Mountain Buckboard Bacon Cure, I searched "buckboard bacon" here on BBQ Central and ended up using a combination of techniques, including some similar to what wittdog posted from another forum about a year ago.


Boneless butt trimmed of excess fat and split in two horizontally. Because the bone cavity wasn't centered, the split wasn't equal; one "half" is thicker than the other, but that shouldn't matter.


All surfaces of meat coated with cure. I'm sure I used a lot more than I needed to, 'cause there wasn't much left in the bag. Maybe I'll rinse/soak it a little longer at the end of the curing step.


Each half bagged in its own 2.5-gal bag, the two being weighed on my close-enough-for-homemade scale, then put in the bottom of the backup refrigerator.

More to follow ...

--John

 

[Tannehill Kid]

I will keep my eye on this tread. This buckboard bacon is new to me.

 

[Puff1]

Lookin' good John.
Keep us posted.

 

[ronbeaux50]

I got some canadian bacon going now due to Wittgog and I'm sure it will come out perfect!! First for me too, well sort of.

 

[Griff]

John, what did you use for the sweet part, honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup? I just checked the freezer and I am due for some more buckboard and Canuk bacon myself.

 

[Unity]

John, what did you use for the sweet part, honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup?

Hi Mountain's cure doesn't call for a sweet part. Its main ingredients are salt, brown sugar, sugar, and maple sugar (in that order) so I figured they have it covered. Think I should add some? I'd be inclined to make if maple syrup if I did.

--John

 

[Griff]

I've never used Hi Mtn. I use Tender Quick. I like molasses and maple syrup.

 

[Bruce B]

I've used Hi-Mountain before and did not add any additional sugar or syrup to their cure.

 

[john a]

That Hi Mountain is good stuff. Use it on a pork loin and you'll have Canadian bacon. Tip, do not let your 12 year old grandson and 7 year old granddaughter know it's there.

 

[wittdog]

Go John Go

 

[john pen]

Looks good !

 

[Bill The Grill Guy]

MMMMMMMMMM, BB. Keep them coming John.

 

[wittdog]

What are you going to smoke that on and at what temp are you shooting for...pit temp?

 

[Unity]

What are you going to smoke that on and at what temp are you shooting for...pit temp?

Good question. The Hi Mountain instructions say place meat on screen/grill and heat smoker to 150° for 45 min without smoke, increase temp to 200° and start smoke; smoke until internal temp of meat reaches 140°. They're evidently basing it on an electric smokehouse.

The only smoking device I've got is a WSM. I don't think I can keep it down to those kinds of temps even if I do a mini-Minion start with a tiny charcoal charge, so I was figuring keep it as low as I can and see what happens. Or maybe I should look for a hotplate and do an electric-WSM conversion? For that matter, I guess I could rig the Weber kettle for electric. I've got about 10 days to figure it out. Whaddya think?

--John

 

[Bobberqer]

lol I'm doing the same thing just posted on the curing section thingy... mine oughta be ready on the 11th or 12th of March.. That Wittdog oughta start his own radio show or sometin

 

[wittdog]

I like the idea of the hotplate conversion of the WSM....I might order a second door just to try it out...I think you can keep the temps low enough with a mimi minion method start...another little hint...the night before you plan on smoking the bacon...as long as it has been in the brine long enough...let it air dry in the fridge on a drying rack....

 

[BchrisL]

John,
You might get a Calrod unit and rig it up inside the smoker and run it with a thermostat. A tin of wood chips placed on top of it at the proper time would provide the smoke.

Chris

 

[Unity]

Thanks, I've already ordered a Rival hotplate, which already has a thermostat, for about the same money as the Calrod unit less thermostat. I'm not sure I'll use it, but I'll introduce it to the WSM and see how they get along.

--John

 

[Nick Prochilo]

John, I did mine a year or so ago on the WSM and it worked fine. You can keep a small fire burning if you babysit it. I split mine into 4 or 5 indivuald bacons after they were smoked and shrunk wrapped them and froze them. I just took another one out of the freezer a few weeks ago and had some on grilled pizza! Your gonna love it!

 

[Captain Morgan]

here's a little reading...

http://www.charlotte.com/192/story/511592.html