Looking for a buckboard bacon recipe NOT himountain

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atcnick

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jan 1, 2010
381
40
Longview, Texas
Just tested out my cinder block smoker and works perfect.   For my first try I want to try buckboard bacon.  I have Instacure#1 from the Sausage Maker.  Does anyone know where I can find a recipe using instacure#1?  Everything I see calls for hi-mountain cure.

Thanks.

Here's a test run of my cinder block smoker:

 
Here is a basic recipe I started with. The brine is adapted from a brine recipe RonP gave me a while back so it originally called for Tender Quick. I make my own Tender Quick substitute using DQ #1/Instacure #1/Prague Powder #1. You can scale the recipe as needed. This will easily make 2 shoulders worth of buckboard bacon.

First you need to make the Tender Quick substitute. Mix the following together well:

4 ounces cure #1

1 lbs extra fine granulated sugar

2 lbs kosher salt

You won't use all of the TQ substitute so put in a container or bag.

Now for the brine.

Dissolve in one gallon of distilled water and mix:

4 cups of TQ substitute

2 TBS onion powder

2 TBS garlic powder

1/2 cup maple sugar

I like to cut my shoulders into two inch high strips the width of the shoulder. Then I will inject the strips with brine. After injecting, I place them in gallon ziploc bags. I will put one piece in one ziploc bag and then place that ziploc bag in a second ziploc bag (in case the first one leaks) and fill the interior ziploc bag with brine, squeeze all the air out, and seal the bags. I then put them in the fridge to cure for 4 days. You could use a container instead of ziploc bags if you wish.

At the 4 day mark I take them out and soak them for an hour in cold water. Pat them dry, coat with black pepper or whatever you want and then smoke them.
 
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Thanks solar yellow! I'm confused, instacure#1 and cure#1 are the same, right? What temp should I smoke at? To an internal temp of 152, right? How much of the brine should I inject? How much brine should I let the meat soak in?
 
For BBB that you can eat right out of the fridge, or warmed just a bit, smoke to 165˚.

If you plan on always frying it, or cooking it in some way before you eat it, just like store bought Bacon, you can take it out wherever you want (once you have nice color), but I would not go above 140˚ in this method, and I wouldn't use a finishing smoking temp of more than 180˚ for this method.

Bear
 
Yes, they are the same. I smoke to about 140 - 145 keeping the smoker around 180*. Your goal with the injection should be about 15-20% of the green weight. Soak the meat in enough brine that it is completely submerged.
 
Thanks solar yellow! I'm confused, instacure#1 and cure#1 are the same, right? What temp should I smoke at? To an internal temp of 152, right? How much of the brine should I inject? How much brine should I let the meat soak in?
 
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What Bear Said...

I cold smoke my BBB and  have brought the internal temp up to 120*.  I like to fry mine anyways.

Canadian bacon is different, you want the internal up to 165* for eating right out of the package.

TJ
 
I like your smoker Nick, I still need to build something like that.

I like to take my BBB to 155°-160° then thin slice it for sammie meat
 
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