Making Bacon

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

smokin for life

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
OTBS Member
Apr 21, 2007
985
10
Phila.
Well I guess I'm going to try my hand at bacon now. After reading previous post on bacon I'm going wih the Buckboard. I'm a little confussed on what cut of meat to use. I don't think I'm going to be able to find pork belly's. Would a butt be the next best thing? And if so, what would a good weight be? The buck board will have the direction for smoking it is the correct? Thanks Again to any one who's able to help me. I never thought I would ever be this interested in smoking as I am. This IS addictive!!!
 
Smokin ...haven't done it myself yet ( but the cure is on order !) most that I 've read about here use pork butts ...aka boston butts....some even use it on pork loin bnls or bone -in ...full instructions should be included with the packaging of the cure ..good luck n don't forget the porn !
icon_mrgreen.gif
 
michael

with the buckboard bacon cure you will get instructions it is a pork butt that you use it is real easy to make measure the amount of cure that is recomended rub it into the deboned butt on the inside and out put in a plastic bag and put it in the fridge for 10 days turning every other day on the 10th day rinse and soak it in freshwater for 1 hour place it on your smoker rack and put on the sink and let it dry for an hour place into smoker smoke it until temp of the butt reaches 141 pull let it cool slice and fry it like regular bacon i would use a six to eight pound butt you may want to buy two if you are like me one wont be enough

huey
 
yea I did a couple of buckboard's using shoulder blade that I trimmed out the blade and all.....also been doing canadian bacon. for the buckboard I used the following:

2 lb shoulder (each blade ended up about a pound each)
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup kosher salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs liquid smoke
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs onion powder
1 tsp prague 2

let shoulders sit in cure for 2 weeks flipping daily, when ready wash and sit in cold water bath 2 hours, then allow to dry and form a tacky surface, smoke 200 until internal at 140

I used apple wood as well.....has turned into my favorite wood....
 
I'm not sure what "prague 2" is, I know I don't have any. Is it a pretty comman spice?
 
Mike -

It's a curing Agent - here's the short version of curing agents:

Prague powder #1 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite and 16 parts salt. You normally use 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lb. of meat. Used at any time meat is not immediately put into freezer or refrigerator, Such as smoking, air drying, dehumidifying, etc. This is similar to and sometimes called Curing Salt.

Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite,.64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. You normally use 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lb. of meat. mainly used for products that will be air cured for long time like: Country Ham, salami, peperoni, and other dry sausages.

Instacure 1 is a mixture of 1oz of Sodium Nitrite (6.25 %) to 1 lb of salt. Used at any time meat is not immediately put into freezer or refrigerator, Such as smoking, air drying, dehumidifying, etc.

Instacure 2 is a mixture of 1 oz of Sodium Nitrite (6.25 %) along with .64 oz od Sodium Nitrate (4 %) to 1 lb of salt. mainly used for products that will be air cured for long time like: Country Ham, salami, peperoni, and other dry sausages.

Note: The Curing Salts above contain FDA approved red coloring agent that gives them a slight pink color thus eliminating any possible confusion with common salt

Morton's Tender Quick is a mixture of salt, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate and sugar. You normally use 1 level tablespoon of cure for 1 lb. of meat.

Saltpeter is potassium nitrate and is also used as a curing agent but I know n


You may be able to get some from your local butcher but most us us order them online from sausage supply places.
 
Ive been thinking about doing some bacon myself, here is a link to sausagemaker.com for some bacon cures:
http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.as...gory=50&Page=2

ive tried the corned beef cure and its really good.

the meat locker downtown has 50lb boxes of pork bellies for $25 bucks frozen. not a bad deal but 50 lbs is alot, but i think id order the maple cure and then smoke it in some sweeter woods like peach apple or cherry.
 
50lb boxes of pork bellies for $25 bucks ? Downtown where?

I paid $27 for one fatty nasty one about as long as my forearm!
 
Chrish....for .50 /lb....buy a bunch....split with buddies ??? Hmmmmmmmmmm ,,,such as US here on SMF.....great deal for everyone !!! cheapest I can get it here is 1.99/lb.....
PDT_Armataz_01_07.gif
 
Count me in on that one, its almost worth it even if you have to toss half of it for lack of space. Hell...i'd take a few days off of work and smoke all day and night to use it up at that price!!
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky