Two Questions...1 about BBB, one about "Ribs"

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dreegle1

Fire Starter
Original poster
I got myself a pork shoulder, and after trying a brine, and dry cure, I decided that the dry cure gives a better bacon (my brine gave me a product more like ham...was tasty, but not bacon, if you know what I mean). So, the question is, is the dry cure for buckboard bacon the same, as for belly flap? I imagine the curing time will be longer, but the cure mixture of 1.3 grams cure per pound of skin on bacon, still the right amount?

Secondly, my regular butchers freezer broke down :( So all the surplus ribs that I was buying for $7 a kilogram were thrown away :(

So I went to a different butcher, asked for $20 worth of spare ribs, and wound up taking home, what appears to be a belly flap with bones (ribs)...complete...rind, meat, bones, pleura (membrane), the lot. So what would be my best tactic to deal with this? Should I bone it for the ribs, and make bacon from the rest? or is there a good recipe for the entire piece (and if so, what would it be called)?

I will post pics of my BBB (and the rib, belly bit), in about 10 days or so, just before, and after smoking.

Thanks for any help :D
 
I got myself a pork shoulder, and after trying a brine, and dry cure, I decided that the dry cure gives a better bacon (my brine gave me a product more like ham...was tasty, but not bacon, if you know what I mean). So, the question is, is the dry cure for buckboard bacon the same, as for belly flap? I imagine the curing time will be longer, but the cure mixture of 1.3 grams cure per pound of skin on bacon, still the right amount?  The instructions are based on the weight, so the ratios should be the same for both as should the cure times.  Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Secondly, my regular butchers freezer broke down :( So all the surplus ribs that I was buying for $7 a kilogram were thrown away :(

So I went to a different butcher, asked for $20 worth of spare ribs, and wound up taking home, what appears to be a belly flap with bones (ribs)...complete...rind, meat, bones, pleura (membrane), the lot. So what would be my best tactic to deal with this? Should I bone it for the ribs, (yes) and make bacon from the rest? (and yes) or is there a good recipe for the entire piece (and if so, what would it be called)?  Don't know what it would be called...

I will post pics of my BBB (and the rib, belly bit), in about 10 days or so, just before, and after smoking.

Thanks for any help :D  Excellent!
 
Thanks adiochiro.

My big concern now, with the bbb, will be the curing time...It is a very uneven cut...31/2" at thickest, 1" at thinnest. I am guessing 10 days, with cure applications 3 days apart. I don't have the manufacturers instructions, I walk into the butcher and ask for some DQ cure, and they sell me it $3 at a time...

I was thinking with the ribby belly piece, I might try marinading it as one piece in 
  • 125ml (1/2 cup) honey
  • 80ml (1/3 cup) tomato sauce (ketchup)
  • 60ml (1/4 cup) soy sauce (kecap manis...I like sweet, rather than salty in soy sauce)
  • 2 tbs hoisin sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1-1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • over night, then hang smoke it with cherry/plum at about 225F....until about 180F I.T...Just for the sake of the experiment...although it may be too fatty...Although there are recipes for belly flaps that aren't bacon....
  • Still thinking about it....
  •  
 
Last edited:
I try to butterfly the BBB shoulders so that they are as consistently thick as possible.  Can you butterfly the thick part down to more closely match the thin side?  This will greatly simplify your curing process.  Another option is to separate the thin & thick parts and cure both separately.

I'm not familiar with DQ cure, but the Morton's Tender Quick cure I use requires only one application at the beginning.  I dry rub on the correct amount followed by the rest of my seasonings/flavorings/rubs and vacuum seal for the correct number of days.  The only other thing I do during the cure process is flip and massage the packages once a day.  

I could not find the actual DQ instructions for either cure #1 or 2 on a quick internet search.  Which are you using?  Can you get the actual manufacturer's instructions?

James
 
I have the BBB curing, atm...as for the belly/rib piece, I decided to make a marinade and do it as is. I used 

1 cup brown sugar

1 tbs chinese five spice

1tbs onion powder

1 tbs garlic powder

1tbs chili

1 tbs ground ginger

1 tbs each salt and pepper

1/2 cup sweet soy sauce

1/4 cup water.

I am smoking them in corn cobs :) Not a bad smoke that :)

Anyway, here is the starting pics...

a8253f00_001.jpg


As I said, the belly cut is complete...I can't get to the pleura to remove it....But hey, what are ya gonna do? The other option would be to free up the ribs, and waste a fair bit of meat, and wind up with a belly piece that would make not much bacon.... Bung her in the smoker, she'll be right :)

a2080cc9_002.jpg


I am throwing on a butt as well...I am thinking that the sugar will caramelise, stick, and act as a pellicle....Only one way to find out :D Will post pics in about 7-10 hours time....
 
Awesome!  Looks like a great start, for sure!  I usually remove that membrane by loosening it with the end of a spoon handle and then peeling it off by hand.  Your combo piece may not lend itself to that method, though.  Can't wait for the pix and your evaluation.

James
 
Sounds like you will have what the Chinese call, " Five Layers of Heaven " on a STICK!...JJ
 
There was no way to get to the membrane...There was a layer of meat over it

7178150e_005.jpg


The damage done there was entirely with the fork...Now the surprise. The glaze sealed in all the juice...The meat is extremely tender, and the glaze, which has hardened somewhat, is about 2mm thick, and just peels back, revealing moist, tender meat (puts pulled pork to shame), that has just a hint of the marinades taste. Delicious. I will be using this recipe again...although next time, I might use barbecue sauce, and non Chinese ingredients...I am still gobsmacked at how well the glaze sealed the juices in...Incidently, because the piece was ribs/belly flap/ meat, I used a 4 1/2, 3, 1 1/2, cooking method....
 
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