Buckboard Bacon (Step by Step)

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for the post Bearcarver. I have been wanting to do BBB for literally 3 years now, but while raising little kids is an honor, it also means that I will have NO idea what I will be doing or where I will be ten days after bagging and curing the BBB! Nevertheless things are getting easier everyday, so it's time to dive back in to the SMF wonderland and there's no better way then to start with BBB.

So now I have a decision to make; do I use Pops6927's Wet Curing Brine, or do I use your dry brine method outlined above? Do you know if there a difference in taste? In your opinion, is one method more flexible than the other? I have the pink salt used in Pops recipe AND I have the Mortons TQ like what you use.

Also, as an experiment, you said you didn't use SPOG this time. How'd it compare?

I'd really appreciate your thoughts.

Hi Humdinger,
On the flavor without sprinkling CBP, Onion Powder, and Garlic Powder, I really didn't notice a big difference, but then I used Some Maple Sugar instead of Brown Sugar on some of it, and found no difference there either.

As for the flavor using TQ as a Dry Cure compared to Cure #1 in a Wet Curing Brine, it is my Opinion that the TQ Dry cure gets a deeper & more intense flavor, I believe because it's not diluted in a large amount of water that can wash out some of the flavor.

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

Did you know that fridge temps below 38° will slow down the curing process?
I was reading that the buckboard chops are supposed to be very good.
And you can use an injection in the loin or butt and that can help out flavor some also.. Not a cure injection but a sugar/seasoning liquid of some sort..

 

[Bearcarver]

I don't know where you get these strange "Believe it or Nots", but:
Generally we try to keep our curing temps at about 37°-38°, but 35°, 36°, 39°, and 40 should be fine.
Below 35° can slow your curing up (or stop it), and above 40° is not good IMO.

I don't personally inject anything into my Cured meats, unless it's cure & I'm curing something more than 3" thick, and even then I will usually cut it in half to reduce the Thickness.

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

I don't know where you get these strange "Believe it or Nots", but:
Generally we try to keep our curing temps at about 37°-38°, but 35°, 36°, 39°, and 40 should be fine.
Below 35° can slow your curing up (or stop it), and above 40° is not good IMO.

I don't personally inject anything into my Cured meats, unless it's cure & I'm curing something more than 3" thick, and even then I will usually cut it in half to reduce the Thickness.

Bear

Lol , just books and stuff in magazines or other places.. I get 6 sources and make the best out of the bunch.. haha..

 

[humdinger]

Hi Humdinger,
On the flavor without sprinkling CBP, Onion Powder, and Garlic Powder, I really didn't notice a big difference, but then I used Some Maple Sugar instead of Brown Sugar on some of it, and found no difference there either.

As for the flavor using TQ as a Dry Cure compared to Cure #1 in a Wet Curing Brine, it is my Opinion that the TQ Dry cure gets a deeper & more intense flavor, I believe because it's not diluted in a large amount of water that can wash out some of the flavor.

Bear

Excellent reply sir! Anytime someone says "better flavor!" as their tie breaker, I'll go with that. Thanks for the info.

 

[Rings Я Us]

Wondering if it makes any difference if the chunks get turned and massaged everyday or if just on the 5th day to do it.. Half way point. The 3 I have in bags are 2.75 lbs each.

 

[Bearcarver]

Excellent reply sir! Anytime someone says "better flavor!" as their tie breaker, I'll go with that. Thanks for the info.

Always glad to help.

Bear

Wondering if it makes any difference if the chunks get turned and massaged everyday or if just on the 5th day to do it.. Half way point. The 3 I have in bags are 2.75 lbs each.

Best to flip every day, and massage if you have time, but flipping is the most important, so both sides get equal time laying in the juices.

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

Always glad to help

Best to flip every day, and massage if you have time, but flipping is the most important, so both sides get equal time laying in the juices.

Bear

I figured as much.. yeah thanks. See a few directions they say flip after 5 days. Kind of vague. ;)

 

[Bearcarver]

I figured as much.. yeah thanks. See a few directions they say flip after 5 days. Kind of vague. ;)

Was that the same place you read "Under 38° slows the curing process"?
Better quit reading those Comic Books. :rolleyes:

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

Was that the same place you read "Under 38° slows the curing process"?
Better quit reading those Comic Books. :rolleyes:

Bear

lol
I think some do that for the Hi Mountain directions mostly.

 

[Bearcarver]

lol
I think some do that for the Hi Mountain directions mostly.

View attachment 343493

I saw that years ago, when I was a Newby, and I posted the question about them saying 40° to 45° for curing, and nobody had an answer for me. I left it go, because after using Hi Mountain one time I quit.
I used their stuff & directions on my first Buckboard Bacon, and it was the only one I ever made that was much too salty.

I keep my curing Fridge at 37°, dead center in the curing Temp Range.

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

I saw that years ago, when I was a Newby, and I posted the question about them saying 40° to 45° for curing, and nobody had an answer for me. I left it go, because after using Hi Mountain one time I quit.
I used their stuff & directions on my first Buckboard Bacon, and it was the only one I ever made that was much too salty.

I keep my curing Fridge at 37°, dead center in the curing Temp Range.

Bear

I just stuck a thermometer in my fridge. I'm looking for 38 or so. I never checked. only checked the freezer temp one day in August making ice cream.
All the indications are to keep your fridge under 41 to be safe.
Day 1 buckboard flip.

 

[Bearcarver]

BTW Johnny: Here is a Link to how I keep my Curing Fridge set up to the proper Curing Temp. You can't just go by the temp of the air in the fridge:
http://smokingmeatforums.com/index.php?threads/curing-fridge-set-up-bear’s-method.238797/

The Pics are gone. I might be able to dig them up.
But now I gotta go.

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

BTW Johnny: Here is a Link to how I keep my Curing Fridge set up to the proper Curing Temp. You can't just go by the temp of the air in the fridge:
http://smokingmeatforums.com/index.php?threads/curing-fridge-set-up-bear’s-method.238797/

The Pics are gone. I might be able to dig them up.
But now I gotta go.

Bear

I'm with ya.Old timer wisdom.. :D

Here's mine now

 

[humdinger]

Hey bear,
so I started the BBB process today. (I'll start a separate thread later tonight or tomorrow.) I did 1/2 tablespoon of cure per pound of meat on 3 slabs.
Only problem is I accidentally doubled up the cure on the 4th slab. (2.5 half pounds of meat, 2.5 tablespoons of cure.)
I don't want to throw it away because it was a very even consistent cut, and I'm excited to see how it slices. It's about 1.5 inches thick, so do you think using too much cure will cause it to cure faster? If so, do you think I should pull it out and rinse it off after three or four days? Do you think Dave Omak might be able to shed some light? Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

Humdinger

 

[Bearcarver]

Hey bear,
so I started the BBB process today. (I'll start a separate thread later tonight or tomorrow.) I did 1/2 tablespoon of cure per pound of meat on 3 slabs.
Only problem is I accidentally doubled up the cure on the 4th slab. (2.5 half pounds of meat, 2.5 tablespoons of cure.)
I don't want to throw it away because it was a very even consistent cut, and I'm excited to see how it slices. It's about 1.5 inches thick, so do you think using too much cure will cause it to cure faster? If so, do you think I should pull it out and rinse it off after three or four days? Do you think Dave Omak might be able to shed some light? Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

Humdinger

Actually it should be 1 TBS of TQ per each pound of whole meat.
I think you might have gotten confused with the "1/2 Ounce", which is "1 TBS".
So I would just add the other half TBS per pound to each of the 3 slabs that only got 1/2 TBS per pound.
Then start the days over.
That would take care of it.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

I'm with ya.Old timer wisdom.. :D

Here's mine now

Where's your probe that is reading 37.7° ??

Bear

 

[humdinger]

Actually it should be 1 TBS of TQ per each pound of whole meat. I think you might have gotten confused with the "1/2 Ounce", which is "1 TBS". So I would just add the other half TBS per pound to each of the 3 slabs that only got 1/2 TBS per pound. Then start the days over. That would take care of it. Bear[/QUOTE="

Well I didn't see this until today, so I'm not sure where to go from here. I think I'll just start over. Except at least I have one good slab that I accidentally thought I screwed up! Thanks bear

 

[Bearcarver]

I would imagine you could just cure the ones that got 1/2 TBS per pound again with the other 1/2 TBS per pound.

Or if you want, just Smoke those pieces hot, getting to 145° in 4 hours.

Then do the one that had the full amount of TQ low & slow.

Bear

 

[humdinger]

I would imagine you could just cure the ones that got 1/2 TBS per pound again with the other 1/2 TBS per pound.

Or if you want, just Smoke those pieces hot, getting to 145° in 4 hours.

Then do the one that had the full amount of TQ low & slow.

Bear

Ok I'll try to salvage them with miore cure. Glad I did this with butt and not bellys.