# Buckboard bacon again



## olaf (Oct 11, 2020)

This is my third time doing buckboard bacon second time using hi mountain buckboard bacon cure which I really like. I'm curious as to how others might be doing it everything has been good but not awesome I've used TQ, cure1, white sugar, brown sugar half white half brown. This hi mountain brand seems to be about 2.1% salt and 1.9 sugar ingredient lists as brown, white, maple.  I can get my salt right but never thrilled with my sugar ratios or types of sugar. what have others been using?


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## mneeley490 (Oct 11, 2020)

I've had good results using Pop's Brine with BBB, injecting, as well as immersing for a couple weeks.  1/3 to 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water works for me.  Are you trying to get more or less sugar flavor? I don't like it too sweet, so 1 cup brown, and 1/2 cup white is just right for my tastes.


Pop's Basic  Brine
1/3 to 1 cup sea salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 T. cure #1
1 gal. water


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## olaf (Oct 11, 2020)

Well I've made bacon about ten times normally belly and I liked the half white half brown better than all brown I was just looking for some more ideas for sugars in general I don't like mine too sweet either 2% by weight seems to work for me. I see your 2/3 brown that's kind of where I was looking to try next


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## thirdeye (Oct 11, 2020)

olaf said:


> This is my third time doing buckboard bacon second time using hi mountain buckboard bacon cure which I really like. I'm curious as to how others might be doing it everything has been good but not awesome I've used TQ, cure1, white sugar, brown sugar half white half brown. This hi mountain brand seems to be about 2.1% salt and 1.9 sugar ingredient lists as brown, white, maple.  I can get my salt right but never thrilled with my sugar ratios or types of sugar. what have others been using?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 So, you like Hi Mountain's Buckboard, but fall short when making a substitute? 

I like Hi Mountain Buckboard Cure too, I've recommended it for many years, and I buy their jerky cure in bulk. I've written several how-to articles about it. And, I live about 100 miles from the facility that makes it.  I can buy it all over town.    It contains 0.7% nitrite and has some seasonings already mixed in. 

 About 6 or 7  years ago, I started getting emails saying the shipping was more than the BBB kit. So I worked out an alternate cure using Tender Quick since it's readily available.  Here is that formulation. It's nothing special, but maybe it will help dial in what you are looking for. 

~~~~~~~~thirdeye's Tenderquick Cure for Buckboard Bacon~~~~~~~~
Per ONE pound of pork loin or boneless pork butt:
1 Tablespoon of Tenderquick
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of maple sugar
Sprinkle of black pepper to the meat before adding the curing mixture, maybe a little more after the soak-out 
(I think the Hi Mountain Buckboard cure has a hint of garlic powder in it too, but the label does not mention it, so if you want to add some that's up to you)


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## olaf (Oct 11, 2020)

Do you think it's the maple that makes this cure stand out. I would definitely like to be able to make something similar from home


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## thirdeye (Oct 11, 2020)

It does have a different footprint because of the maple sugar, and that was what I was after.  It's basic enough you could easily tweak the cure mixture until it's right for you.


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## bill ace 350 (Nov 8, 2021)

thirdeye said:


> So, you like Hi Mountain's Buckboard, but fall short when making a substitute?
> 
> I like Hi Mountain Buckboard Cure too, I've recommended it for many years, and I buy their jerky cure in bulk. I've written several how-to articles about it. And, I live about 100 miles from the facility that makes it.  I can buy it all over town.    It contains 0.7% nitrite and has some seasonings already mixed in.
> 
> ...


Definitely going to try your recipe.  Looks great.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Nov 8, 2021)

I would check out Al's method.  It always looks so good!


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## olaf (Nov 8, 2021)

bill ace 350 said:


> Definitely going to try your recipe.  Looks great.





bill ace 350 said:


> Definitely going to try your recipe.  Looks great.


Ironic that my old post shows up today while I make another batch of bbb. Unfortunately I was gifted another box of hi mountain buckboard Bacon cure (which I really like) so my trying of different recipes has been delayed a year. I'll be doing 6 small butt pieces 4 will be hi mountain and two will be cure #1, brown, white and maple sugar. Thirdeye's recipe looks good but haven't yet tried.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Nov 8, 2021)

Here is Al's.  On my short list






						BUCKBOARD BACON
					

Well with the price of bellies so high , I decided to make a batch of BB bacon. Actually I think I like the flavor better than belly bacon. Anyhow I used 1/2 of an 8lb butt, & dry rubbed it using the bacon calculator  http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html. Also added about 1/4 cup of black...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## JLeonard (Nov 8, 2021)

My BB bacon turned out pretty good. Didnt take any pics as my slicing left alot to be desired. Still figuring out the slicer I bought. 
Jim


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## thirdeye (Nov 8, 2021)

olaf said:


> Ironic that my old post shows up today while I make another batch of bbb. Unfortunately I was gifted another box of hi mountain buckboard Bacon cure (which I really like) so my trying of different recipes has been delayed a year. I'll be doing 6 small butt pieces 4 will be hi mountain and two will be cure #1, brown, white and maple sugar. Thirdeye's recipe looks good but haven't yet tried.



Hi Mountain Seasonings home office is about 120 miles from my house, so most all of their products are readily available, some grocery stores even carry some products.  I like the Buckboard cure too and have used it since they introduced it. In fact, I have a buckboard page on my cookin' site that is one of the most popular pages. The Buckboard cure is a solid product and I've gotten many people interested in home curing of  butts, loins and even buckboarded chops with the Hi Mountain product.   It was the complaints I read about online regarding the high shipping costs that led me to come up with my version of a buckboard cure using Tender Quick.   What I wish they would do was sell the Buckboard cure in bulk (they do this for their jerky cure) because this would solve all the problems for mail ordering individual boxes.


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## 1MoreFord (Nov 8, 2021)

thirdeye said:


> ................................It was the complaints I read about online regarding the high shipping costs that led me to come up with my version of a buckboard cure using Tender Quick.   What I wish they would do was sell the Buckboard cure in bulk (they do this for their jerky cure) because this would solve all the problems for mail ordering individual boxes.



Looks like they do sell it in bulk now.









						Buckboard Bacon Cure
					

Make you own homemade bacon with Hi Mountain Seasonings Buckboard Bacon Cure




					himtnjerky.com


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## thirdeye (Nov 8, 2021)

1MoreFord said:


> Looks like they do sell it in bulk now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good to know, thanks for that.  Not much of a price break is there?


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## 1MoreFord (Nov 8, 2021)

thirdeye said:


> Good to know, thanks for that.  Not much of a price break is there?



I didn't notice that but wow, less than a buck.


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## mneeley490 (Dec 11, 2021)

The Sportsman's Wearhouse near me sells it, so I don't have to pay for shipping. And right now they're all 40% off.
I currently have 20 lbs of butt smoked and waiting to be sliced, with my own maple sugar cure recipe as a baseline, using Digging Dog's cure calculator. But I started another 20 lbs last week using the Hi Mountain BBB cure. I'm anxious to see the difference.  I'm thinking the biggest difference will be the salt level. I can control it with DD's calculator, but not with the Hi Mountain. Will probably be soaking them first, before smoking.

Speaking of Hi Mountain, I'm looking at their breakfast sausage kits. Have you tried them?


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## SmokinEdge (Dec 11, 2021)

mneeley490 said:


> Speaking of Hi Mountain, I'm looking at their breakfast sausage kits. Have you tried them?


The mountain man variety is real good if you like sage, I add about 25% more seasoning than it calls for, because we like it there. I almost became a dealer for them at one point, but decided no future in that and we can mix up our own, so.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 12, 2021)

LOL---I only ever used Hi Mt for curing Bacon one time, and it was the only Bacon I ever made that was too salty. Some might think that's amazing because most of the other times I used TQ, and I never had any of them get too salty.

Bear


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## thirdeye (Dec 12, 2021)

mneeley490 said:


> The Sportsman's Wearhouse near me sells it, so I don't have to pay for shipping. And right now they're all 40% off.
> I currently have 20 lbs of butt smoked and waiting to be sliced, with my own maple sugar cure recipe as a baseline, using Digging Dog's cure calculator. But I started another 20 lbs last week using the Hi Mountain BBB cure. I'm anxious to see the difference.  I'm thinking the biggest difference will be the salt level. I can control it with DD's calculator, but not with the Hi Mountain. Will probably be soaking them first, before smoking.
> 
> Speaking of Hi Mountain, I'm looking at their breakfast sausage kits. Have you tried them?


Hi Mountain Seasonings is made about 120 miles from my house, so their products are literally everywhere, and with hunting so popular I don't think I know anyone that has not tried their stuff.  

The BBB instructions do mention a 1 to 2 hour soak-out, but fail to mention an overnight rest in the fridge, which I think is pretty important.  I actually prefer 3 hours of soak-out, and recommend 6 to 8 hours if you are sensitive to saltiness. Buckboarded pork chops are very good, and much cheaper than the smoked chops from the butcher shop.  I like them for a special breakfast, as a main meat in any number of German meals, or just plain grilled. 











The general rule of thumb with my friends using HM jerky kits and sausage blends is to experiment with the amount of seasoning to find your personal sweet spot. Some of the sausage blends lean to the salty side, and some like more pepper (black or white) but it's easy enough to mix a 1/2 pound as an experiment, then adjust the amount up or down from there.


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## 1MoreFord (Dec 12, 2021)

Awesome looking chops!


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## mneeley490 (Dec 18, 2021)

thirdeye said:


> Hi Mountain Seasonings is made about 120 miles from my house, so their products are literally everywhere, and with hunting so popular I don't think I know anyone that has not tried their stuff.
> 
> The BBB instructions do mention a 1 to 2 hour soak-out, but fail to mention an overnight rest in the fridge, which I think is pretty important.  I actually prefer 3 hours of soak-out, and recommend 6 to 8 hours if you are sensitive to saltiness.



Thirdeye, not my first rodeo,   . I soaked for 3 hours, and refrigerated for 2 days. Those chops do look darned good. I may have to make that soon.



Bearcarver said:


> LOL---I only ever used Hi Mt for curing Bacon one time, and it was the only Bacon I ever made that was too salty. Some might think that's amazing because most of the other times I used TQ, and I never had any of them get too salty.
> 
> Bear


Bear, I'm aware. I'm one of the ones that think TQ is too salty for my tastes. Hopefully, this will one be within my tolerances.


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## mneeley490 (Dec 24, 2021)

Bearcarver said:


> LOL---I only ever used Hi Mt for curing Bacon one time, and it was the only Bacon I ever made that was too salty. Some might think that's amazing because most of the other times I used TQ, and I never had any of them get too salty.
> 
> Bear



Okay Bear, you were right. Even with a 3-hour soak, it was still pretty salty. Not inedible, but it is at the high range of my salt tolerance. Other than that, the flavor isn't bad.


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