# Cowboy Bacon ~ 12 and 12



## thirdeye (Nov 27, 2020)

In my neck of the woods pork bellies are very hard to find so I picked up a Prime brisket from Sam's Club and cured the flat.  My ratios were 1.7% salt, 1% sugar and 0.25% Cure #1.  The only seasoning was black pepper. This was cured and turned daily for 12 days,  rested 18 hours and cold smoked for 12 hours.  The day was perfect I had my smoker all set-up and started an A-Maze-N pellet tube at 0230, hung the brisket, and went back to bed.  The meat temp never got above 36° the entire time.  I let it bloom and mellow for 48 hours, then sliced and froze.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Nov 27, 2020)

That brisket turned out nice.
You and I are in the same boat pork belly wise.  
I guess there is no demand for it in my neck of the woods.


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## JckDanls 07 (Nov 27, 2020)

Hmmmm ...  that sounds interesting... and what's your final opinion on finished product ???


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## jcam222 (Nov 27, 2020)

Looks awesome. How is it?


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## thirdeye (Nov 27, 2020)

JckDanls 07 said:


> Hmmmm ...  that sounds interesting... and what's your final opinion on finished product ???





jcam222 said:


> Looks awesome. How is it?



Have you ever eaten a strip of jerky out of the smoker or dehydrator when it's not completely dry?  Texture wise, it's kind of like that.  Flavor wise the edge fat does render in the skillet so the beef fat flavor is nice.  I fry it at a medium low temp and turn often.  It's good on a sandwich and although I've always wanted to try home made chipped beef and gravy with it, I never have. 

The best 'beef bacon' I've ever had was made from a beef navel, the cut some restaurants use for their pastrami, but I've never seen it for sale.  I prefer to use the fattier point, for the higher fat and a little more tenderness and I have a technique where I shape and butterfly a point like this ↓↓↓  but the slices are not as uniform as the flat


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## SmokinEdge (Nov 27, 2020)

Very nice. Point


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## jcam222 (Nov 27, 2020)

thirdeye said:


> Have you ever eaten a strip of jerky out of the smoker or dehydrator when it's not completely dry?  Texture wise, it's kind of like that.  Flavor wise the edge fat does render in the skillet so the beef fat flavor is nice.  I fry it at a medium low temp and turn often.  It's good on a sandwich and although I've always wanted to try home made chipped beef and gravy with it, I never have.
> 
> The best 'beef bacon' I've ever had was made from a beef navel, the cut some restaurants use for their pastrami, but I've never seen it for sale.  I prefer to use the fattier point, for the higher fat and a little more tenderness and I have a technique where I shape and butterfly a point like this ↓↓↓  but the slices are not as uniform as the flat
> View attachment 472852


I actually smoked an uncured beef naval last month. I need to cure one.


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## Winterrider (Nov 27, 2020)

That sounds very interesting.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 27, 2020)

I've not had Beef Bacon, per se, but Fried Pastrami? Yes, so I see the draw!.
Your Bacon looks great. Nice Breakfast. .JJ


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## Brokenhandle (Nov 27, 2020)

Looks good! I just made some beef bacon out of a brisket flat not too long ago, my 1st try. We really like it... not as fatty as pork belly so we fry it in lard. Little more chew, kinda similar to buckboard bacon.

Ryan


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## thirdeye (Nov 27, 2020)

SmokinEdge said:


> Very nice. Point


I like them prepped like this, and for burnt ends the cubes are consistent.  If you took the last 10 or 15 I've done like this they all look about the same.  Here's another.







chef jimmyj said:


> I've not had Beef Bacon, per se, but Fried Pastrami? Yes, so I see the draw!.
> Your Bacon looks great. Nice Breakfast. .JJ


Thanks for the kind words.  But, you know...., this is cured beef for sure, but not even close to the basic corned beef in the traditional fashion with hints of pickling spices, garlic, mustard seeds, cloves or whatever other signature spices you need to proceed further with smoking to make pastrami.  One time I tried to move from Cowboy bacon to pastrami by adding my pastrami spices and hot smoking.... it was good,  but it was not smoked corned beef.   


Brokenhandle said:


> Looks good! I just made some beef bacon out of a brisket flat not too long ago, my 1st try. We really like it... not as fatty as pork belly so we fry it in lard. Little more chew, kinda similar to buckboard bacon.
> 
> Ryan


I agree. My Granny baked with  'Snow Cap' lard and cooked eggs in it until she passed close to 100.  Some of the best BBQ ribs and chicken I've ever had was basted in warmed lard.


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## indaswamp (Nov 27, 2020)

SmokinEdge said:


> Very nice. Point


Yes, I agree.....very nice point!


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## SmokinAl (Nov 28, 2020)

Never would have thought to do that!
Very interesting & it sure looks good!
Al


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## Bearcarver (Nov 28, 2020)

Hmmm, Different, but Looks Mighty Tasty from here!!!
Nice Job Thirdeye!!
Like.
Have you ever tried "Dried Beef" (AKA Chipped Beef):
Dried Beef (Best Ever)


Bear


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## Sven Svensson (Feb 7, 2022)

Oh boy. I wished I had never discovered this thread. 

Does this have to be cold smoked?


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## SmokinEdge (Feb 7, 2022)

Sven Svensson said:


> Oh boy. I wished I had never discovered this thread.
> 
> Does this have to be cold smoked?


Nope, not at all.


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## negolien (Feb 7, 2022)

wow pretty awesome I love this groups thinking outside the box all the time


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## bauchjw (Feb 8, 2022)

Man that looks delicious. I cant wait for some time and space to get into curing. I'm definitely missing out. That's beautiful.


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