# Buckboard Bacon



## Rings Я Us (Nov 14, 2017)

My 3 hunks of pork butt have been curing 8 days. The pieces have been firm and looks like some good color in parts I can see toward the center...... but..... 
Not much liquid at all in the gallon bags. I took out most of the air in the bags to start.  So it looked like for a couple days there was some liquids but since then I haven't seen much. 

That's normal?


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## motocrash (Nov 14, 2017)

I think it reabsorbs.As you know someone with good experience will chime in. ;)


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 14, 2017)

Yes perfectly normal for a dry rub cure. The meat will release some moisture, but it will reabsorb it. Keep flipping the bags and massaging them daily.


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 14, 2017)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Yes perfectly normal for a dry rub cure. The meat will release some moisture, but it will reabsorb it. Keep flipping the bags and massaging them daily.



Good deal.. thanks..
Looks ok then.  I had removed the fat cap because it was all right at the limit of thickness and I didn't know people butterflied the stuff..  going to rinse and dry on a rack Friday for cold smoke sessions on Sat n Sunday


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 14, 2017)

Wonder if cold smoking I should dry 2 days for better pellicil and use a no smoke at 100 degrees for an hour then drop to 80. ?


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## daveomak (Nov 14, 2017)

Put the meat on a wire rack in front of a fan....  after an hour or so, the pellicle should be good for smoke..  IF the meat temp is up to ambient...


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 14, 2017)

daveomak said:


> Put the meat on a wire rack in front of a fan....  after an hour or so, the pellicle should be good for smoke..  IF the meat temp is up to ambient...



Oh man.. I read that before and forgot.. dang.. lol thanks.


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## motocrash (Nov 14, 2017)

Whatcha gonna smoke'm over Johnny ?


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## noboundaries (Nov 14, 2017)

In the past, I didn't think the pellicle made that much difference. My wife HATES seeing uncovered meat in the fridge, so I skipped the pellicle part for my first few bacon smokes.   

A batch of loin bacon finished curing once while she was traveling.  I decided to form a pellicle to see what all the fuss was about.  It was the juiciest bacon I'd ever made.  Now if she complains about pellicle forming meat, all I have to say is "Okay, I'll just go back to buying store bought."  She hates store bought bacon more than pellicle forming meat in the fridge.


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 14, 2017)

Um....  I guess hickory chunks on just a few pieces of charcoal. Try to keep it between 75 and 85. Probably 6 hours light smoke and then 6 more the next day. 

One thing I have learned is rest in the fridge a couple days after. Not sure if it should be wrapped or open air to rest and mellow


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## motocrash (Nov 14, 2017)

Wrap


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 14, 2017)

:cool:


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## daveomak (Nov 14, 2017)

I leave mine un-wrapped to intensify the flavor and dehydrate a bit more...


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## motocrash (Nov 14, 2017)

Well I'm voting for apple wood regardless of wrap or no wrap :)


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 14, 2017)

It may be unwrapped the first time. Apple may go good with the maple and brown sugar flavor rub


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## motocrash (Nov 14, 2017)

Yeah it will ! I get Wright's brand Apple smoked and it is great.


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## disco (Nov 15, 2017)

Har! I love the varying choices. My wife loved apple smoke until I did oak. Now she likes maple. I like hickory. I eat a lot of maple bacon.


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 17, 2017)

Day 12 in fridge. Rinse, taste and smoke is getting closer.

Here is a cool little tidbit.

The maximum amount of nitrites allowed in cured meats by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 156 parts per million (ppm), and is usually lower than that. In contrast, spinach, lettuce, celery, beets, radishes, and carrots can contain up to 1900 ppm! As far as I know, no one’s sounding the alarm on these vegetables

Signed:
Steven Raichlen
Barbecue U


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 17, 2017)

disco said:


> Har! I love the varying choices. My wife loved apple smoke until I did oak. Now she likes maple. I like hickory. I eat a lot of maple bacon.



Guess we are lucky if we have some to share with that likes any smoked stuff at all.


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## motocrash (Nov 17, 2017)

Rings Я Us said:


> Day 12 in fridge. Rinse, taste and smoke is getting closer.
> 
> Here is a cool little tidbit.
> 
> ...


Another celebrity chef talking out his....Read this:
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/sodium-nitrite-vegetables-3535.html


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 17, 2017)

Lol.


motocrash said:


> Another celebrity chef talking out his....Read this:
> http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/sodium-nitrite-vegetables-3535.html



Smoke and mirrors.

Maybe should eat foods high in antioxidants when you eat processed meat..  lmao


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## motocrash (Nov 17, 2017)

We normally do eat high nitrAte/antioxidant foods with our meat.This one explains it better:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/541308-fruits-vegetables-that-are-high-in-nitrates/


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## disco (Nov 17, 2017)

Rings Я Us said:


> Guess we are lucky if we have some to share with that likes any smoked stuff at all.


Truth!


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## jokensmoken (Nov 17, 2017)

You may already know this but...
I always do a fry pan test before smoking to test the flavor, mainly saltiness.
Just slice a sliver or two off one end and fry it up and taste it...
If it's too salty soak it in a real cold bath of water for a 30 minutes or so and test it again.  I usually do this before letting it set for pellcil formation.

Just got my loins today with a 10 lb brick of swiss and two nice bottom rounds for jerky...gonna start tomorrow.
Backboard bacon, jerky and smoked swiss are a staple at my house during the winter months.

Walt


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 18, 2017)

With all my bacon after the cure I rinse then season with dry spices. Then place it on a wire rack in the fridge for 5 days after the cure process. Why, because I have found this helps with the texture and flavor. 

I have found that using Martin’s (DiggingDogFarm’s) universal cure calculator and a dry rub cure there is no need for fry tests as the meat is never over salty.

Then I cold smoke for 6-8 hours a day with an over night rest in the fridge followed by 6-8 hours of smoke. Repeat until I have the color I want. Usually somewhere between 18-24 hours total. I  mainly do this as I can’t usually find the a 18-24 hour block of free time. 

After smoking I once again let the bacon rest uncovered in the fridge for 5 days before packing. 

Unlike others I do not slice the bacon. I cut it into approx 1 pound hunks. This allows me to use the bacon in other ways. If I want sliced I slice at the time of cooking. 

As for wood I used to use Apple. Then cherry and pecan. For the last year I’ve gone to straight cob.


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 18, 2017)

disco said:


> Har! I love the varying choices. My wife loved apple smoke until I did oak. Now she likes maple. I like hickory. I eat a lot of maple bacon.



Laughed out loud when I read this Disco.  My favorite wood is hickory.  Miss Linda MUCH prefers pecan.  I eat a lot of pecan smoked.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 18, 2017)

I'm watching this like a hawk my friend.  I've got the whole belly from my pig earmarked for bacon.  Just won't be able to smoke it til I get back from log hauling in the spring.
Gary


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 18, 2017)

jokensmoken said:


> You may already know this but...
> I always do a fry pan test before smoking to test the flavor, mainly saltiness.
> Just slice a sliver or two off one end and fry it up and taste it...
> If it's too salty soak it in a real cold bath of water for a 30 minutes or so and test it again.  I usually do this before letting it set for pellcil formation.
> ...



I really wanna try smoking cheese. 
The Pincinning cheese would be cool to try. Local made product. 
I think I will try a couple slices yep. Then season and smoke.. 
Hope your stuff turns out.. And (do ) ,post a few pics.


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 18, 2017)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> With all my bacon after the cure I rinse then season with dry spices. Then place it on a wire rack in the fridge for 5 days after the cure process. Why, because I have found this helps with the texture and flavor.
> 
> I have found that using Martin’s (DiggingDogFarm’s) universal cure calculator and a dry rub cure there is no need for fry tests as the meat is never over salty.
> 
> ...



Like Dave O was saying. I could do the fan air/pelicil  ambient temp deal and smoke it day after rinse.
I did kind of want to try the rack open air rest method after rinsing and smoke after a few days on rack drying. I just don't want it to be sitting to much and use up my shelf life to quick and have to freeze it right away.

I plan on just a light sprinkle of cracked black and a bit of garlic powder for a seasoning .


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## motocrash (Nov 18, 2017)

So when you pullin' the trigger on the ECB for the first bacon experiment(Rite of passage) ?

Bill


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## disco (Nov 18, 2017)

garyhibbert said:


> Laughed out loud when I read this Disco.  My favorite wood is hickory.  Miss Linda MUCH prefers pecan.  I eat a lot of pecan smoked.
> Gary


Does the word doomed come to mind.


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 18, 2017)

motocrash said:


> So when you pullin' the trigger on the ECB for the first bacon experiment(Rite of passage) ?
> 
> Bill


Could be Wednesday and Thursday smoke. It will be after work evening smokes. From like 7 to 12 midnight. If I can get real fine smoke from the Apple chunks on top of a few charcoal briquetes ..  I will go 3 days . If it thicker I will go 2 days 5 hours each.

It will be in the 30s all week however.


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## disco (Nov 18, 2017)

Rings Я Us said:


> Could be Wednesday and Thursday smoke. It will be after work evening smokes. From like 7 to 12 midnight. If I can get real fine smoke from the Apple chunks on top of a few charcoal briquetes ..  I will go 3 days . If it thicker I will go 2 days 5 hours each.
> 
> It will be in the 30s all week however.


I've never done a smoke over charcoal for bacon but I would be careful about over smoking.


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## motocrash (Nov 18, 2017)

Yeah,I've had a PM with Case and tropics(Case has a 14.5 WSM) on this very subject.Trying to keep a 170* CC temp and produce proper smoke with charcoal/wood combination seems like a PITA.Think i'm gonna try a dimmer switch on a 600W electric charcoal starter and pellets for smoke in my 14.5 WSM cold/warm smoking.Who knows.....it might just work :)


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## disco (Nov 18, 2017)

motocrash said:


> Yeah,I've had a PM with Case and tropics(Case has a 14.5 WSM) on this very subject.Trying to keep a 170* CC temp and produce proper smoke with charcoal/wood combination seems like a PITA.Think i'm gonna try a dimmer switch on an electric charcoal starter and pellets for smoke in my 14.5 WSM cold/warm smoking.Who knows.....it might just work :)


I really recommend the A-Maze-N pellet and tube smokers. You can cold smoke good bacon in a cardboard box!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 18, 2017)

Rings Я Us said:


> Like Dave O was saying. I could do the fan air/pelicil  ambient temp deal and smoke it day after rinse.
> I did kind of want to try the rack open air rest method after rinsing and smoke after a few days on rack drying. I just don't want it to be sitting to much and use up my shelf life to quick and have to freeze it right away.
> 
> I plan on just a light sprinkle of cracked black and a bit of garlic powder for a seasoning .



I never have had an issue with using up the shelf life. I used to only air dry for a day. There is a big difference in aging it longer. Both in texture and  flavor.


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## motocrash (Nov 18, 2017)

disco said:


> I really recommend the A-Maze-N pellet and tube smokers. You can cold smoke good bacon in a cardboard box!


That's the plan Disco,an ECS in place of charcoal,a 12"AMNTS on the lower rack and GFB on the upper rack.Need to find a nice belly locally and the weather here has been miserable smoking wise lately.Rain one day, wind the next of ~20mph gusting to 50s and so on.Usual for this time of year :( 

Bill


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## griz400 (Nov 18, 2017)

I waana see this bacon .. I will be makin some Canadian bacon in a couple weeks .. mama says I gotta wait till after holiday to cure it all up ... but, I wanna see yours for sure .. been floating around in Caribbean for a week now .. back to work I guess Monday ..


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 18, 2017)

I can smoke at 80 degrees with my ECB in 40 degree weather no problem. I just want to keep the chunks from burning to fast.  I think 6 charcoal briquetes is all I will need to use per hour and possibly 1 chunk of apple per hour. Should maintain TBS for the duration. Will be monitored so it should be ok..
Will use some aluminum foil on the chunks if they burn to heavy


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## motocrash (Nov 18, 2017)

I haven't tried to maintain a low temp with charcoal on the little bullet yet.Only had it a month now.I might be surprised.Though it might be easier on my 22" kettle...dunno. o_O


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## daveomak (Nov 18, 2017)

Yep...   I chunk of apple....    2 chunks could burst into flame...


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 26, 2017)

daveomak said:


> Yep...   I chunk of apple....    2 chunks could burst into flame...



Ended up using only 2 pieces charcoal with a chunk of apple. More than 2 briquetes kept the ECB over 100 and higher.  50° outside and windy. Still was only 2 briquetes needed..


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 27, 2017)

Sleep my stinky little butts, sleep well. :rolleyes:


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 1, 2017)

Worked out good..


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 1, 2017)

Like the flavor of this one..


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## motocrash (Dec 2, 2017)

Looks wonderful man,that slicer worked good also.


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## bluewhisper (Dec 2, 2017)

Dehydrated bacon - THAT's the difference between yours and store-bought. The cheap stuff is pumped full of water. So it shrivels to a small fraction of what it was before cooking.


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