# Buckboard Bacon Dry Cure Question / Help



## freshmeat (Nov 18, 2009)

Newbie here ready to dive in and try Buckboard Bacon.  I did not order the HiMountain kit, maybe next time.

I am thinking that I would like to add garlic powder and onion powder to the proper amount of cure for the meat amount.  I do not know what amount of spices per pound of of meat.

I also am a little confused from reading all the threads on Buckboard here...is black pepper also used in cure process (if so what amount) or is it rubbed after cure and rinse just prior to smoking?

I tend to not like real sweet bacon, but do I still need some brown sugar in the cure?

I understand everybody has different tastes, yet I need somewhere to start.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.


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## got14u (Nov 18, 2009)

I don't have my book next to me and Don't really know the amounts by heart...I'm sure someone will be along to let you know.


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## DanMcG (Nov 18, 2009)

You didn't mention how much your were going to make so quantity is tough. I do cure and black pepper, but if I was doing garlic and onion I'd maybe go with a tablespoon of each for starters on a 5 lb piece of meat, and adjust from there. (someone will be alone soon to correct me on that)
The black pepper I put on the meat after I rinse it and dry it, then I pack it on and let it set over night to bind to the meat.
Brown sugar , or any sugar is necessary to mask the salt flavor, I personally don't taste the sugar that much and I go 50/50 sometimes. I think the standard is 1/3-1/2 amount of sugar to the salt.
Thats what I do and as you said everyone is different . I hope it helps you some


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## freshmeat (Nov 18, 2009)

I have not de-boned butt yet, so have not weighed pieces yet.  I was wondering if their is a ratio of amount of spice per pound of meat, like figuring the amount of cure needed by weight.


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## mballi3011 (Nov 19, 2009)

The high moutain kit will have your measurment in it or on the box I think. I have used black pepper inthe mixture with garlic powder and onion powder. Just make sure that there is no more salt in the mixture that you add to the cure. I don't taste sugar in any of the buckboard bacon I have made before. So give it a wing and don't forget the Qview. If you have any other questions just ask them here and we will answer it for you.


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## ronp (Nov 19, 2009)

What are you using for the cure?


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## freshmeat (Nov 19, 2009)

I am using pink salt (InstaCure #1 or Prague Powder #1, as some are calling it here).  After much research I thoroughly mixed 2 ounces of pink salt with, 1 pound of pickling salt and 8 ounces of granulated sugar, all by weight.  The recommendations are to use 1 tabelspoon per pound for peices weighing up to 4 pounds...the exact measurements are 2 ounces per 5 pounds of meat.  I understand this mixture to be equivalent of Mortons Tender Quick minus the sodium nitrate.

So when boiled down I guess I am looking for help with ideas of spice, pepper, sugar ratios based on either amount of cure used or weight of meat?  I need a base point to start and then will have idea to tweak for my tastes on future attempts.

Thanks for your interest.


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## ronp (Nov 19, 2009)

Thanks for clearing that up. I haven't used pink salt, but someone that has can help soon.

I only use TQ for it's ease of use.


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## freshmeat (Nov 19, 2009)

Again, thanks for your interest.

TQ is probably easier and more standardized.  I did not have that option locally, and sometimes the fun is starting from scratch.

The recipe / mixture of cure I am using is from      Charcuterie, by Ruhlman and Polcyn (I do not have a copy, looks like I will be getting one).  I have used this in place of TQ while making canadian bacon from suggestions on spices from this site.

When you cure do you base your curing spices off of the amount of meat by weight or off of the amount of TQ used (which essentially is the same factor)?

So I am looking for recipes / suggestions for buckboard bacon by those that have made it without the HiMountain kit.  I can work with the amounts to try if I either know; the amount of TQ used or weight of meat (based on the TQ directions of 1 tablespoon for each 1 pound of meat).  

(Ron I understand from your threads that you often inject and brine for a faster cure).  

I am comfortable with knocking food out of an indoor kitchen.  I am now jacked up and excited over discovering a WHOLE new game outside with smoke...I need some reference points to start my journey of gaining knowledge and skill.

Thanks to all who have any suggestions.


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## DanMcG (Nov 19, 2009)

Sorry I can't be more help, but I just rub mine with pepper till it looks like enough.
In R. Kutas' book for Italian-style ham, after he pumps it with salt, cure and sugar he uses a dry rub that is;
*1 oz cure #1*
*1 oz powdered dextrose*
*1/2 oz ground chili powder*
*1/2 oz garlic powder*
*1 lb salt*
The above mixture is enough for 50 lbs of meat. Also remember he's already added cure to the ham with the pump, so what's listed above is less then yours.

Maybe this will give ya an idea for a starting point. 

If it was sausage the weight of the spices would be somewhere in the range of .75%-2.5% of the total weight of the meat


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## pignit (Nov 19, 2009)

One of my favorites is BB and CB. When I cure I use The TQ but I don't think it really matters as long as you take into consideration the salt in the TQ as opposed to cure without salt. I can tell you this from my experience. 

It's hard to get flavor into the dry cured meat mixing the seasonings with the cure. I found that if you like garlic and onion and pepper... as I do, your not going to get too much flavor by using too much seasoning... within reason,  during the dry cure. I usually season up during the curing with the pepper, onion and garilic. When I smoke, I rub it down with either honey, molasses and then another sprinkle of onion powder and garlic as well as pepper. I find it a challenge to get the seasonings into the bacon. Nothing worse than waiting 10 or 14 days for some bacon to cure to smoke it up... cook it ... and it be bland. 

Hope this helps.


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