# Whats better then Bacon? Twice the Bacon!  (Pic heavy)



## metal man (Apr 1, 2011)

Been smoking and curing a lot of sausage and jerky here lately so i figured why not put forward a little effort and make some of the best stuff know to man...Bacon!

Here are the vics.

Pork Belly. While this is far from the most meaty piece of belly I've seen i can't complain. I got it at a pretty good deal IMO. My butcher let me have it for $1.39 lb.








Pork Butt.







Butt with bone removed and cut in half.







Nothing fancy here so i wont spend a lot of time typing. Its just a real simple dry rub bacon cure.  

1 TBS Tender Quick per 1 lb of meat

1 TBS Brown Sugar per 1 lb of meat

1 TBS Maple Syrup per 1 lb of meat

Each piece of meat was weighed and the proper amount of  TQ and BS was rubbed on both sides of meat. I then placed each piece of meat in a 1 gallon freezer bag and poured in Maple Syrup before sealing each bag. Then it was on to a 10 rest in the fridge.







I forgot to take a pic of the butts in cure but they look the same as the belly does above.The same process was used.

Now were cooking!! After a 10 day rest the meat is in the smoker for a 7 hour cold smoke with hickory.

I set the smoker at 100F degrees and left it for most of the cook.







After the 6th hour at 100F degrees the IT of the meat was up to 98F. I bumped the temp up to 120 for the final hour to try and get a little color. After 7 hours i removed the meat from the smoker. The IT was 107F

The butt has been magical transformed into Buck Board Bacon
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





A few pics

























Cooked up a few pieces of the BBB.







Here's the belly which again has magically turn in to Bacon!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  













Bacon Mountain 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	











Out of vacuum bags so its zipploc time for these.







Cooked up some of the Bacon.







No Bacon test is complete with out a BLT







Hope you enjoyed the pics. Think I'm gonna go cook some bacon 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I should add while the Maple Syrup worked fine it was not really needed IMO. Next batch just going back to TQ and BS.


----------



## SmokinAl (Apr 1, 2011)

They both look great! Which one do you like better?


----------



## daveomak (Apr 1, 2011)

Great job!! I think I'll go cook breakfast.


----------



## shellbellc (Apr 1, 2011)

Great looking bacon!!  Do you slice the BBB thinner since it's leaner?


----------



## nogoer (Apr 1, 2011)

If i didn't pepper mine salt, sugar and cure would be my recipe too. I came to the same conclusion on the maple syrup as well as honey which was Kutas' recipe and my first attempt. Neither adjunct really did much for flavor and the BS already balances the salt enough. I don't really like sweet bacon anyway which is why i only add pepper now. Besides anything more than these few ingredients and bacon just wouldn't be bacon! Who the heck wants to eat bacon that isn't bacon?


----------



## nogoer (Apr 1, 2011)

Oh, that BBB looks like it was pressed?


----------



## metal man (Apr 1, 2011)

nogoer said:


> Oh, that BBB looks like it was pressed?


Not pressed. That's just the rack marks from the smoker.


----------



## shellbellc (Apr 1, 2011)

nogoer said:


> If i didn't pepper mine salt, sugar and cure would be my recipe too. I came to the same conclusion on the maple syrup as well as honey which was Kutas' recipe and my first attempt. Neither adjunct really did much for flavor and the BS already balances the salt enough. I don't really like sweet bacon anyway which is why i only add pepper now. Besides anything more than these few ingredients and bacon just wouldn't be bacon! Who the heck wants to eat bacon that isn't bacon?


I just got done putting up two bellies myself, I did a maple one also but I bought maple sugar and used that in place of brown sugar.  I can't wait to try it this weekend to see if the maple sugar makes a difference.


----------



## metal man (Apr 1, 2011)

nogoer said:


> Besides anything more than these few ingredients and bacon just wouldn't be bacon! Who the heck wants to eat bacon that isn't bacon?




I agree


----------



## metal man (Apr 1, 2011)

Shellbellc said:


> Great looking bacon!!  Do you slice the BBB thinner since it's leaner?




I sliced them both the same.


----------



## realtorterry (Apr 1, 2011)




----------



## metal man (Apr 1, 2011)

SmokinAl said:


> They both look great! Which one do you like better?


There's no correct answer to this one. Just depends on what I'm in thy mood for. Love them both.

The bacon taste like...bacon and the BB bacon seams to have a slightly sweeter and less smoky flavor then the bacon. I got a feeling the BBB will make and awesome grilled cheese with a slice of Cheddar and some Texas toast.


----------



## Bearcarver (Apr 1, 2011)

Metal Man,

It doesn't get any better than that, does it?!?!

It all looks Awesome----Great job!

I found the same thing when I added Maple Syrup---It doesn't seem to add much (even injecting it).

Maybe the maple flavored powder I hear about?

Thanks for showing,

Bear


----------



## metal man (Apr 1, 2011)

Bearcarver said:


> Metal Man,
> 
> It doesn't get any better than that, does it?!?!


I would have to agree Bear. Hard to bet some good ole home smoked bacon


----------



## meateater (Apr 1, 2011)

I'm sitting here knawing on baby backs and wanting a BLT, darn you. Nice job!


----------



## fife (Apr 1, 2011)

Good looking bacon and alot of it very nice.


----------



## rw willy (Apr 1, 2011)

Very nice.   Great pics.


----------



## michael ark (Apr 1, 2011)

Nice looking bacon 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Are you going to memphis in may.I see you live down the road.


----------



## callahan4life (Apr 1, 2011)

Nothing better than bacon! Great job and Q-View!


----------



## metal man (Apr 2, 2011)

michael ark said:


> Nice looking bacon
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Doubt i go this year.


----------



## porked (Apr 2, 2011)

Great job on the bacons! Great pics as well. Kudos.


----------



## burgi (Apr 24, 2011)

Looks AWESOME!!!!! now I have to give it a go......... YUMMMMMM!!!


----------



## rdknb (Apr 24, 2011)

That does look great


----------



## uncle kenny (Apr 27, 2011)

I find putting Maple Syrup in the cure a waste as well. I'm smoking 30 pounds of bellies tomorrow
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






and I will baste with MS and smoke with maple wood. We'll see. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## ak1 (Apr 28, 2011)

Shellbellc said:


> I just got done putting up two bellies myself, I did a maple one also but I bought maple sugar and used that in place of brown sugar.  I can't wait to try it this weekend to see if the maple sugar makes a difference.


What I've found is that Maple sugar doesn't make much of a difference. At least not enough to make the price worth it.


----------



## laszlo (Apr 28, 2011)

There seems to be consesus on use of maple syrup - i.e. it does not contribute much to the final flavor. Agree on that as well but I still use it to make my dry cure rub not so dry, but sort of sticky paste like. I found it easier to apply the paste to the bellies.


----------

