# First Buckboard Bacon with Pops Brine  Should I cold or warm smoke it?



## radioguy (Apr 23, 2014)

I just gotta have some bacon!  Pork bellies are had to find at a "good" price, I decided to give BBB a try.  

*Getting ready to smoke this soon.  Shall I cold smoke or warm smoke?*   *Any advice would be appreciated.  *

Planning on loading up the AMNPS with mix of hickory and maple.













Buckboard Bacon 1.jpg



__ radioguy
__ Apr 23, 2014






*Bone-in butt, vac-pak enhanced, trimmed and into Pops brine 11 days ago*.  *Only used 1/3 C salt since this an enhanced butt.  *













Buckboard Bacon 2.jpg



__ radioguy
__ Apr 23, 2014






*Rinse and test fry was good. More sweet than salt.  Into fridge with fan to dry and form **pellicule.*  













Buckboard Bacon 4.jpg



__ radioguy
__ Apr 23, 2014






.  *One rubbed up with some Hot Paprika, another with fresh ground pepper.  *


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## smoking b (Apr 23, 2014)

It's an individual choice... I cold smoke all my bacon of any type.  I prefer to cook it once - right before I eat it lol. I also don't care for the slight texture change caused by "warm smoking" & a lot of others on here prefer cold smoking.

That being said there are also a lot of people here who like "warm smoking" theirs & prefer to do it that way. You could always try a piece each way & see which you prefer... It's all about making it how you like it


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## smokerjim (Apr 23, 2014)

I just did my first bbb using pops brine on easter"thanks pops it was very good" after a 9 day soak i smoked it with apple wood at 90-110 degrees for about 8 hours then bumped it up to 150 until it reached 135,it seemed to work for me but as i said this was my first time,next time i'll try cold smoking longer to see what i like better.i used a off set smoker,next time i'll use my electric"just ordered a amnps to do so.


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## red dog (Apr 23, 2014)

I hot smoke mine, mainly because I like to thin slice some to use as cold cuts for sammys.


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## paulharding (Apr 23, 2014)

I remember my father always made bacon & loin bacon growing up & always smoked it without adding any heat. His fire was in a metal tub with a pipe taking the smoke over to his little smoke shed ten or so feet away. He used hickory & sassafrass wood to smoke with. His bacons tasted great after cold smoking.


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## radioguy (Apr 23, 2014)

Thanks for all your suggestions.  Gonna run it about 8 hours at 110F and see how it looks.  That's all the time I have today.  I may put it back in for more smoke after a refer rest.  Got hickory/maple in the AMNPS.

RG













IMG_20140423_162148.jpg



__ radioguy
__ Apr 23, 2014


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## radioguy (Apr 29, 2014)

I got this smoked, rested and sliced up. 

I ended up putting Cold smoke [100-110F] on the whole batch for 12 hours, then into the fridge for a rest.  The next day I took one piece and applied a hot smoke over 3 hours, 1 hour @ 110F, bump to 130F for 1 hour, then to 150F IT over the last hour or so.   













Buckboard Bacon 4.jpg



__ radioguy
__ Apr 29, 2014






*Hot smoked to IT of 150F, light pink color, firm texture, sliced like a dream.  *













Buckboard Bacon 5.jpg



__ radioguy
__ Apr 29, 2014






*Cold Smoked, more red than pink color.  Texture, sticky and pliable.  Should have partial froze for slicing.  *

Test fry was great.  More Canadian Bacon taste than belly bacon.  Hot smoked was more tender.  Both hot / cold smoked tasted the same.  I will definitely be making more, this was a great learning experience.

RG


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## pc farmer (Apr 29, 2014)

Great looking bacon.


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## Bearcarver (Apr 29, 2014)

RadioGuy said:


> I got this smoked, rested and sliced up.
> 
> I ended up putting Cold smoke [100-110F] on the whole batch for 12 hours, then into the fridge for a rest.  The next day I took one piece and applied a hot smoke over 3 hours, 1 hour @ 110F, bump to 130F for 1 hour, then to 150F IT over the last hour or so.
> 
> ...


Looks Great RG !!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Your first pic looks just like mine!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Bet you're loving both kinds!!

I always take my BBB & CB to 145*--150*. That way I can eat it cold or just warm it up a bit, instead of frying it. People say they only want to cook it once!!!  That's why I do it---I take it to 145* once, while smoking it. No reason to cook it again!!!!  You can also get more smoke on it in a shorter time with heat.

It was different in the old days (LOL---3 or 4 years ago) when the USDA said you had to go to 160* IT to be safe. I tried it once & it was a bit dry at 160*. But now that they changed that to 145*----That's Perfect !!!

Bear


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## radioguy (Apr 29, 2014)

Farmer and Bear,

Thanks for your kind comments.  First time ever curing meat, I learned a lot of what to do what not.

Bear, I read your posts on this subject and they guided the way.  I wanted to use Pops brine since it seemed safer, easier to me.  I have to buy a good scale now, already got a decent slicer...so it continues to grow.  I think the next batch will be hot smoked to IT of 145F. 

RG


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## pc farmer (Apr 29, 2014)

First time curing meat, look out now.

I became a curing junky.


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## radioguy (Apr 29, 2014)

I hear ya Farmer.  Started will simple smoking and I'm finding myself acquiring all sorts of other equipment.

RG


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