# First ever Buckboard Bacon, but definately not the last!  Qview Heavy!



## bigfish98

Not sure if I will ever buy bacon again!!  Reading up about it on here, I decided to try my hand at making bacon.  My family loves bacon and so do my in-laws (who doesn't?!), so I figured why not make our own.  I looked through the different methods and types and finally decided on Buckboard Bacon as the cut of meat was cheaper and easier to find.  I went to Sams and purchased their two pack of pork shoulder, each one being about 7 pounds.  These still had part of the shoulder blade in them so I used my boning knife t cut that out and the I butterflies the shoulders (cut them in half horizontally, but not all the way through) so that they were about 2.5 inches thick when laid out.  I used 1 Tbsp of Tenderquick and one Tbsp of Brown sugar per pound on one, and the same on the other, but I also added garlic powder and onion powder to the second.  I rubbed the dry mix onto each shoulder then vacuum sealed them and put them in the frigde.  Every evening before I went to bed, I took them out and massaged them (you can laugh, its ok) flipped them over and placed them back in the fridge.  I let them cure for 9 days.  I was wondering how the dry cure was going to get into the meat all the way, but after about a day, I didn't worry anymore.  I noticed that the cure had pulled enough liquid from the meat that it had completely dissolved.  I started on a Tuesday night, so two thursdays later, I opened both and rinsed the cure off, then soaked in ice water for 30 mins.  I took them out of the ice water and cut a couple slices to fry.  Tasted the slices and the salt content was good so I put them on baking racks in the fridge to dry.  Friday night I took them out and flipped them over to make sure the bottom dried well.  Saturday morning, I took them out of the fridge and they had formed a nice pellicle, so I fired up my MES to 100 degrees (it was about 30 outside) and started my AMNPS with a mix of maple and cherry.  I put the shoulders on the top two racks so they were as far from the heat as possible and let them smoke until my AMNPS ran out.  I started them about 10:30 AM and the AMNPS ran out at 9:30 PM.  Easiest smoke ever with the AMNPS!!  Never even had to open the door!  Thanks Todd!!! 

Once the AMNPS was done, I took them out and put them back on racks in the kitchen.  When they had rested for 20 mins or so, I wrapped them in plastic and put them in the fridge.  This morning I through them in the freezer for a couple hours and then sliced them up.  Started with 14 pounds of meat, ended with 11 pounds of bacon.  I already told my wife that I am planning on getting some more meat and starting another set this Tuesday!!!

Here is what I started with.








Here are the bones I took out.  Not the greatest job, but I will get better with practice.







Here they are butterflied out!







And rubbed with cure and Vac Sealed!







This was after the 9 days in the fridge







And this is after  a rinse and 30 min soak.













Here is the quick fry test for salt.  Just about right!







And here is after 11 hours of smoke!







Such a pretty color!







Almost ready to slice.  Into the freezer with you!!













Couldn't help cooking some up while I was slicing!







11 pounds all sliced







Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!







I love that color!







Looks like store bought!







All packed up!







Not sure how long this will stay in the package!  May have wasted a bag!!







A special thanks goes out to Todd for the AMNPS and to everyone that I bugged the past two weeks asking questions!  Thanks for the information!! 

Bigfish


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## SmokinAl

Great job Fish! The color of the bacon coming out of the smoker is beautiful.

I can see by looking at it that it tasted great!

Better get a couple of more butts, cause I bet that bacon doesn't last too long.


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## adiochiro3

Looks like you did a great job!  Congrats!  You'll never go back.


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## bigfish98

Yeah one package didn't last the day!!!  Had BLTs last night for supper and they were awesome.  Also feels good to eat something you never thought you could make on your own!!

Bigfish


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## saintsfan

*My Cholesterol went up 12.8 points just looking at that, looks awesome, I never knew you could even make bacon from boston butts.  My only question is what is AMNPS*


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## big casino

quite an impressive little Smoker Helper here is a link

http://www.amazenproducts.com/


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## scarbelly

Great job man - that color is perfect. I bet they taste even better than you  imagined


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## teeznuts

Congrats! Beautiful color, nice looking slices, a true success. Now you will probably find yourself constantly looking for low prices on butts and always having a batch curing so you never run out. You'll find that store bought just doesn't cut it anymore and you'll find that BBB goes good on or in just about anything you eat.

The AMNPS is a miracle worker. I love the color i get when I use it for bacon.


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## smoking shawn86

those are real nice


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## sunman76

...lol 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   looks great!


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## mballi3011

Nw your bacon looks awesome and I'm really want a BLT now. BBB makes the best blt's and I also like the butterfling the butt to.


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## smokinhusker

Mouth is watering looking at it...time to make some more bacon!


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## thsmormonsmokes

Is there any reason I couldn't use my Char Griller Smokin' Pro with SFB to cold smoke?  This post sold me that it's high time for me to make my own bacon.  Would I just need to put the AMNPS in the SFB, or in the cooking chamber somewhere?


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## teeznuts

ThsMormonSmokes said:


> Is there any reason I couldn't use my Char Griller Smokin' Pro with SFB to cold smoke?  This post sold me that it's high time for me to make my own bacon.  Would I just need to put the AMNPS in the SFB, or in the cooking chamber somewhere?


you should be fine with it in the chamber or the sfb


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## bigfish98

OK, I couldn't help myself.  The in laws are coming the first weekend of February for my youngest's birthday, so I went ahead and got another 2 pack of boston butt (19.51 lbs) and started again!  Figured they would be done curing in time that I can smoke them the last weekend in January and I can get them smoked, sliced, packaged and froze before they get here.  I decided to go with garlic and onion powder on both as I liked that one the best of the two, but I added some black pepper to one this time.  I don't know if I will put any on when they are smoked or not.  Start with this and work up to it maybe!!  That way I know if I will like it or not.  So, thats over 30 lbs total....  Am I obsessed?! or just CRAZY!!

Bigfish


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## pops6927

Oh no, not at all, it's just the new SMF Normal!


bigfish98 said:


> OK, I couldn't help myself.  The in laws are coming the first weekend of February for my youngest's birthday, so I went ahead and got another 2 pack of boston butt (19.51 lbs) and started again!  Figured they would be done curing in time that I can smoke them the last weekend in January and I can get them smoked, sliced, packaged and froze before they get here.  I decided to go with garlic and onion powder on both as I liked that one the best of the two, but I added some black pepper to one this time.  I don't know if I will put any on when they are smoked or not.  Start with this and work up to it maybe!!  That way I know if I will like it or not.  So, thats over 30 lbs total....  Am I obsessed?! or just CRAZY!!
> 
> Bigfish


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## chef jimmyj

Way to go Bigfish! Very nice looking BBB...My AMNPS is on the way, this may just be the ticket for an inaugrual Smoke!...JJ


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## scrappynadds

After seeing your pic's bacon is going to be my first smoke when i finish my build


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## gersus

Nice job, looks great!


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## venture

Looks good from here?

Are you hooked now?

Good luck and good smoking.


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## luv2q

Fish, I'm in the middle of a belly bacon project right now, but after seeing your post, I'm definitely putting a BBB project on my short list. Thank you for posting and congrats on the way things turned out!


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## tjohnson

Awesome Color!!

I can never butterfly my pork shoulders like your's

Now that you've passed the BBB Test What's Next?

Todd


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## sprky

great color. I gotta try making bacon, but need a slicer first.


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## solaryellow

Nice job!


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## bigfish98

TJohnson said:


> Awesome Color!!
> 
> I can never butterfly my pork shoulders like your's
> 
> Now that you've passed the BBB Test What's Next?
> 
> Todd


Thanks Todd!  I think it may have been beginners luck cause I did a couple more on Monday that didn't turn out as pretty, but after curing and smoking will still be spectacular, I'm sure.  That's one good thing about making it for yourself.  It doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to taste good! 

As for what's next, I think I am going to try regular belly bacon.  MossyMO turned me on to a local company that sells them for $2.00 a pound, so I am going to have to pick some up! 

Stay warm!  I was in St. Cloud yesterday for training and boy was it cold.  We are just as cold here if not colder.  (Finally broke down and bought the wife an autostart for the car!)

Bigfish


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## mossymo

Very nice bigfish, your BBB is mouth watering just to look at; beautiful color!


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## DanMcG

That is some awesome color, great job

Did ya use cherry?


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## bigfish98

Yep, cherry and maple.


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## venture

Cherry and maple.  My favorite combo for smoked cheese!

Good luck and good smoking.


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