How to cut Buckboard Bacon

mds51

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Nov 10, 2011

217

23

Oklahoma City

• Mar 6, 2014

• #1

We just finished smoking a big batch of Pork cuts and several Pork Butts for BBB. The results were very good but I was wondering if anyone ever cut the smoked pork butts against the grain. We used a meat slicer and cut with the grain and the results were good as long as we fried the slices like bacon to a crisp stage. We also cut the slices fairly thick and may cut them a little thinner to make the frying a little easier to get the bacon crisp we are looking for to achieve a good texture. Any suggestions or experience with this cut would be appreciated.

mds51

 

donr

Smoking Fanatic

Sep 3, 2011

393

29

Akron, Ohio

• Mar 6, 2014

• #2

Most people slice it across the grain and the thickness they like their bacon.

 

woodcutter

Master of the Pit

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Jul 2, 2012

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Marathon Wisconsin

• Mar 6, 2014

• #3

mds51 said:

We just finished smoking a big batch of Pork cuts and several Pork Butts for BBB. The results were very good but I was wondering if anyone ever cut the smoked pork butts against the grain. We used a meat slicer and cut with the grain and the results were good as long as we fried the slices like bacon to a crisp stage. We also cut the slices fairly thick and may cut them a little thinner to make the frying a little easier to get the bacon crisp we are looking for to achieve a good texture. Any suggestions or experience with this cut would be appreciated.

mds51

Click to expand...

DSCN7497.JPG

• woodcutter
• Mar 6, 2014

I liked it like this. Against the grain.

 

deucenahalf

Fire Starter

Feb 23, 2014

33

10

North Arkansas

• Mar 6, 2014

• #4

It just depends on one's taste... I like against the grain and thin sliced.  I think most slice against the grain.  Like woodcarvers photo, looks like bacon.

 

LanceR

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Jun 1, 2012

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Pinnacle, NC

• Mar 6, 2014

• #5

We usually make a half case or more at one time (35# and up) so we chill the finished butts to just short of frozen, fire up one of our electric slicers and cut it across the grain.  After a bit of experimentation we coose to usually cut it thin to reduce curling but thick works well too as long as I keep an I on it while frying.  If we decide to cut more of it thick I might invest in one of the cast iron bacon/sandwich steak weights.

Lance

 

mneeley490

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Jun 23, 2011

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Everett, WA

• Mar 6, 2014

• #6

Cut against the grain, but that is much easier said than done. The grains go every which way in a pork butt.

 

mds51

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Nov 10, 2011

217

23

Oklahoma City

• Mar 6, 2014

• #7

Thanks for all the good comments and advice. We will cut it a little thinner next time and after seeing the one post with the picture it tells me we cut it against the grain. I doubted myself until I saw that picture and realized how the slices we made looked. As I cooked the slices to a crispy bacon stage they had a better texture. i thought the cooked but not crispy pieces were a little tough. The end result was still very good but each time we do this we get a little better. Thanks again for all the advice.

mds51

 

woodcutter

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Jul 2, 2012

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Marathon Wisconsin

• Mar 6, 2014

• #8

mneeley490 said:

 
Cut against the grain, but that is much easier said than done. The grains go every which way in a pork butt.

Click to expand...

I agree. Look close when you pull a pork butt some time.

Some of the grains almost run up and down.

 

deucenahalf

Fire Starter

Feb 23, 2014

33

10

North Arkansas

• Mar 11, 2014

• #9

It is necessary to chill the bacon before slicing... I like lanceR's method of getting the meat to near freezing then slicing.