I had been wanting to try BBB a long time and when Food Lion had butts and picnics at .99c/# I thought here is my chance. I ended up picking a picnic but if I had to do it again I'd pick a shoulder as the picnic is too lean.
I used Todd's recipe posted here: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122684/making-buckboard-bacon-part-1
I used the "Cure With Maple Sugar" instead of the "Country Brown" mix that Todd used. Both can be bought at Butcher and Packer Supply. Both contain cure #1.
De-boned and sliced in half. Skin removed
In the cure, turned and massaged twice daily. 12 days to smoke time:
Skin boiled and fat scraped. I cut into 2" pieces and deep fried for a treat :
12 Days are up. After 20 minute soak, a salt/taste test. After test soaked for 15 more minutes:
After drying in fridge for 3 days, (after one piece was doused with CBP) to get a nice pellicile,
smoke time!
12 hour cold smoke split into a 3 hour evening, 5 hour morning then 4 hours evening smoke,
completed last night. I split the smoking due to day time warmth. Used AMZNPS with apple
and maple dust, internal grill temp never got above 80:
This piece will be used as seasoning for greens. Lots of fresh CPB:
After smoke, wrapped slabs in Saran Wrap and will wait four days. That WAS the plan
had to sample today. Brown piece was very near the outside, just a bit smoky colored:
A bit lean so I added a 1/4 teaspoon of bacon grease. Actually it did produce it's own
grease along with the snap, crackle and pop like regular bacon. Thinner pieces got a bit crisp:
The spices, garlic and cayenne came right out in the salt taste test. After the smoke, they were barely
discernible. The taste is very much like bacon with a texture of ham, sort of. I was very pleased and feel like
I might be able to tackle a belly perhaps next fall when it gets cool again.
I used Todd's recipe posted here: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122684/making-buckboard-bacon-part-1
I used the "Cure With Maple Sugar" instead of the "Country Brown" mix that Todd used. Both can be bought at Butcher and Packer Supply. Both contain cure #1.
De-boned and sliced in half. Skin removed
In the cure, turned and massaged twice daily. 12 days to smoke time:
Skin boiled and fat scraped. I cut into 2" pieces and deep fried for a treat :
12 Days are up. After 20 minute soak, a salt/taste test. After test soaked for 15 more minutes:
After drying in fridge for 3 days, (after one piece was doused with CBP) to get a nice pellicile,
smoke time!
12 hour cold smoke split into a 3 hour evening, 5 hour morning then 4 hours evening smoke,
completed last night. I split the smoking due to day time warmth. Used AMZNPS with apple
and maple dust, internal grill temp never got above 80:
This piece will be used as seasoning for greens. Lots of fresh CPB:
After smoke, wrapped slabs in Saran Wrap and will wait four days. That WAS the plan
had to sample today. Brown piece was very near the outside, just a bit smoky colored:
A bit lean so I added a 1/4 teaspoon of bacon grease. Actually it did produce it's own
grease along with the snap, crackle and pop like regular bacon. Thinner pieces got a bit crisp:
The spices, garlic and cayenne came right out in the salt taste test. After the smoke, they were barely
discernible. The taste is very much like bacon with a texture of ham, sort of. I was very pleased and feel like
I might be able to tackle a belly perhaps next fall when it gets cool again.
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