We had our last BBB a couple weeks back so it's time to fire up the smoker! I got 6 shoulders, all around 3.5# to 4.5#s....so right around 25#s.
I measured out the HM cure and put them in ziplocks. After 11 days in the fridge, I took them out and prepped them for the smoker. I did the basic High Mountain recipe before, but really wanted to try some maple buckboard bacon and some peppered maple BBB.
I kept 2 shoulders in just the cure, but I added good maple syrup to the cure of the other four....hoping to impart some flavor.
Here's what I did (after a test fry and subsequent 2 hour soak):
Shoulder 1 = Just the plain cure, sort of a control for this experiment.
Shoulder 2 = Just the plain cure, but with fresh CBP generously sprinkled all over.
Shoulder 3 = Shoulder with just the cure with the maple, but nothing else
Shoulder 4 = Shoulder with the maple cure with the sprinkling of CBP
Shoulder 5 = Maple cured shoulder that was basted with more maple syrup before heading into the fridge for pellicle forming
Shoulder 6 = Maple cured shoulder that was basted with more maple syrup, then sprinkling of CBP.
I'm gonna cold-smoke these.
I bought the A-Maz-N Pellet smoker and really have had a bear of a time getting the pellets to stay lit in my cold smoker. I tried baking the pellets to dry them out....I tried putting 1/2 sawdust below the pellets....I drilled more intake holes for ventilation....I put a fan super close to the holes to blow air into the smoker and literally on the tray. Nada, the pellets wouldn't stay lit.
So then I just tried straight-up sawdust and with the fan blowing air into the smoker and onto the tray, I've been getting consistent results. Here's my set up (for cold smoking salt):
They're going into the smoker tomorrow! Thanks for tagging along. I can't wait for the results........
I measured out the HM cure and put them in ziplocks. After 11 days in the fridge, I took them out and prepped them for the smoker. I did the basic High Mountain recipe before, but really wanted to try some maple buckboard bacon and some peppered maple BBB.
I kept 2 shoulders in just the cure, but I added good maple syrup to the cure of the other four....hoping to impart some flavor.
Here's what I did (after a test fry and subsequent 2 hour soak):
Shoulder 1 = Just the plain cure, sort of a control for this experiment.
Shoulder 2 = Just the plain cure, but with fresh CBP generously sprinkled all over.
Shoulder 3 = Shoulder with just the cure with the maple, but nothing else
Shoulder 4 = Shoulder with the maple cure with the sprinkling of CBP
Shoulder 5 = Maple cured shoulder that was basted with more maple syrup before heading into the fridge for pellicle forming
Shoulder 6 = Maple cured shoulder that was basted with more maple syrup, then sprinkling of CBP.
I'm gonna cold-smoke these.
I bought the A-Maz-N Pellet smoker and really have had a bear of a time getting the pellets to stay lit in my cold smoker. I tried baking the pellets to dry them out....I tried putting 1/2 sawdust below the pellets....I drilled more intake holes for ventilation....I put a fan super close to the holes to blow air into the smoker and literally on the tray. Nada, the pellets wouldn't stay lit.
So then I just tried straight-up sawdust and with the fan blowing air into the smoker and onto the tray, I've been getting consistent results. Here's my set up (for cold smoking salt):
They're going into the smoker tomorrow! Thanks for tagging along. I can't wait for the results........