Got 2 batches done just before Christmas. Good thing, as I woke up to 5" of snow this morning. A little unusual here, but it's 24° outside right now, and still coming down with 25 mph gusts. (See below.)
Anyway, first batch of 20 lbs was done with DiggingDogFarm's cure calculator, using maple sugar and 2T of maple extract per 5 lb slab. Even then, the maple is there, but still subtle. I don't know what more I can do to try to get more maple flavor into the meat. Smoked with my usual 70/30 ratio of corn cob and cherry. One of the 4 slabs, I sprinkled with coarse BP before smoking.
For the second 20 lbs. batch, I used High Mountain BBB cure. I was warned that it could be a little salty, so I soaked for three hours before smoking. Turned out to not be enough. The end product was edible, but on the high side of my salt tolerance. Otherwise, the flavor was good, but I think I will stick to my own cure from now on. (Just wish I hadn't bought 2 more boxes while it was on sale. They might go on OfferUp.) I sliced up that batch on Christmas Eve day, and also a 5 lbs. slab of belly that I had in the freezer and had forgotten to slice last time. Most of it went to the in-laws yesterday.
Some snow pics:
There is a pretty good breeze going on, blowing the snow sideways. I'm expecting to see a Bumble any minute. Even my covered back deck got hit.
And don't forget to help out our avian friends. I brought this hummingbird feeder in last night so it wouldn't freeze, and put it back out this morning. These little guys do not migrate, and have braved the winds and flakes to get some juice.
Anyway, first batch of 20 lbs was done with DiggingDogFarm's cure calculator, using maple sugar and 2T of maple extract per 5 lb slab. Even then, the maple is there, but still subtle. I don't know what more I can do to try to get more maple flavor into the meat. Smoked with my usual 70/30 ratio of corn cob and cherry. One of the 4 slabs, I sprinkled with coarse BP before smoking.
For the second 20 lbs. batch, I used High Mountain BBB cure. I was warned that it could be a little salty, so I soaked for three hours before smoking. Turned out to not be enough. The end product was edible, but on the high side of my salt tolerance. Otherwise, the flavor was good, but I think I will stick to my own cure from now on. (Just wish I hadn't bought 2 more boxes while it was on sale. They might go on OfferUp.) I sliced up that batch on Christmas Eve day, and also a 5 lbs. slab of belly that I had in the freezer and had forgotten to slice last time. Most of it went to the in-laws yesterday.
Some snow pics:
There is a pretty good breeze going on, blowing the snow sideways. I'm expecting to see a Bumble any minute. Even my covered back deck got hit.
And don't forget to help out our avian friends. I brought this hummingbird feeder in last night so it wouldn't freeze, and put it back out this morning. These little guys do not migrate, and have braved the winds and flakes to get some juice.