Attention All Bacon Makers!!

[Oceantoad]

My local meat mkt has bone in pork butt for $1.49 per #. These are packaged two butts per bag. I jumped on this sale a few months ago and bought 2 bags, (4 butts total). It wasn't until AFTER they were frozen that I discovered they are in the SAME vacuum packed bag. I tried to get one out to BBQ last month and realized I would need to thaw out both. Not to worry, I'll use those up this fall when I start making sausages again. To me, making sausage is a cool/cold weather sport. Hate trying to make room in the fridge all the time when I can easily set it outside. Sorry, I digress. Today I went to the meat mkt. and went a bit bat $hit crazy and bought 3 more bags. I cut up the first 2 bags into steaks. Got about 5-6 steaks per butt and then cut the trim off the bone for sausage and saved the bone for stock. Here's the "RUB"...(sorry, I couldn't resist)...I was wondering if I could cut those last 2 butts into some thick steaks, Brine them, Smoke them and cut them up for bacon. I realize that pork belly is the preferred section to make bacon from. I've seen people make Canadian bacon or Buckboard bacon from the Pork Loin. Think I could use the same process on the meat from the pork butt? So, the question I pose to you homemade bacon makers out there, would it work? Could it be possible? If you have any experience in this I would love to hear about it. Now I need to make room in the fridge while I wait for some response. I don't want to freeze these just yet.

Thanks

 

[JC in GB]

Buckboard bacon is made from pork shoulder.

JC

 

[JLeonard]

Lots of threads on here for buckboard bacon from butts. I've done it. Turns out mighty good!

Jim

 

[Oceantoad]

Guess I jumped the gun on this one. I was so excited that I may have stumbled onto something new, I failed to do my due diligence and research it a little. Within a few minutes I see that it is nothing new, and that Buckboard, Cottage and Country Style Bacon essentially the same. Sorry folks. Looking forward to making some bacon though.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Buckboard bacon,
Basically if your butt has a fat cap you want to cut that off along with about 2” of meat, sometimes more or less depending on the fat layers of the top of the butt. Then cure that slab and slice like bacon. The rest will cook up well or grind for sausage.

 

[JLeonard]

Guess I jumped the gun on this one. I was so excited that I may have stumbled onto something new, I failed to do my due diligence and research it a little. Within a few minutes I see that it is nothing new, and that Buckboard, Cottage and Country Style Bacon essentially the same. Sorry folks. Looking forward to making some bacon though.

Never fear being excited about something new to you. I love making buckboard bacon. And with butts being on sale this time of year I try to stock up. Its meatier and a little different taste than belly bacon. But you can make some killer BLTs with it. Do it up and dont worry about asking questions or etc. Share the cook and the pics. We Love us some show and tell!

Jim

 

[Hijack73]

About 3 months ago I cured 10lbs of butt for buckboard. I can't remember what happened the weekend I was supposed to smoke it, but either my back went out or we had some other emergency. I tosses all 3 ziplocs into the freezer and basically forgot about them. I was jonesing for something smoked this weekend so I took a little 2.5 lb chunk of belly and got it ready for the smoker. I had to knock the cobwebs off of the smoker first - that's how long it's been.

I dug those ziplocs of buckboard out and after I rolled heat on my belly for about 2 hours I dialed it back to 220 and dropped the still frozen hunks o butt onto the grates. Pulled the belly after about another hour, the butts was still pretty stiff in the middle but were looking good. Let them go until the big hunks were about 150 and the small hunks were about 160. I've never smoked any to that high, but I'm sure it will be delicious.

My belly burnt ends were rocktastic. You sure don't end up with much out of a 2.5 lb chunk lol. I'm guessing I ended up with right at a lb of yummies. Barely enough to scratch the itch but it motivated me to at least smoke something else soon. For quite a few years prior to this one, I ate more smoked meat than I ate unsmoked meat. Haven't had the will tend the smoker this summer. Work has been insanely busy, we lost our biggest customer back in the spring but got 2 more new ones that have our volume up to record levels.

When I get home I'll post ya a couple picks of the bacon. It's in vac bags aging until next Friday or Saturday when I'll slice. I cure everything on the butt. Little irregular pieces go through the grinder for bacon bits, adding to meatloaf or sausage etc.....

It's been in the mid 80's at night here for a month, had one cool night last week when it hit 65, was very nice. This week is calling for low 70's at night. Getting there.

 

[Oceantoad]

About 3 months ago I cured 10lbs of butt for buckboard. I can't remember what happened the weekend I was supposed to smoke it, but either my back went out or we had some other emergency. I tosses all 3 ziplocs into the freezer and basically forgot about them. I was jonesing for something smoked this weekend so I took a little 2.5 lb chunk of belly and got it ready for the smoker. I had to knock the cobwebs off of the smoker first - that's how long it's been.

I dug those ziplocs of buckboard out and after I rolled heat on my belly for about 2 hours I dialed it back to 220 and dropped the still frozen hunks o butt onto the grates. Pulled the belly after about another hour, the butts was still pretty stiff in the middle but were looking good. Let them go until the big hunks were about 150 and the small hunks were about 160. I've never smoked any to that high, but I'm sure it will be delicious.

My belly burnt ends were rocktastic. You sure don't end up with much out of a 2.5 lb chunk lol. I'm guessing I ended up with right at a lb of yummies. Barely enough to scratch the itch but it motivated me to at least smoke something else soon. For quite a few years prior to this one, I ate more smoked meat than I ate unsmoked meat. Haven't had the will tend the smoker this summer. Work has been insanely busy, we lost our biggest customer back in the spring but got 2 more new ones that have our volume up to record levels.

When I get home I'll post ya a couple picks of the bacon. It's in vac bags aging until next Friday or Saturday when I'll slice. I cure everything on the butt. Little irregular pieces go through the grinder for bacon bits, adding to meatloaf or sausage etc.....

It's been in the mid 80's at night here for a month, had one cool night last week when it hit 65, was very nice. This week is calling for low 70's at night. Getting there.

Thanks for the info. I thought about slicing those 2 last butts into somewhat perfect chunks for curing into bacon and then grinding the rest. I like your idea of curing everything and using the bits for sausage, meatloaf or whatever. Just got Ole Black Betty a few weeks ago. It's been so dang hot and muggy it's hard to enjoy her. I'm looking forward to cooler temps this fall. I have plenty of plans for her. So much that I need to start sourcing/collecting my wood for fuel soon. Thanks again for the info and I am looking forward to the pics.

 

[DougE]

Yep, buckboard bacon. I do it all the time.

 

[chopsaw]

I was so excited that I may have stumbled onto something new,

I'd say you did . New to you .
If I have a pork butt that has a nice thick fat cap side of the bone , I try to get it off as an even piece . Then cure it up like belly .
This is from a pork butt .

Smoked ,

Sliced

fried up .

My opinion on the freezing together , is you should count your thaw time into the sell by date . Sell by is not use by , but I have had them get " funky " around the outside , and the middle was still frozen solid .
I never freeze together anymore . I either break them down , grind and freeze in 2 1/2 pound batches , or I hold them in the fridge until the sell by gets close , then I make sausage .

 

[chopsaw]

Oceantoad
Got to thinking . Here's something else you may or may not have seen . Comes out great . Normally used with deer or game meat . I used all pork .

Owen's BBQ Ground Formed Bacon

Finally got around to doing this . 12 lbs all pork . I don't fry test much anymore , but this was a new one for me , so I put a patty in the pan . Taste was good . Not like bacon but good . So I'm thinking , needs to be cured and smoked to be bacon . Should be good . Used 3 - 11 x 8 pans . About...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[Oceantoad]

I'd say you did . New to you .
If I have a pork butt that has a nice thick fat cap side of the bone , I try to get it off as an even piece . Then cure it up like belly .
This is from a pork butt .
View attachment 672794
Smoked ,
View attachment 672793
Sliced
View attachment 672791
fried up .
View attachment 672792
My opinion on the freezing together , is you should count your thaw time into the sell by date . Sell by is not use by , but I have had them get " funky " around the outside , and the middle was still frozen solid .
I never freeze together anymore . I either break them down , grind and freeze in 2 1/2 pound batches , or I hold them in the fridge until the sell by gets close , then I make sausage .

Chopsaw, Thanks for the pics. Definitely going to try this approach. The
2 butts in a bag are not frozen when purchased. I froze them thinking they were two separate individually packaged butts in one large bag, I didn't realize until after I chucked them in the freezer for about a month that they were vacuum packed together. Had I known that I would have separated them out right away and done something else before freezing them

 

[chopsaw]

2 butts in a bag are not frozen when purchased. I froze them

Yeah , I understood what you had / did . I buy all single packed now .
Normal run for me if stuff is priced right . Post up whatever you make .

 

[JLeonard]

Dang fellas....looking at these pics...You got me thinking about making some BB bacon now!

Jim

 

[chopsaw]

Here's something else you might like to look through . Whole front leg . Made several items from it .

Whole front leg . Ham , sausage and some bacon .

I bought this at GFS when other stuff was out of stock . They don't normally have them , so I figure they were putting out what they could get . This was a at least 3 months ago . Maybe more . 99 cents a pound . Cleaned it up and boned it out . Tied up part of the picnic end and did Dave's...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[DRKsmoking]

Making me hungry for bacon guys, and I still have 5 more days before I
can smoke my pork loins for some nice back bacon , sorry Canadian bacon, lol
1 I added 2 tablespoons of Maple Extract, we will see if it soaks in enough, Did not want to inject this time as did not want the holes in the final product.

David

 

[Hijack73]

A small contribution to the bacon partaaaayyyy!!!

 

[Oceantoad]

I'd say you did . New to you .
If I have a pork butt that has a nice thick fat cap side of the bone , I try to get it off as an even piece . Then cure it up like belly .
This is from a pork butt .
View attachment 672794
Smoked ,
View attachment 672793
Sliced
View attachment 672791
fried up .
View attachment 672792
My opinion on the freezing together , is you should count your thaw time into the sell by date . Sell by is not use by , but I have had them get " funky " around the outside , and the middle was still frozen solid .
I never freeze together anymore . I either break them down , grind and freeze in 2 1/2 pound batches , or I hold them in the fridge until the sell by gets close , then I make sausage .

Chopsaw, Thanks for the pics. Definitely going to try this approach. The
2 butts in a bag are not frozen when purchased. I froze them thinking they were two separate individually packaged butts in one large bag, I didn't realize until after I chucked them in the freezer for about a month that they were vacuum packed together. Had I known that I would have separated them out right away and done something else before freezing them

 

[Oceantoad]

A small contribution to the bacon partaaaayyyy!!!
View attachment 672921

Hijack73, What did you brine those in and for how long? Looking mighty tasty.

 

[hooked on smoke]

Okay I've got to give this buckboard bacon a try. It looks pretty darn good.
I have never done bacon of any kind as I'm afraid of messing it up. Can I ask the bacon pro's out there if they can share a recipe for dummies? I am really intimated when it comes to the curing percentages and calculations. Is there something easy to understand for a new guy like me? I'm sorry for asking but I'll never know if I don't.
Thanks in advance.