Bone-In Butt with Bacon Drippings

[Tex1911]

Thought I'd share since this is my first time trying this exact way.
MES at 225-240 degrees.
AMPS Tray in side smoker (Mailbox mod kinda)

I decided not to wrap this one and just run through any stalls. It seemed to have a small stall around the 150 IT but it didn't last long. Meat went on pre-heated MES around 9 this morning. I put butt in foil pan sitting on a small wire rack. Meat was rubbed with Jeffs rub, the sweet rub the night before, nothing else. And no spritz mid cook.

I first put the trimmed fat in small foil pan with holes for the drippings and placed above the butt. After a few hours, it seemed to have run its course so I removed the fat and saved for beans for a later date. At about the 160 IT degree mark, I opened door and flipped the butt over. Then I decided to add some store-bought bacon above the butt. I usually make my own but decided to try store-bought for this one. I just laid the bacon on the racks, no pans.

We will see how it works out. The first bacon I put in there cooked so I decided to pull it off and replace with another round of bacon. I don't think I will need to add another round but we will see. The cooked bacon looks awesome and should be good for breakfast, if it lasts that long. Ha.



Pardon the mess, I'm moving things around and have a temporary stand for the MES. I just purchased the gasser in the background, haven't even cooked on it yet. The old stick cooker that has served me well is going to be given to my son in law. I'm spoiled now with the MES and the gasser will handle the sears and Armadillo Eggs just fine. Can't wait.

 

[lovethemeats]

Thought I'd share since this is my first time trying this exact way.
MES at 225-240 degrees.
AMPS Tray in side smoker (Mailbox mod kinda)

The old stick cooker that has served me well is going to be given to my son in law. I'm spoiled now with the MES and the gasser will handle the sears and Armadillo Eggs just fine. Can't wait.

I'd keep the old stick burner. Mes are nice. But the stick burners add that certain touch a Mes does not have. I love all of my different units I have.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Let us know how it turns out. Curious to see if you get any bacon flavor or extra moistness out of it. Looks great so far!

 

[Tex1911]

Thanks, I'm curious too. That bacon I pulled off when it was done is fantastic. Its not crunchy but if you like chewy bacon, its hard to beat. I really didn't know how the bacon would turn out as I've never smoke/cooked bacon like that. Pretty good. Which reminds me, I need to go check on it and see if I need to reload the bacon again.

Regarding the stick burner, I've already told my Son in Law he can have it so I don't want to reneg on the deal. But that's cool, he will share the BBQ with me.

 

[SonnyE]

Interesting Bacon Makin there.
I bet it would taste mighty good.
I fried up 3 pounds of my home cured and smoked Christmas Day for the Family and Boy Howdy, did it disappear fast!
And there wasn't none left over.

I like your smoke maker is nice!
Temporary stand, Ha, Ha. When you are prototyping all's fair to try things out.
My MES 30 stood on bricks for a long time. But when my curing fridge became a necessity, I got an under the car drip pan for a "roof" for the little fridge (which now stands on bricks), and my MES 30 stands on top of it.
I have bacon scented beer cans from the little fridge. Crazy like a fox.

 

[SmokinAl]

That butt looks great!
How did it taste!
Al

 

[HalfSmoked]

Awesome looking and a great new idea. I bet it was all just great.

Warren

 

[Tex1911]

Thanks guys. It turned out great, but........ no bacon taste in it. Sorry no pics but if you've seen one ya seen em all. LOL. I probe tested and it was ready at 197 IT. By the time I let it rest, pulled it, then cleaned my mess it was after midnight and I had to get up early. The Warden made it clear she already cleaned kitchen and already in bed so the clean up was all mine!

I would say a swing and a miss on the bacon drippings. The bacon added no flavor at all and the gold at the bottom of the pan was obviously just bacon grease. Honestly, not sure it was worth the trouble. I may play with the idea some more. Who knows? Maybe a little tweak here and there and it might be golden.

The good thing is, it was great, delicious and had a nice bark on it; I was just hoping for more. Since I didn't know how much salt/bacon flavor I'd get, I took it easy on the pre-seasoning. I did have to add table salt after I pulled it but no biggie. Easier to add than take away.

I would describe it as a natural smokey taste. I didn't spritz or wrap and since I put little rub on it, the end result was natural pork with smokey taste. It was a nice change in pace. I'm sure my 2 little doggies wish it turned into their food, but they will have to settle for the left overs. Again. Ha. (It's not like they don't get their fair share anyway).

Maybe you guys can think of some tweaks to do with this one?

 

[SonnyE]

A butt is butt, and each one a delight in it's own way...
Is not bacon, unless you make it bacon. Then it's butt bacon, and that's a transformed butt. A cured butt.
Most call it Buckboard Bacon. But it's butt.
Until I found SMF, I didn't know pigs had so many butts.
I wonder if you were to weave a bacon blanket, and cover your butt with it, would you get a bacony butt? But I'm not sure I would want toothpicks poked in my butt.
It just seems if you covered your butt in bacon, your butt would at least be well greased.
And would people be more apt to dig into your well greased butt?
Or would they think it was just a solid core fatty...

 

[Tex1911]

"I like smoked butts and I cannot lie". Ha. I might try the bacon blanket on a small butt. Whats the worse could happen? I would use my homemade bacon for that. What about bacon on the inside of a butt? Bad idea to cut the butt open I wonder? I'll try it, why not. So i guess that would be butt covered bacon? Gotta love this little hobby.

 

[SonnyE]

"I like smoked butts and I cannot lie". Ha. I might try the bacon blanket on a small butt. Whats the worse could happen? I would use my homemade bacon for that. What about bacon on the inside of a butt? Bad idea to cut the butt open I wonder? I'll try it, why not. So i guess that would be butt covered bacon? Gotta love this little hobby.

I think putting bacon in your butt would be better than a gerbil.

 

[Tex1911]

No Gerbils allowed. No Wongs either! OK, back to our regularly scheduled program.

I think I will ponder a way to get some bacon inside a bu.........shoulder. How bout making small cuts in meat, and stuffing bacon vertically? Maybe every 2 inches or so? Of course the bacon would have to be cut to fit maybe in 3 pieces? I'll try it one of these days here soon. Why not?

 

[SonnyE]

No Gerbils allowed. No Wongs either! OK, back to our regularly scheduled program.

I think I will ponder a way to get some bacon inside a bu.........shoulder. How bout making small cuts in meat, and stuffing bacon vertically? Maybe every 2 inches or so? Of course the bacon would have to be cut to fit maybe in 3 pieces? I'll try it one of these days here soon. Why not?

LOL!
Humm, I think you'd get warmed, uncooked bacon.
Ona outside, it can cook like it does on a fatty.
Maybe you could inject some bacon grease, but I doubt it would do what you are hoping for.
That's hope-ing, not hopping.
Maybe a bacon blanket, and Velveeta Cheese sauce....
Humm, you could use the straight needle on your injector and play Doctor, giving your butt a shot.
Bacon wrapped cheese butt... Add in some finely made Bacon Bits.
Bacon Cheesy Sauce Injected Butt. BCSIB.
Oh My!

 

[Tex1911]

LOL. Warm uncooked bacon. Didn't think about that. OK, you talked me out of that one. Hmmmm. Still thinking though! Not givin up just yet!!

 

[SonnyE]

 

[HalfSmoked]

Tex1911 Thanks for the like it is greatly appreciated.

Warren

 

[Tex1911]

Your welcome Halfsmoked. Thanks for joining in.