Curing buckboard question..

[pit 4 brains]

Ok so i got two hunks of shoulder, I boned them and trimmed them down into some buckboard and snacks. I had a net of 6.5 lb of meat. I evenly didtributed my TQ amongst the pieces in a tupperware tub and then bag them individualy in some seal closure bags.

My question is, Could I have just left all the pieces in the tub and covered with some plastic wrap? This is how I have always done my elk steaks but i only cured them overnight since they were 1/2 inch thick.

I'm leaning towards the baggie thing just to make it easier to rotate the meat for the next week, but just salting the whole lot and covering would be much easier. I'm also a tad concerned that the smaller pieces will get exposed to too much cure.. Any thoughts?

 

[chefrob]

pete, i butterfly the butt after removing the bone (so no small peices) and i use a vac.seal bag so it stays flat and is easier to deal with in the fridg....not sure about a tub with plastic wrap.

 

[Bearcarver]

I think it's best to use zip lock bags, and measure out exactly how much is needed in each bag. I never put more than one piece in a bag, because one might get more cure than the other. I judge the length of time by the thickest piece, because it won't hurt the smaller pieces to be in cure as long as the thick piece, but the thick piece may not get enough cure, if it only stays in as long as the thinner pieces.

If any cure falls off of any piece, I make sure to put that cure in the bag with the piece it fell off of, because that cure was weighed to be put on that piece.

I know---I'm picky---You get that way with age!

Bear

 

[eman]

Can't wait to see your results . got 2 butts that are calling out to be cured.

 

[mballi3011]

Now I have always just put mine into a baggie type sealed bag. I don't think that a saran wrapped  would keep in the moisture that the salt will wick out of your shoulder meat. After all you don't want a big mess everyday in your refrig.

 

[tjohnson]

I use zip loc bags.  I gently mmessage them every day and give them a little flip in the fridge.  I even throw in about 1/4 cup of water to make sure all the cure and seasonings are moving around.

Just did 25# of venison bacon and absolutely LOVE all kinds of bacon!!!

I don't use TQ anymore, so I can control the amount of salt, but trust me, you're gonna dig the BBB!!!!

Todd

 

[pit 4 brains]

  i butterfly the butt after removing the bone (so no small peices)  

 I tried to be as methodical as possible but I still ended up with some small pieces. I tried removing as much of the exposed fat as possible and ended up removing some of the smaller muscle pieces in the process.

 
Can't wait to see your results . got 2 butts that are calling out to be cured.  

 I didn't take any qview of the cutting but I'll be sure to post up some pics after the rinse and during and after the smoke.. This is gonna be some staples for my elk hunt coming up so i probably won't slice any..

I'm definately gonna stay with the seal bags for curing unless I do smaller pieces like steaks and dove breasts...

 

[chefrob]

pete, i don't do any trimming at all..........fat is good!

 

[watlow]

All this talk about makin bakin is making me reeeeeel hungry, will have to have some more chips or something. Cant wait to see the finish. LOL

        Not bad for your health, loads of fun, and its legal. 

 

[DanMcG]

I prefer to bag it or vac seal it.  In the old days they would use a wooden box to cure in, so your bowl is just a variation on the box.

You concern about to much cure it tough to answer, but if you rubbed in proportional amounts of cure into each piece of meat I done see a problem.

 

[pit 4 brains]

 In the old days they would use a wooden box to cure in,  

 Yeah, funny how they managed without refridgerators, air conditioners and ziplocs... Of course nobody threw down a cigarette butt and most folks died before sixty.

 

[pit 4 brains]

Update... Bacon is in the smoker..

 

[meateater]

Oh that looks good already, and the smoke gods haven't blessed it yet. 

 

[Bearcarver]

This is gonna be some beautiful stuff!

Meateater, How many times did your mother tell you to get your fingers off, it's not done yet !!!

 

[pit 4 brains]

Here it is piled up. I'm gonna do some slicing during the football game..

 

[chefrob]

looks good pete!

 

[pit 4 brains]

Here it is all sliced up.. Good stuff too I might add.

At the same time, I had a pork butt in the drum and I just added some marinated chicken thighs and legs. Should have plenty of grub for my elk hunt this week..

 

[meateater]

This is gonna be some beautiful stuff!

Meateater, How many times did your mother tell you to get your fingers off, it's not done yet !!!

Who me?

 

 

[Bearcarver]

Awwww Pete--That is freakin' Awesome!

Your Bacon is all lined up like behind the showcase glass, in a little PA Dutch butcher shop, except I guarantee yours is better & better for ya!!!!!!!!

AWESOME !!!!

Thanks for the show,

Bear

 

[scarbelly]

Hey Pete that turned out real nice. Just had some of mine on a BLT today - man I love bacon