First time cold-smoked Buckboard Bacon w/qview

[freakynorm]

I have been wanting to try this for some time now and I just got a meat slicer and I thought that it would be perfect to slice up some BBB with. I picked up 2 butts for $1.88lb for a total of 13lbs or so. I deboned and butterflied the butts. I used cure#1, salt and brown sugar in a 1/7/5 grams per lb ratio that I stole from ChefRob's post.

I let the butts cure for 10 days. Pulled from the fridge, rinsed it off really good and did the slice and fry test. It was good, slightly salty but I figured that's because it's thin end piece that got more salt into it. After rinsing off I put them in the fridge overnight to form the pellicle. 

I pulled them out the fridge this morning, and did 1 with nothing but pepper, another with garlic powder, onion powder and pepper, another with a maple glaze and sprinkled with brown sugar and another with a honey pecan rub I got from Cabelas. I also got a few sticks of butter and some cheese in the old MES30 since I was cold smoking today. I am using apple wood pellets in my AMNPS tray. I plan to do a 10-12 hour smoke on the butts and a 2 hour smoke on the cheese and butter.

Once the butts are done I will wrap and let mellow in the fridge for a few days then slice it up. Any other suggestions or tips are welcome.

Had to wear this shirt today for obvious reasons.

BBB04-17-2015-005.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

One half with the fat cap.

BBB04-17-2015-001.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

Garlic, onion and pepper.

BBB04-17-2015-002.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

Pure pepper.

BBB04-17-2015-003.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

Honey pecan rub.

BBB04-17-2015-008.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

Maple and brown sugar.

BBB04-17-2015-009.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

Lots of butter and cheese.

BBB04-17-2015-007.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

Got the ANMPS fired up.

BBB04-17-2015-004.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

Cold-smoking sitting pretty at 52° thanks to the chilly temps and some ice trays in the smoker.

BBB04-17-2015-006.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 17, 2015

 

[Bearcarver]

Good Start & Good Plan!!

Bear

 

[beartoo]

Looks Great, someday I have to try that. 

Take Care

Beartoo

 

[gary s]

Man that's a lot of great stuff  

Gary

 

[freakynorm]

Pulled off the smoker after a 12 hour smoke. Into the fridge to mellow out til Sunday, then BLT's for dinner!

BBB04-17-2015-011.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 18, 2015

 

[freakynorm]

It doesn't look as dark as some others I've seen on here, even with the same smoke times. Is this normal?

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks Tasty, Norm!!

Waiting for the sliced pics.

As for lighter than some----I use 10 to 12 hours at 110° to 130° smoker temp on Bacon.

If you cold smoke you should use about twice as long smoking time to get the same color & flavor. IMHO

It'll still be Awesome & 10X as good as store bought.

Bear

 

[gary s]

Can't wait to see it sliced and you frying some up I is going to be good.  I smoke mine from Bear's recipe  I have read that some who cold smoke will smoke for 12 hours let it rest overnight in the fridge and smoke it another 12  Never tried that.  Only thing I have cold smoked id Cheese

Gary

 

[freakynorm]

Ok I let them sit in the fridge for a few days to mellow out. I put them in the freezer to stiff them up a bit for slicing. I sampled each one as I went. I didn't notice a huge difference between the pepper one, the pepper garlic and onion one, and the honey pecan one. I did notice a slightly sweet hint from the maple brown sugar one. That one was my favorite. Savory, smoky and sweet. Next time I will do a coating of maple syrup with some brown sugar and black coffee sprinkled on it.

I think the next time I will only use the fat cap pieces for bacon and I used the other ends to make some pulled ham. The non-fat cap side is a bit hard to slice and doesn't have an even distribution of fat.

On the slicer and ready to go.

BBB04-17-2015-016.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 19, 2015

Slicing it up.

BBB04-17-2015-017.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 19, 2015

Mountain of bacon forming up.

BBB04-17-2015-012.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 19, 2015

In the pan to sample.

BBB04-17-2015-013.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 19, 2015

One side done.

BBB04-17-2015-014.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 19, 2015

Flipped.

BBB04-17-2015-015.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 19, 2015

All done!

BBB04-17-2015-018.jpg

• freakynorm
• Apr 19, 2015

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Ok I let them sit in the fridge for a few days to mellow out. I put them in the freezer to stiff them up a bit for slicing. I sampled each one as I went. I didn't notice a huge difference between the pepper one, the pepper garlic and onion one, and the honey pecan one. I did notice a slightly sweet hint from the maple brown sugar one. That one was my favorite. Savory, smoky and sweet. Next time I will do a coating of maple syrup with some brown sugar and black coffee sprinkled on it.

I think the next time I will only use the fat cap pieces for bacon and I used the other ends to make some pulled ham. The non-fat cap side is a bit hard to slice and doesn't have an even distribution of fat.

That's what I do---Upper fatty half = BBB/////////// Bottom leaner half Pulled Butt Ham.

Yours looks Great----You're gonna love it !!

----------------

Bear

 

[pc farmer]

Looks awesome. :points:


I might try pulled ham the next time. Just so hard not to make bacon.

 

[freakynorm]

So I vac-sealed the bacon in 1lb batches. Is it best to freeze it since it's kinda tough for 2 people to eat 12lbs of bacon.

If I do pulled ham, do I just hot smoke it up to 200°F internal temp after it's done curing?

 

[Bearcarver]

 
So I vac-sealed the bacon in 1lb batches. Is it best to freeze it since it's kinda tough for 2 people to eat 12lbs of bacon.

If I do pulled ham, do I just hot smoke it up to 200°F internal temp after it's done curing?

I smoke the Pulled Butt Ham exactly like I do my regular Pork Butts for Pulled Pork (about 205° IT). It still needs to be broken down just as if it's not cured.

I slice all my Bacon & freeze it in about 1/2 pound packs. Mrs Bear doesn't eat a lot of Bacon, and I don't like to give others a whole pound, or there won't be any left for me!!!!

Bear

 

[freakynorm]

Thanks for the tips. Pulled ham sounds so good. Can't wait to try that one next time.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Thanks for the tips. Pulled ham sounds so good. Can't wait to try that one next time.

LOL----It's really hard to believe just how good "Cured & Pulled Butt Ham" is.

You have to experience it yourself!!

Buckboard Bacon and Pulled Cured Boston Butt Ham       

Bear

 

[backyardboss]

 
LOL----It's really hard to believe just how good "Cured & Pulled Butt Ham" is.

You have to experience it yourself!!

Buckboard Bacon and Pulled Cured Boston Butt Ham       

Bear

Yup! Something else just got added to the list! I'd imagine you could cure and smoke to 205 the entire butt, correct? When I do this stuff it goes quick, so I prefer to do large(er) batches.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Yup! Something else just got added to the list! I'd imagine you could cure and smoke to 205 the entire butt, correct? When I do this stuff it goes quick, so I prefer to do large(er) batches.

Yes you could.

I split it for a couple reasons though:

Butts are usually thicker than 3", and I don't like to cure stuff thicker than 3" without injecting, and I'd rather not inject.

The other reason is the top half of a Butt is more fatty, and I don't mind the extra fat in my BBB, but I don't like a lot of extra fat in my Pulled Butt Ham.

Hope that makes sense.

Bear

 

[backyardboss]

 
Yes you could.

I split it for a couple reasons though:

Butts are usually thicker than 3", and I don't like to cure stuff thicker than 3" without injecting, and I'd rather not inject.

The other reason is the top half of a Butt is more fatty, and I don't mind the extra fat in my BBB, but I don't like a lot of extra fat in my Pulled Butt Ham.

Hope that makes sense.

Bear

Makes perfect sense and once I followed the link to your actual smoke on this it answered my question within the first sentence or two. I'll be following it to a T for the first smoke and having some home cured bacon for the A.M.s can only be a good thing too!

Side note- question, since you clealry know your way around here a lot better than I, cause I've had NO luck finding any instruction. I have a BUNcH of Q-view pics on my camera and phone going back over a year now, some with pretty good results. I havee had NO luck being able to post them.

Is there a tutorial around here on that that you are aware of? Thanks again.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Makes perfect sense and once I followed the link to your actual smoke on this it answered my question within the first sentence or two. I'll be following it to a T for the first smoke and having some home cured bacon for the A.M.s can only be a good thing too!

Side note- question, since you clealry know your way around here a lot better than I, cause I've had NO luck finding any instruction. I have a BUNcH of Q-view pics on my camera and phone going back over a year now, some with pretty good results. I havee had NO luck being able to post them.

Is there a tutorial around here on that that you are aware of? Thanks again.

Most forums you have to use something like Photobucket.

However on this forum, All you have to do is put the pics on your Puter.

Then Left click where you want to put the Pic in your reply box.

Then click on the little "chain link" looking thing at the top of your reply box.

Then follow the directions to find it in your Puter through that linking box.

I have no idea how to do this with a phone cam----Could be completely different.

Hope that helps,---If not, I'm sure there's a few tutorials around.

Bear

 

[backyardboss]

Well, can't hurt!

Now I'd just need to go back and search out the correct threads from a year and a half ago so the pics are relevant!

Thanks again! BYB