How to cut Buckboard Bacon

[mds51]

We just finished smoking a big batch of Pork cuts and several Pork Butts for BBB. The results were very good but I was wondering if anyone ever cut the smoked pork butts against the grain. We used a meat slicer and cut with the grain and the results were good as long as we fried the slices like bacon to a crisp stage. We also cut the slices fairly thick and may cut them a little thinner to make the frying a little easier to get the bacon crisp we are looking for to achieve a good texture. Any suggestions or experience with this cut would be appreciated.

mds51

 

[donr]

Most people slice it across the grain and the thickness they like their bacon.

 

[woodcutter]

We just finished smoking a big batch of Pork cuts and several Pork Butts for BBB. The results were very good but I was wondering if anyone ever cut the smoked pork butts against the grain. We used a meat slicer and cut with the grain and the results were good as long as we fried the slices like bacon to a crisp stage. We also cut the slices fairly thick and may cut them a little thinner to make the frying a little easier to get the bacon crisp we are looking for to achieve a good texture. Any suggestions or experience with this cut would be appreciated.

mds51

DSCN7497.JPG

• woodcutter
• Mar 6, 2014

I liked it like this. Against the grain.

 

[deucenahalf]

It just depends on one's taste... I like against the grain and thin sliced.  I think most slice against the grain.  Like woodcarvers photo, looks like bacon.

 

[LanceR]

We usually make a half case or more at one time (35# and up) so we chill the finished butts to just short of frozen, fire up one of our electric slicers and cut it across the grain.  After a bit of experimentation we coose to usually cut it thin to reduce curling but thick works well too as long as I keep an I on it while frying.  If we decide to cut more of it thick I might invest in one of the cast iron bacon/sandwich steak weights.

Lance

 

[mneeley490]

Cut against the grain, but that is much easier said than done. The grains go every which way in a pork butt.

 

[mds51]

Thanks for all the good comments and advice. We will cut it a little thinner next time and after seeing the one post with the picture it tells me we cut it against the grain. I doubted myself until I saw that picture and realized how the slices we made looked. As I cooked the slices to a crispy bacon stage they had a better texture. i thought the cooked but not crispy pieces were a little tough. The end result was still very good but each time we do this we get a little better. Thanks again for all the advice.

mds51

 

[woodcutter]

 
Cut against the grain, but that is much easier said than done. The grains go every which way in a pork butt.

I agree. Look close when you pull a pork butt some time.

Some of the grains almost run up and down.

 

[deucenahalf]

It is necessary to chill the bacon before slicing... I like lanceR's method of getting the meat to near freezing then slicing.