makin' bacon (not buckboard)

AlaskanC · December 2006

Has anyone made regular bacon using pork bellies? I want to make some bacon for my dad for Christmas but I'm not sure what method to use. I will use the buckboard method if that's the way to go.[p]Also, I want to make some pastrami. I am going to be lazy and use a pre-made corned beef, but I don't know if I should use the point or the flat. Any ideas on that?

AZRP · December 2006

AlaskanC,
I made Canadian bacon using a pork loin and the buckboard cure, it really turned out good. Have given chunks of it out to several people and they loved it. My cheese however, was another story, can't bring myself to give it out. -RP

AlaskanC · December 2006

AZRP,[p]I am with you on the cheese. Mine was pretty icky, but now I have new instructions so hopefully I can get a decent batch made.
I think I am going to go ahead and try the buckboard stuff on the bacon. I'm sure it will be good! (crossing fingers)

thirdeye · December 2006

AlaskanC,[p]Making belly bacon is not that hard, it is just sometimes hard to locate a quality belly. If your butcher can come up with this for you, ask if you can buy the brisket (front) end of the slab. If he skins is for you it is even less prep for you. The next obstacle is that you will get a better quality product if you can cold smoke it and an Egg is tough to hold at 80° for several hours.[p]You may be better off cutting your teeth on some Buckboard bacon first to see how you like home-curing.[p]As far as pastrami goes, home-corned beef makes the best but using a store-bought corned beef will work too, I do it often, using the flats. The points are usually low quality and very fatty.[p]To get an idea of Buckboard and pastrami made from store-bought corned beef, justhttp://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com and you will go to my cookin' site. The recipe section includes both Buckboard and pastrami pages. In fact the pastrami page has two tried and proven recipes using store-bought beef.[p]~thirdeye~[p]PS If you want to try out some of the Buckboard cure, send me your mailing address via e-mail. I can mail some out tomorrow.[p][p]

AlaskanC · December 2006

thirdeye,[p]I am going to take your advice and try the buckboard bacon. I just went to the Hi Mountain website and ordered the cure - but thank you very much for the offer to send some!
I know that the home-made corned beef would make a better pastrami, but we never get briskets here. I'll give the store bought kind a try for now I guess.
I will be glued to your instructions for days.... lol
Thanks for the help!!

AZRP · December 2006

AlaskanC,
I've made pastrami twice using store bought corned beefs and had very good results. They are all flats I think. -RP

thirdeye · December 2006

AlaskanC,[p]With both the bacon and pastrami, the soak time and the rest time in the fridge before smoking is very important, so allow enough time there. [p]As always feel free to ask questions....[p]~thirdeye~

djm5x9 · December 2006

Melissa:[p]Len Poli has some great recipes you need to check out. Here is a
Dry Cured Bacon Recipe and here is Len Poli's Home Page. From the Home Page click on "Formulations" for a great collection of sausage and meat curing recipes.[p]If you cannot pick up tenderquick locally, you can purchase it direct from Morton Salt. The Ingredient Store has curing supplies as well as The Sausage Maker.[p]With both bacon and pastrami it helps to have access to a slicer. Regardless, once you get the hang of it the home made product beats store bought!

AlaskanC · December 2006

Thanks Darryl - that is very helpful info! I am not sure if we have tenderquick here, so I might buzz across the street and see what they've got.[p]I will most definitely be bugging everyone for help!!

rex clingan · December 2006

Smoked corned beef is a wonderful thing, but isn't really pastrami. Dry cure for pastrami, brine for corning. DIY on the cure lets you have a lot more options: eye of round for leaner, a cut from the plate called navel for fattier than brisket. [p]I remember watching Emeril make a duck pastrami. You could even use a pork butt or shoulder and make a corned pork or pork pastrami, if kosher isn't a constraint. [p]Pastrami curing a pork belly would give you a hybrid of bacon and pastrami. I'm thinking of trying a seasoning that would combine the resulting flavors of a pastrami dry cure and cooking rub to mix into bulk pork sausage and keep on hand in the freezer for a quick "pastrami" fix. [p]I kinda like the idea of combining the brisket burger idea with using a cured piece of beef.

stike · December 2006

AlaskanC,
metal dryer hose from the daisy to a cardboard box (with a wire rack in it) will give you cold smoke temps. you want it below 100, but the egg could be higher, as the smoke will cool in transit

Wardster · December 2006

I have been making Pastrami like it's my job for about a month. I used Bluesmoke's recipe and just a store bought corn beef package, the whole thing.[p]Throw away spices and rinse well. Pat dry.[p]Combine 2 tbs fresh cracked pepper
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs sugar in the raw
1 tbs giner powder
Cover the meat and let it sit overnight.[p]I then cook indirect at 250* for several hours using hickory chunks. I'd say 5-7 hrs.[p]This may not be authenic pastrami, but it's damn good and close enough for me... and ALL my neighbors.[p]Fun easy cook too. Stay warm.

fishlessman · December 2006

<p />AlaskanC,
never made regular bacon but have made canadian style. nature boys site has a simple recipe to follow. i found it a little salty, but rinsing the slices before frying worked out well. the slices freeze well

for the pastrami if you use store bought soak it for a day atleast and change the water a few times. dont use anything in the rub with salt, it rises to the surface as you cook it. i use skinny flats and roll and tie it before cooking. garlic onion powder and cracked black pepper for a rub and hickory and cherry for smoke. this was a grey style cornbeef which is something you would find in boston, we dont eat as much red stuff, but that works fine too, you really need to soak the red corned beef well

egret · December 2006

Billy,
This the recipe you were talking about the other day? I don't recall seeing one of these "store bought corn beef packages"!? Any further info on identifying one of these things?

ChrisC · December 2006

Wardster,[p]What temp are you pulling it at???[p]Thanks,
ChrisC

Wise One · December 2006

djm5x9, getting an error on that PDF page (Dry Cured Bacon Recipe). Any idea why?

Wardster · December 2006

egret,
Yeah, that's the one. You can find them at any supermarket. They are in the beef section and cryovac sealed, not like the other cuts of meat sold. They usually have one or two out at a time, but more in the back. Just ask the counter if you can't find them. I'd be real suprised if they did not carry them.

Wardster · December 2006

ChrisC,
eh.. depends. I've pulled a couple at 160ish and they were great. The last 2 I did I pulled at 190ish. The last ones seemed to have a little more fat in them. Could be because the actually did, or it could have been the longer cook.

egret · December 2006

Wardster,
Much appreciated.......Will look for it.

Gene · December 2006

AlaskanC,
Alton Brown has some resipes at http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_17624,00.html?rsrc=search

fishlessman · December 2006

egret,
if you dont see them now, look again in march, its a st paddy day meal, and after that holiday they come on sale for a lot cheaper. if you find you like it, stock up after st paddy day

Nature Boy · December 2006

Hey Bill!
Works for me. It's a PDF file. You got your current version of Acrobat reader??
Beers MANG!
Chris

djm5x9 · December 2006

Wise One:[p]Sorry for the late reply . . . I retired from being unemployed . . . Did the link work for you?[p]Len has a really neat site with some great recipes. Let me know if you want to make some sausage one weekend!

egret · December 2006

fishlessman,
Thanks for the info. I actually saw them at the grocery store today and they were pretty pricey, over 6 bucks/lb.

Unknown · December 2006

fishlessman,
where is nature boy site?

fishlessman · December 2006

benny,

[ul][li]dizzy pig[/ul]

makin' bacon (not buckboard)

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