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Buckboard Bacon

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RustyEgg
RustyEgg Posts: 25
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm going to be curing a pork sholder (Boston Butt cut) so we have some bacon for the new year. I've made some in the past by doing just as the instructions direct but it just seems to be missing something. To me it's lacking flavor (smoked flavor); especially in the center. When I de-bone the meat this afternoon I was thinking of cutting the meat into smaller pieces. So I'll have four or five 2 lbs pieces rather than one big piece. Any thoughts? Does everyone strictly follow the instructions or has anyone perfected a variation? Any suggestions or tips?

Thanks,
RustyEgg
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  • Fire Walker
    Fire Walker Posts: 241
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    RustyEgg
    My butts are curing in the fridge as we speak. It makes sense to cut the large pieces into smaller portions that would create more surface area for the smoke, I was also going to pound some cracked pepper on the pieces before smoking.

    FireWalker
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  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
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    How did you smoke it? I've done a few and they've turned out great. The one's I've don so far have been in 3 or 4 pound chunks (after boning). Cure for ten days, rinse for one, changing the water 3 or 4 times, then smoke with hickory at around 200 until internal is 140.
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  • Lawn Ranger
    Lawn Ranger Posts: 5,467
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    Thirdeye had me adding fresh chips about every 20 - 30 minutes for the entire 2 hr. and 45 minute cook of some 2 pound loins. They had great smoked flavor. You might try that. It also helps to keep the temp. lower.

    Mike
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  • Lawn Ranger
    Lawn Ranger Posts: 5,467
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    BTW, I've got 32 pounds of loins...cut into 2 pound pieces, to do this weekend. I should smell pretty darn good when it's over!

    Mike
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  • Nils
    Nils Posts: 82
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    I did a pork loin last month, about 2.5 hours, used one chunk of hickory and turned out great.

    I finished two pork butts last night, about 5 hours, and two hickory chunks, and was a little too smokey.

    All done at 180* for first 2 hours, then 200* until done.

    There are obviously more "knobs" to adjust in this process ;-P
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,758
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    a few recipes for corning meat like for pastrami, or dry curing beef and sausage say to keep the pieces no more than 3.5 inches thick. thats what i would shoot for.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    The Hi Mountain instructions are actually written for using a Cookshack style box smoker and that 45 minutes at 145° is for drying the meat (much like you do when processing sausage in a box smoker), then they introduce smoke when they ramp up the temp to 200°.

    The changes I have made are on the Buckboard page in the PORK section of my site. I have altered the soak time, the rest time, and I start with smoke from the beginning and add chips a couple of times an hour. On the same page there are some notes from Rocky describing how he broke down some butts into smaller pieces, it will certainly cut down your cure time.
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    Make sure to post some pictures of that. It looks like I've missed the boat (timewise) for doing any for Christmas presents. I only have Thursday and Friday off.
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • RustyEgg
    RustyEgg Posts: 25
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    Thanks for all of the advice...I'll cut into smaller portions and add some wood throughout the cook. I'll definately have to read thirdeye's site before I get started as well.
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  • Lawn Ranger
    Lawn Ranger Posts: 5,467
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    Will do, My Friend. Should be an early/late day tomorrow.

    Many, Many Thanks for all that you've done for us.

    Merry Christmas!

    Mike
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