[USA] Bushwhackers Buckboard Bacon

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Chuckwagon
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[USA] Bushwhackers Buckboard Bacon

Post by Chuckwagon » Tue May 24, 2011 10:20

[USA] "Bushwhacker`s Buckboard Bacon" (25 lbs.)
(Hickory Smoked Pork Butt)

"Buckboard Bacon" is made from pork butt (shoulder), rather than pork belly. Many people prefer its texture and thick-sliced portions. Note that a ham is normally pumped with 10% brining solution. Because of its composition, pork butt (shoulder) loses about 4% more solution than ham during its curing period. To compensate for the loss, pork butt is usually "stitched" with 15% solution. (e.g. pump 4 lbs. of pork with 6 ounces of brine). A typical brine for use with pork butt may be made up with the following ingredients:

5 quarts ice water @ 38°;F.
3/4 cup of salt
1 cup powdered dextrose
4 tblspns. Prague Powder #1
1 quart of ice cubes or chips
"butcher`s grind" (coarse) black pepper

Stir the salt, dextrose, and cure, into the ice water. Add the quart of ice to bring the temperature down. Weigh the appropriate amount of brine on a scale and inject it into each shoulder. Make several injections on each side with short shots of solution. Place the butts into the remaining solution (with ice) in large zip lock type plastic bags or a deep lug. The liquid must cover the meat. Allow 4 lb. butts to cure for three days and larger butts up to six days. Following curing, rinse the butts and place them in fresh, cold water for a few hours. Finally, hang them up and pat them dry. Using plastic gloves, rub the meat with fresh, cracked, black pepper.

Preheat your smoker to 130°;F. (54°;C.) while you place the butts in cloth (not plastic) smoke-netting called "stockinettes". Hang the butts in the smoker with the damper wide open, maintaining the smokehouse temperature for 3 to 3-1/2 hours without smoke. Increase the temperature to 170°; F. (77°; C.) and introduce hickory smoke while maintaining the smokehouse temperature until the internal meat temperature (IMT) reaches 140°; F. (60°; C.). Discontinue the heat and allow the meat to return to room temperature before placing it in a cooler overnight. This "prep cooking" IMT will ensure the destruction of any possible trichinella spiralis. The bacon will be "fully cooked" later as you cook it in your favorite black skillet or griddle.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
Last edited by Chuckwagon on Sat Feb 04, 2012 06:44, edited 1 time in total.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by Dave Zac » Wed May 25, 2011 01:33

Is it true that I can let my 8 lb butt stay in the brine for 10-12 days rather than just 6? Once it reaches equilibrium the extra days don't hurt it?

Also, why do you call for cloth netting? What harm is caused by plastic. I guess the netting I have could be considered plastic. It certainly is synthetic.

Dave
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Post by Chuckwagon » Wed May 25, 2011 07:20

Hi Dave,
I hijacked the recipe above, from ol' Rytek way back when we had rhinosaurahorse and dino-bone ribs for dinner! :roll: It states:
Allow 4 lb. butts to cure for three days and larger butts up to six days.
The reason you don't need more time is that when injected, nitrite is so quick and effective, it just doesn't need the extra time; it can make the meat "mushy". An 8 - pounder should be fine in just 6 days if you've stitched it all over with small injections. Longer periods of time may make the meat taste too salty.

Oh, and about the netting. There is an ongoing debate in the food community (very heated right now) about people using food items in which polypropylene plastic containers have been heated. America's Test Kitchen had an article on it some time ago along with a few other editors out to save our population. You may wish to check out this link: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-safe-plastic.htm
I'm still using the cloth (synthetic) stretch-type netting for roasts etc., but I have stopped using polypropylene plastic net in the smokehouse. There are indeed some pretty "hinky looking" ingredients in polypropylene, one of which is closely related to formaldehyde! :shock: I even had one melt a few years ago when I got carried away with too much heat. Better safe than sorry IMHO. Now I use the plastic nets only to dress up the final (cold) products for gifts etc.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by Dave Zac » Sat Jun 04, 2011 23:50

The deed is done. Smoked the bacon over hickory for about 5 hours yesterday, brought it up to temp. and left in fridge overnight.

Delicious accompaniment to farm fresh eggs and homemade English muffins indeed. And talk about tender!

Thanks for the recipe Chuckwagon. Sorry, no pics this time.
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Post by Chuckwagon » Sun Jun 05, 2011 05:37

Glad you enjoyed the recipe ol' timer! I had some just this morning.
For those of you who don't know Dave Zac, let me introduce you. He is probably the most self-sufficient person I know of. He has his own farm in upstate New York and makes his own everything... literally everything. Wine, cheese, sausage,... you name it! And he makes the best maple syrup you have ever tasted in your life! What a talented guy. Dave worked in my neck of the woods once upon a time when he was young and restless. Good to hear from you Dave.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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