1st attempt at belly bacon

[boatnut]

Wow...absolutely beautiful. Great work...Sorry, but what is MTQ? I know what TQ is...but you lost me with the MTQ.

The reason why I am asking, is cause i gotta try this...this seems like a fun winter project.

I'm assuming MTQ is "morton's tender quick".

 

[Pit Boss Honeycutt]

Looks Fantastic! Thanks!!

 

[musicmanryann]

That looks so awesome i think I am going to do that tonight!

 

[HumboldtSmokeBBQ]

yeah, if you start tonight, you might have her done by next weekend. I have to plan this one out. maybe next week. That looks really great.

 

[KnucklHed BBQ]

Looks great man!

I cured my first belly 7 or 8 months ago and now I can't keep up with the consumption rate! I made 1 with a maple syrup (real stuff) and brown sugar in the cure... it was good but you couldn't fry it at high temps like normal or the sugar would burn and stick to the pan.

The other belly I did the first time is not my go-to recipe. cracked pepper, homemade chipotle powder, garlic granuals, onion powder and red chili flakes. Wow! Best bacon I've ever had!

Bellies are too expensive around here ($5/lb) so I've started making buckboard... I like it just as much! I also found the first bellies too salty so I use less TQ now and soak them for a few hours in cold water, then dry and allow to sit in fridge 24hrs before smoking.

You mentioned that you sliced off the skin when you tried the smaller piece. Would it hurt to cut it off before curing and smoking?

yes, you can remove the skin before smoking to allow more penetration Ron!

 

[Gore]

Sitting here drooling and wondering which pic will be in the Throwdown.

 

[JamesB]

Thanks for all the replies! It was a great learning experience and as said, I'll be doing this again...

For the record, these bellies were $1.88lb.

As for the skin, you could take it off before smoking, but I didn't. Might do that next time.

The next batch, I will use a bit less TQ and soak after the cure. This time, I just gave them a good rinse and then let sit in the fridge, uncovered, for about 8 hours.

I couldn't detect the maple syrup in the product after the cure. I would guess a better route would be to apply it after the cure, while it is drying and the pellicle is forming. I've also heard of a maple powder that I might try to get my hands on...

The rib I used on two of the slabs is low in sugar and while it is a rub that I really like on other cuts, it just didn't shine through enough to mess with it next time. I really liked the cracked pepper bacon!

Oh and yea, the MTQ is Morton's Tender Quick. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[swamprb]

Looks great James!

Can you use Buck Board Bacon cure on pork bellies and get the same results?

 

[rolf]

Great, I always thought it to be far more troublesome to make homemade bacon.

 

[tjus77]

wow, brings back memories of my uncles in Louisiana that made their own bacon

 

[Grumpy's Q]

Nice bacon man, I need to try that next time.

 

[chambersuac]

very nice

 

[Big George's BBQ]

That looks awesome. What is the difference between Buck Board and bacon and this

 

[Kevin_Texas]

really really cool... Going to have to give it a try

 

[jed]

That bacon looks awesome.
I've tried to find some bellies in Ga. and cannot find any.
Any body from the south know where to get some other than butcher
my own hog?
Thanks,
jed

 

[deguerre]

That bacon looks awesome.
I've tried to find some bellies in Ga. and cannot find any.
Any body from the south know where to get some other than butcher
my own hog?
Thanks,
jed

Any Mexican grocers with a butcher in your area? THat was mentioned earlier in the thread.

 

[JamesB]

That bacon looks awesome.
I've tried to find some bellies in Ga. and cannot find any.
Any body from the south know where to get some other than butcher
my own hog?
Thanks,
jed

I did get these from a Mexican market, but I've also seen them at the asian markets. Got any ethnic markets in your area? They seem to be the only place around here still breaking down whole carcass.

 

[CajunSmoker]

Looks great man!

I cured my first belly 7 or 8 months ago and now I can't keep up with the consumption rate! I made 1 with a maple syrup (real stuff) and brown sugar in the cure... it was good but you couldn't fry it at high temps like normal or the sugar would burn and stick to the pan.

The other belly I did the first time is not my go-to recipe. cracked pepper, homemade chipotle powder, garlic granuals, onion powder and red chili flakes. Wow! Best bacon I've ever had!

Bellies are too expensive around here ($5/lb) so I've started making buckboard... I like it just as much! I also found the first bellies too salty so I use less TQ now and soak them for a few hours in cold water, then dry and allow to sit in fridge 24hrs before smoking.


yes, you can remove the skin before smoking to allow more penetration Ron!

If you remove the skin be sure to go ahead and smoke it too. It makes awesome seasoning meat for beans.

Looks great James!

Can you use Buck Board Bacon cure on pork bellies and get the same results?

You can, but you can control the flavors more if you do it yourself.

I did get these from a Mexican market, but I've also seen them at the asian markets. Got any ethnic markets in your area? They seem to be the only place around here still breaking down whole carcass.

Great job and fantastic looking bacon. Makes me want to do another one.

I haven't seen any in our Mexican markets but the Asian one keeps them all the time. The ones I get aren't nearly as nice and thick as your was though

 

[jed]

Thanks all, I'll try both markets.

 

[Burt]

nice pron!