Got some $.99/lb bone in butts on sale at our local grocer.  Looking at doing some buckboard bacon. Have never done it before so asking for some input from others that have. Is it better to cut it into chunks and cure it or debone it and then roll it up?  What it the taste/texture when compared to smoking your own bacon? Just got an injection kit so I am anxious to use that. I have cured pork loin and pork belly before. TIA!!

Probably will do some shoulders for pulled pork. Will use a 50/50 of maple syrup and apple juice for the injection.

This might answer some of your questions.  -->  https://pelletfan.com/index.php?topic=3265.msg39559#msg39559

The key to getting it more bacony in my opinion is lower sugar so it won't burn as fast when you fry it, and slicing thin. It still tastes more hammy to me than bacony but it is good either way.

I have used Mortons Tenderquick 1T per pound and slightly over 1/2T per pound of brown sugar. Not in a brine I usually would cut the butt up, Find where the bone ends and cut off the solid chunk then cut against the grain and cut that piece half. Weigh and mix up your cure/sugar for each piece rub it all in well and vac seal or freezer bag it, making sure to put all of the cure/sugar in that is left on your tray also.

 If I remember the cure is said to penetrate 1/4" per day so a 4x5" piece would be 8 to 10 days. I like to go 2 weeks min and have gone 3.

If using Cure 1 instead you will need to decide on your salt ratio. I like 2.5 to 3% and 0.25% cure 1. Again weigh and mix your cure/salt for each piece. I like to dry cure it usually. If I wet cure I do not add in the water weight like most do. I just allow the cure to work longer but I do inject as much as possible. I have never used Mortons Tenderquick in a wet brine, so I can' help with that.

 If you google Pops Brine you will find what I use for my wet brine, I just changed a few things to my liking.

Now you have me wanting to go find a but and making some.

This might answer some of your questions.  -->  https://pelletfan.com/index.php?topic=3265.msg39559#msg39559

I looked at that. The thread is a couple years old so I thought there might be some more recent experiences with it. 

One of 2 things, I have never had much luck with trying to turn butts into bacon, or it simply does not taste like belly bacon to me.  Not sure which is the accurate statement!


If you need it!   Digging Dog Farm Cure Calculator

One of 2 things, I have never had much luck with trying to turn butts into bacon, or it simply does not taste like belly bacon to me.  Not sure which is the accurate statement!


If you need it!   Digging Dog Farm Cure Calculator

I agree, not really sure why, Maybe it is the density of the meat on the slab bacon.

 I tried curing spare ribs a long time ago trying to get a bacon flavor but still not the same.

Just finished the cure. Soaked each 3 lb section for 90 minutes. Patted dry and now in the fridge for a couple of days to form a pellicle.

Are you going to put any smoke on them?  Not sure if the drying helps make it taste better, but I know it makes a huge difference in the finished color of the bacon.  I guess that is the smoke adhering to the meat.  I have never really tasted a pronounced smoke flavor in my bacon, but gall dang they look good!

So we had a blizzard yesterday morning here in Iowa. Went from rain to white out conditions in 10 minutes. I fired the DB up at around 4:15am and got it set for 160 as I knew the wind and cold might drop the temp a tad.  Cured the shoulder for 10 days in hindsight I probably should have let it go 14 days.  I then rinsed each piece and soaked in water for 90 minutes turning them over at 45 minutes.  Used LJ competition pellets and they went on at 4:30 and I pulled them off at 10:30 after I got our driveway cleared off. I then let it set in the fridge until around 4, then started to slice them up.

My son goes after I had fried up a few pieces, "It tastes good, not it taste really good." I asked what does it taste like, his reply "Bacon".  I guess I succeeded!  Pretty cheap bacon for $.99 lb.  Like the maple flavor of it also! See pics below.

Looks great. What did it taste like to you?

Nice!!! 
I will have to give that a try.

The finished product sure looks like belly bacon!

Looks great. What did it taste like to you?

I'm like a kid in a candy store and was cutting off small pieces and tasting them before I fried the other. Actually had a good bacon taste too. I think the soak really help tame the saltiness also. The recipe I used called for pepper but I didn't add it. I added  a 1/4 of apple juice per pound of meat and about an 1/8 of a cup of maple syrup for the wet cure. I used the apple juice instead of water and light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar. Overall I was very pleased with the taste. Next time I will put in the freezer for a few hours to help with the slicing. Pellicle was pretty tough to get through even with a sharp knife.

That looks fantastic, you did a great job.

Looks great.  Thanks for sharing.