Pork is the only meat we buy. On our homestead, we hunt or raise the majority of our meat. My best friend raises beef, so we trade chicken/eggs, honey, produce, etc for beef when we need it. So, about a week ago, pork shoulder was on sale for $0.99/lb (cheapest I've seen in over 2 years). I bought 140 pounds of pork shoulders with the intent of making sausage and buckboard bacon. I took 34 pounds of pork shoulders, trimmed & deboned down to 27.5 pounds, and then applied my homemade cure. I also added some brown sugar and lots of black pepper. After letting the meat cure in the fridge for about 10 days, I rinsed off the excess cure and prepared the smoker. You can't buy thick cut peppered bacon like this anymore and when you do its $12/lb. Final cost $1.72/lb
pork shoulder out of the cure. Pat dry, sprinkle some more pepper, and allow a pellicle to form
I prefer apple or maple smoke. The apple wood used today came from my trees.
Sliced and portioned out
Finished weight of 22 pounds of bacon.
pork shoulder out of the cure. Pat dry, sprinkle some more pepper, and allow a pellicle to form
I prefer apple or maple smoke. The apple wood used today came from my trees.
Sliced and portioned out
Finished weight of 22 pounds of bacon.
