Buckboard bacon question

[Derry Bryson]

I've just put the buckboard cure on 7lbs of pork butt. No big deal there, but I am wondering why we can get away with cooking/smoking the pork butt for much less time (and a lower temp) when doing bacon than when just smoking? Don't we need to hit the same temps for the same times to produce the same tenderized meat? I'm a noob, so please be gentle...

 

[David Lohrentz]

Two things, first, for pulled pork, you typically want the meat falling apart so it is easy to pull. You are going to slice the buckboard bacon or perhaps dice it for cooking.

Second, you are typically going to reheat the buckboard bacon before eating it or using it in a recipe that requires cooking.

So you just need to take it to a food safe temperature on the smoker.

 

[Bryan S]

I'll add some to David's post. The biggest difference is you are curing the meat. This changes the texture and the outcome of the Butt a great deal. Also when you smoke it that's what your mostly trying to do, not cook it the whole way through. When doing bacon I maintain 180 degree pit temps to try to keep the fat from melting and changing the end product. If your temps get too high when smoking the bacon, the end product will suffer some. As metioned when you fry it up it will be cooked the rest of the way through. HTH

 

[r benash]

Yeah, with pulled pork you are trying to render the fat. With bacon you want to maintain the fat to make it oh so good when you fry it up! With out the fat it just wouldn't be bacon

Different intentions, prep and use.

 

[Derry Bryson]

Good info. If it turns out good maybe I'll post some picks.