Overview

Buckboard bacon is smoky, meaty bacon made from cured pork shoulder instead of belly. This guide walks you through precise cure math, a clean smoke, and thin slicing for diner‑grade results at home.

Ingredients

• Pork shoulder (butt), boneless: 4–8 lb (1.8–3.6 kg), trimmed and cut into 2–3 lb slabs
• Kosher salt: 18–22 g per 1 kg meat (1.8–2.2%)
• Sugar (white, brown, or maple): 10–15 g per 1 kg meat (1.0–1.5%)
• Prague Powder #1 (6.25% nitrite): 2.5 g per 1 kg meat (0.25%); do not substitute Cure #2
• Cracked black pepper (optional): 1–2 g per 1 kg meat
• Garlic powder (optional): 1–2 g per 1 kg meat
• Sweet paprika or smoked paprika (optional): 1–2 g per 1 kg meat
• Example for 2.5 kg slab: 50 g kosher salt, 25 g sugar, 6.25 g Cure #1, 5 g black pepper, 2.5 g garlic powder, 2.5 g paprika

Equipment

• Digital gram scale (accurate to 0.1 g)
• Vacuum sealer and bags or heavy zipper bags
• Sheet pan with wire rack
• Nonreactive mixing bowl
• Butcher’s twine (if tying slabs)
• Smoker (offset, pellet, cabinet, or electric) with good airflow
• Instant‑read and leave‑in probe thermometer
• Sharp slicing knife or meat slicer
• Cutting board
• Food‑safe nitrile gloves

Wood

Hickory with a touch of apple

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 190 °F (88 °C)
Target internal: 145 °F (63 °C)
Approx duration: 4.5 hours

Why Buckboard Bacon

Buckboard bacon uses the pork shoulder (butt) for a leaner, meatier bacon with great chew and deep smoke. It cures and smokes like belly bacon, but the shoulder’s structure gives you larger slices with a satisfying bite and plenty of pork flavor.

Sourcing and Trim

Start with a boneless pork shoulder, 4–8 lb (1.8–3.6 kg). Trim away skin, heavy exterior fat, and thick silverskin, leaving a thin, even fat cover. For even curing and easier handling, cut into 2–3 lb (0.9–1.4 kg) slabs about 2–3 in (5–7.5 cm) thick; tie with butcher’s twine if needed to make uniform pieces. Pat dry and weigh each slab separately—the cure is calculated by weight.

Cure Math (Equilibrium Method)

Use an equilibrium cure so the bacon seasons perfectly without over‑salting. For each 1 kg of trimmed meat, mix 18–22 g kosher salt (1.8–2.2%), 10–15 g sugar (1.0–1.5%), and 2.5 g Prague Powder #1 (0.25%; 6.25% sodium nitrite). This delivers about 156 ppm nitrite and a balanced cure. Add spices to taste—coarse black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika work well at 1–2 g/kg each. Example for a 2.5 kg slab: 50 g salt (2%), 25 g sugar (1%), 6.25 g Cure #1 (0.25%), 5 g cracked black pepper, and 2.5 g each garlic powder and sweet paprika.

Applying the Cure

Combine the cure and spices thoroughly. Sprinkle and rub the mixture evenly over the entire surface of the meat, paying attention to edges and seams. Bag each slab in a vacuum bag or heavy zipper bag, capturing all cure. Remove as much air as possible so the cure stays in contact. Label each bag with date, weight, and cure formula for reference.

Cure Time and Handling

Cure refrigerated at 34–38°F (1–3°C) for 7–10 days, flipping the bag daily to redistribute brine. Thicker slabs (near 3 in / 7.5 cm) sit on the longer end. With an equilibrium cure you can safely go a few extra days without oversalting. Keep raw pork separate from ready‑to‑eat foods and wash hands, boards, and tools after handling. Use only Prague Powder #1 for this short cure; do not substitute Cure #2.

Rinse, Test, and Pellicle

After curing, remove slabs from the bag and rinse under cold water to clear surface cure. Pat very dry. For a salt check, fry a small trimming; if it tastes too salty, soak the slab in cold water for 20–30 minutes, then pat dry and test again. Set the slabs on a wire rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered 12–24 hours to form a tacky pellicle. This dry, slightly sticky surface grabs smoke cleanly.

Smoke Setup and Wood

Preheat your smoker to 180–200°F (82–93°C). Burn clean, thin blue smoke. Hickory with a touch of apple is classic for bacon: hickory provides the familiar savory backbone while apple softens the edges and adds sweetness. Keep airflow steady; dirty, billowing smoke will taste harsh on leaner shoulder cuts.

Smoking: Temps, Time, and Doneness

Smoke the slabs at 180–200°F (82–93°C) until the center reaches 145°F (63°C), which makes the bacon ready‑to‑eat. Expect roughly 3–6 hours depending on slab thickness, starting pit temp, and airflow. Rotate racks as needed for even color. Doneness is confirmed by the thermometer: 145°F (63°C) internal, plus a firmer feel and bronze mahogany color on the exterior. Once each piece hits 145°F, leave it in the hot smoker or on a warm rack for at least 3 minutes to satisfy the lethality hold, then move promptly to cooling.

Chill, Slice, and Pack

Cool the bacon quickly: place slabs on wire racks in a 34–38°F (1–3°C) refrigerator with good spacing, or set the bagged slabs in an ice bath before refrigerating. Bring internal temperature below 40°F (4°C) within 4 hours. Chill completely before slicing; cold, firm bacon slices cleanly. Slice across the grain to your preferred thickness, typically 1/8 in (3 mm) for standard bacon or up to 1/4 in (6 mm) for steak‑cut. Portion and vacuum‑seal or wrap tightly, labeling with date and cut thickness.

Cooking and Serving

Hot‑smoked to 145°F, buckboard bacon is fully cooked and can be eaten as is, but it shines when pan‑fried or baked to render and crisp. Start over medium heat to gently render, then crisp to taste. The meaty shoulder texture is excellent in BLTs, breakfast plates, burgers, chowders, beans, and carbonara‑style pastas.

Storage and Food Safety

Refrigerate cured bacon at or below 40°F (4°C). Whole, unsliced slabs keep about 10–14 days refrigerated; sliced, vacuum‑sealed bacon keeps 10–14 days; frozen, it keeps best quality for 3–6 months. Reheat or fry chilled slices promptly and avoid leaving bacon at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Always measure Cure #1 precisely by weight (grams), keep curing meat cold, and sanitize tools and surfaces to prevent cross‑contamination.

Cold‑Smoke Variant (Optional)

If you prefer a cold‑smoked profile, you may smoke the cured, pellicle‑dried slabs at 60–90°F (16–32°C) for multiple sessions totaling 6–12 hours over 1–2 days, resting refrigerated between sessions. Do not treat cold‑smoked buckboard as ready‑to‑eat; pan‑cook slices thoroughly before serving. Maintain strict temperature control and clean smoke to avoid spoilage or creosote.

Troubleshooting

If the bacon is too salty, increase the post‑cure soak time in cold water by 15–30 minutes and retest; next batch, aim for 1.8% salt. If it tastes flat, bump sugar to 1.2–1.5% or add 1–2 g/kg black pepper and paprika. Pale color usually means a weak pellicle or short smoke; ensure a 12–24 hour uncovered dry and steady thin blue smoke. Bitter notes come from dirty smoke or smoldering chips—improve airflow, burn seasoned wood, and keep the pit clean.

Notes

• Equilibrium cure: 2.5 g Cure #1 per kg meat (0.25%) delivers ~156 ppm nitrite; weigh accurately.
• Typical salt target is 1.8–2.2% and sugar 1.0–1.5% of meat weight; adjust to taste on future batches.
• Cure cold at 34–38°F (1–3°C) for 7–10 days, flipping daily; longer is fine with EQ cure.
• Form a good pellicle by drying uncovered in the fridge 12–24 hours before smoking.
• Hot‑smoke to 145°F (63°C) internal for ready‑to‑eat bacon; hold 3 minutes before chilling.
• Chill below 40°F (4°C) within 4 hours before slicing for clean cuts and food safety.
• If cold‑smoked below 90°F (32°C), treat as not ready‑to‑eat and pan‑cook slices before serving.
• Store vacuum‑sealed bacon refrigerated up to 10–14 days or freeze for 3–6 months for best quality.