With the cooler weather, though today has been HOT – feels like 97°, by the end of the week, our highs are going to be in the 70’s so I’ve been more in the mood to be outside doing things. It’s been a while since I’ve made bacon and last week we had to buy store bought bacon.
Pork Butts
No local stores had butts on sale so I will do just one .. two actually, and then buy more when they’re on sale. The smaller one in the foreground is boneless and it was $2.64 per pound. The large one was $1.94 per pound and I wanted to see how the prices compared after I removed the bone. Once the bone was removed, the bigger butt weighed 8 pounds (1 pound lost to the bone and my rough trimming) so that brought the price to $2.18 per pound so unless they’re on sale, it still costs less to buy the one with the bone and remove the bone.
Cure for Pork Butt
By spreading parchment paper, or even waxed paper down, I’m better able to get the cure mix on the meat without making as much of a mess. Then I can slide the meat and excess cure mix into the container, toss the paper and not have a huge mess on the countertop.
Pork Butt
They’re both crammed in there and ready to spend a week in the fridge. Next Tuesday or Wednesday I’ll rinse them off, then leave the in the fridge overnight to rest and smoke them the next day. We’ll have sausage this weekend so as not to have to eat store bought bacon again. Rough times around here! 🙂
Seasoned chicken
And while I was at it, I seasoned a chicken to be smoked probably Friday. I get a lot of bang for the buck out of smoked chicken. Anything we don’t eat in one or two meals goes into chicken salad and the bones get boiled for broth for cooking beans.
I think I’ve done enough today . . I’m hoping to sit and knit this evening but who knows what plans Vince may have for us!
thequiltingprofessor says
yummy… but can you explain to my how a piece of meat is both “shoulder” and “butt” ????
JudyL says
You’re better off googling it because I’ll just tell you that it isn’t a “butt” as we think of a “butt” but it’s a cut off the shoulder of the hog. From Wikipedia: Boston butt or pork butt is the American name for a cut of pork that comes from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg and may contain the blade bone.
pattilynn9 says
Well, I had no idea a butt was not an actual butt! Huh. The buckboard bacon sounds really good…enjoy!
Rebecca in SoCal says
I think the “butt” might refer to the container they used to put pork in, and I think it was a certain kind of barrel.
dezertsuz says
Always up to something! I actually like the bacon at the Fresh Market, though even on sale it’s more than yours that you make. I like it when tough times are having to eat store-bought bacon. =)
Sherrill Pecere says
Does Vince ever marvel at all that you do? I guess not since you guys have been married so long and you’ve done all these things for a long time. I’ve frankly never known anyone who made their own bacon!! LOL I mean all the cooking and canning and knitting and gardening and everything else. Makes me tired just writing it.
Dar in MO says
I agree. You are Wonder Woman in disguise.