Cottage (Buckboard) Bacon

[Big Bobber]

When dry curing the pork loin, what blend of spices have you found to give the best flavor to the bacon?

[reinhard1]

i would check the High Mountain HSOforum and they have the information there. they have the "buckboard bacon" seasoning/cure available for you. good luck.

[thirdeye]

When dry curing the pork loin, what blend of spices have you found to give the best flavor to the bacon?

Even though your cure most likely has sugar in it, you can change up the "sweet" by using maple sugar, turbinado sugar, maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. Some folks will use liquor, like bourbon or even Gran Marnier. You can also try an injection of 50% water and 50% honey, warm it up so it blends, then shoot your Buckboard an hour or so before smoking.

As far as spices go, good black pepper is always a nice touch on Buckboard, I sometimes use garlic pepper. I have not used red pepper or cajun spices, but that would sure make for a different product.

In addition to Buckboard, I make my own belly bacon too, and the recipe I use for that has granulated garlic, fenugreek seeds, pepper and crushed bay leaf.... so you night think about those. Nutmeg, tyme or juniper berries might also be something to consider.

Lastly, think about fresh herbs, fresh garlic slices. Be sure and bruise the herbs before adding them.... (beat them up a little with the back of a knife on a cutting board, this will release the natural oils). Rub your loins with cure and add the herbs to the bag last.

Reinhard mentioned the Hi Mountain cure.... I have always thought I could detect a little garlic in it.