Flavoring Cure???

[MallardWacker]

To all the curing folks,

This past weekend I made some ABT's.  When I smoked them I draped  a piece of bacon over them.  When I was done I ate that bacon, DUDE-it was great, that jalepeno flavor came right through.

My question is:  <font color="red"><b><u><i>Is there a way to flavor the cure mix with out messing up it's ability to safely cure???</i></u></b></font id="red">  It would be just great if I could get a little jalepeno or chilpolte in the bacon.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know.  But...

[BrentK]

Mallard,

I made them too this weekend.  Smoked them for about 1 hour at low temp 150F then finished them on the grill.  The jalepenos just melted in your mouth.  They were a BIG hit.  I stuffed them with my smoked shoulder from the day before.

What cure mix are you talking about[?]  My limited experience with curing meat is that once you have the salt,water and instacure into the mix you can add just about anything else you'd like.  

As to the overall flavor...my guy's asked the same basic question about flavor...so next time I'm going to add something to the cream cheese.  I also used prosciutto bacon...we did smoe with regular bacon but found it to be a little fatty tasting.  Maybe next time smoked duck or pheasant[:p][:p]

Have a good one.

BrentK
Grand Forks, ND

[whitetailfan]

Hey there Mallard,
I don't see any problems in spicing up your bacon.  Only a question of how...

Point 1 - As long as you are getting the sodium nitrite into the meat then you are doing the job.  Main purpose of the cure is of course to cure it - sounds a little elementary eh [:D]

Point 2 - All the rest of the rub is for flavour, so the only question in how to alter the flavour of the rub.  I would think it would be easiest to add some cayanne into the rub.  If you are looking at specifically the jalepeno taste then we need to get jalepenos into the mix.  Do they come dried and crushable?  Would that give you the same flavour? who knows till you try it.

I think perhaps the safest and simplest way to get the job done (and it will most likely get the flavour you are looking for) is to wait until say the 8th day when there is the juice in the container from the cure working and throw in some chopped up jalepenos in the container.  It should work into the juice which should work into the outside edge of the bacon.  Even having a strong pepper in a sealed container will make it smell like the pepper, so I have to assume that some flavour will transfer.  Plus if this does not work, then at least you have regular BBB and you have not added too much cayanne which could ruin your creation.

I've finally found a place with BBB for sale and picked some up.  Just need to get a butt and try it.  Keep us UTD on your experiment cause maybe my second (or first for that matter) batch of BBB will be Mallard Wacker Jalapeno Style[:p]

Edit: Oh ya duh, and the simplest way to be able to use whole peppers would be if you found a good brine recipe for curing the bacon instead of BBB and had them mixed in the water (kind of forgot the most obvious)[:I]

<b><font color="green">whitetailfan</font id="green"></b>
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

[MallardWacker]

White,

I know the curing agaents are there, but I was hoping that some how the peper whouldn't mess with it.  It sounds like it won't, this next go around I will have one butt with fresh Jalepano and the other with ground.  If the cure does not work, I think it would be obvious, smell-what have you. I will make sure to smike it to 155. If this works, heavens to mergatroit, I am afraid of the orders I will get from the in-laws.

Also, I have never really brined before.  Do you need alot of space for containers in the fridge or what?  I really think I must start brining.

BrentK,

I put teaspoon (I might try even more) or so of my favorite rub and a small hand full of finely shredded cojack cheese along with some cooked bacon bits in with the cream cheese.  I am planning to make more this weekend, I think I will double the batch.  I can't beleive how good they are....

[?]HAY&gt;&gt; Both of you, is your mail working.  I am not getting anything from the forum telling me of the new posts.  I know there has been a problem posting but I have been getting around that OK.[?]

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know.  But...

[BrentK]

I'm still getting the failure message.

BrentK
Grand Forks, ND

[whitetailfan]

Mallard,
The system is still buggered as far as I know.  The post are showing (which is the important part) but it's probably not e-mailing you as the posting are not being recorded - I'm still at 98 and I have about 8 posts since then but not being counted.  I assume that this same problem is why the forum is not sending you any messages, because it is not registering that we are posting anything[?][?]

MW, you have done lots of BBB.  What flavour are you using?  I know that you are now a big pecan fan for your pulled butts, are you using pecan for most stuff now?  I ran out of hickory and have lots of pecan though - I am going to do another batch of smoked pork chops - got a whole 6lb loin yesterday and I'm brining tonight - need to decide on pucks before tomorrow night so I'll have them for Saturday.

Also continuing on this thread of flavouring - my current brine is simply Tenderquik and water.  It tastes smokey and salty when done.  Wondering if you have any suggestions on what else might taste good tossed into the mix[:p]

<b><font color="green">whitetailfan</font id="green"></b>
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

[MallardWacker]

White,
My all time favorite bacon is(from Butcher-Packer) maple sugar cure and maple pucks.  That is my liking. I know there are lot out there that may need abit more harshness/stregnth to there cure flavoring.  This combination works well for me, it's  milder than BBB and a very slight saltiness and I just love the smell of it when it's done.  Hand a package to a freind and let them open it up, you got a freind for life or as long as the bacon holds out.  I am really looking forward to this Christmas, the bacon machine will be working over-time.  I think I will use my in-laws vacume sealer, make my own label (<font color="blue"><b>Mallard's Home Made Road Kill Bacon</b></font id="blue">)(Not being from Arkasas, the raod kill thing may not mean as much to you) and hand a package out when I need to go over to someones house or something and you really don't know what to do.  I think this will work well.

After this next batch of Jalepeno bacon, I'm goint to try my hand at brining.  Here is the link to Butcher-Packer (great palce to buy good meat knives)
http://www.butcher-packer.com/pg_curing.htm

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know.  But...