Last week I got started making some homemade bacon when I had the idea of what other pieces of meat I could cure and follow the same process with. Once I got finished preparing the pork belly with the curing recipe (recipe will be posted below), I had the idea of trying it on the "Money Muscle" (MM) of a pork butt. The MM is a muscle found in a pork butt that is opposite side of the bone. This is piece is similar to a pork tenderloin in size, but vastly difference in flavor, texture and the method of cooking needed for it to give it the name "Money Muscle".
I decided to remove the money muscle and cure only that part, exactly how I did with the pork belly.
As you can see, there is a good amount of fat, not only on the outside of this cut, but the marbling throughout is what makes this a real treat! And it is this marbling that really got me thinking that curing the MM might be a good idea.
As you can see, there is a good amount of fat, not only on the outside of this cut, but the marbling throughout is what makes this a real treat! And it is this marbling that really got me thinking that curing the MM might be a good idea.
After I had the pieces parted off the butt, I went ahead and applied the rub to start curing them. I used a combination of Twisted Belly's Bombshell Seasoning, Coomb's Farm Granulated Organic Maple Sugar, Iodized Salt, and Pink Curing Salt. There is a good amount of salt in Bombshell, but not quite enough for curing, once the maple sugar was added in. Bombshell has a great blend of Salt, Sugar, Pepper, Garlic, Onion and other spices that will enhance this cured MM, as well as any homemade bacon. The Maple Sugar will give this a great caramelized sweet flavor once I have it sliced thin and throw a couple pieces in a hot pan to fry it up.
Homemade Maple Bombshell Cure Recipe
- 2 TBSP of Bombshell Seasoning
- 2 TBSP of Granulated Maple Sugar
- 1 TBSP of Iodized Salt
- 1/2 TSP of Pink Curing Salt
I will be sure to keep you updated with how this recipe and idea turns out. Once the curing is completed, I am planning on cold smoking, at least one of the MM, with either hickory or apple wood.
Update: 9/10/14
I went ahead and let the MM cure for a total of 10 days before I rinsed them off and let them dry. My concern is that because they are significantly thicker than bacon, that it will not cure the same way. The meat was still soft, but it was noticeably tighter than when I started. I think that it will cure ok, but for something this thick, it might have done better in a brine, rather than a dry cure.
Update: 9/10/14
I went ahead and let the MM cure for a total of 10 days before I rinsed them off and let them dry. My concern is that because they are significantly thicker than bacon, that it will not cure the same way. The meat was still soft, but it was noticeably tighter than when I started. I think that it will cure ok, but for something this thick, it might have done better in a brine, rather than a dry cure.
On Friday (9/12/14), I plan on smoking them a bit and finishing off the whole process. I am also toying with the idea of taking one of them and cooking it as is. I'll be sure to keep you updated.
Fritz Wiesehan
Twisted Belly BBQ
#GetTwisted
Twisted Belly BBQ
#GetTwisted