I've started working on a pork butt bacon recipe using posts in the forum about the high mountain cure recipe and resources from the net. I've also looked at the good eats episode about making bacon at home using a cure of salt and brown sugar.

One thing that puzzles me is the reference in several recipes to letting the pork sit in front of a fan for an hour or so after the curing process to form something called a "pellicle." What is a pellicle? What does it look like, as compared to the meat when you remove it from the curing brine? What purpose does the pellicle serve in the preparation, smoking or enjoyment of the pork butt bacon?

I'm just about to start on a recipe, so I have at least 10-12 days to find out before the cure is done! --SOS

They are talking about a thin layer/skin when using the word "pellicle".


For instance, you could dip your arm into sugary water and then let it sit in front of a fan. You'd have a pellicle around your arm in no time.

Don't worry about a pellicle. It is not needed for bacon. Go to www.himtnjerky.com and order you some buckboard bacon kits. You won't be disappointed. Seasoning and instruction included. You might find some at a local store. A country store 1 mile from me carries their stuff.

Welcome to the forum, ShermanOaksSmoker.

Please do not use WTF here. We all know what it means and do not want to see it. This is not that kind of forum and we also have a few lady members. Thank you !

I've not seen that reference used for Buckboard Bacon. Got a link to it?

A pellicle is CRITICAL when smoke fish. It helps hold the meat together throughout the smoke.

NEVER heard it used for a PB...but I don't know everything about Q, I'm still learning.

Thanks for the info on pellicles. I'm trying to develop a recipe from scratch using insta cure. I've seen great things about the hi mountain cure, but it seems like they are selling about $.50 worth of raw materials (salt, sugar, and sodium nitrate) for $15 with shipping. I'll post my recipe if it works out.

Sorry about the wtf. Think of the f as frick.

There are lots of home made recipes, the challenge is finiding them. Do some searching on "buckboard bacon" and you should find some info.

You can always edit your own post and delete any fricks you don't want

Thanks for the tip Okie. The frick is gone.