Basic Bacon Cure

basic bacon cure recipe

1.One 10lb slab of pork belly, rind removed
2.2 teaspoons pink salt (Prague Powder)
3.1/2 cup of salt 1/3rd cup salt
4.Generous cup of sugar - any of the following...maple syrup, honey or brown sugar.

5.Any desired spices should be mixed with the salt mixture

 Mix the salt and pink salt together well.  Rub the salt mixture into, and all over, the meat (all sides).  Next slather the honey, maple syrup or brown sugar (whichever sugar mixture you're using) into the meat as well.  Put in a zip-lock bag (or large tray) and set in the fridge for a week, turning once a day!

   After a week you can remove it from the bag and rinse off the excess salt

  You can now dry it off with paper towels, cook it and eat it like this, or you can smoke it right away, or let it sit on a cooling rack atop a baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight, to form a pellicle. 

   When it's time to smoke I've seen people recommend bringing the smoker temp up to 150, 175 or 200.  If you can't keep your smoker under 225f I wouldn't worry about it.  Just take the belly out once the internal temperature has reached 140f.  To load the smoker with fuel in my BackWood smoker I just put two pieces of lump, light it with a torch and then placed two pieces of apple wood on top of the lump.  I usually smoke my bacon at 150-160f.

   Next you can let the bacon cool down before proceeding.  Be cautioned...waiting can be difficult and you may end up with burnt fingers.  If this happens simply proceed to lick your fingers of all bacon drippings.  This won't help the burns...but it sure will taste good!

   After the bacon has cooled one degree (I'm kidding!)  Cut some strips off, fry up...and enjoy

Here's a picture of what looks to be a single belly cut into thirds.  The most I ever did at one time was six full bellys...that was too much to do at one time.  Skinning and slicing that much was a pain!

  Here's my latest batch.  I prefer just a very simple cure and smoked this batch with Peach Wood and finished with just a bit of Cherry Wood. 

Dan