gregthegregest: [Here’s video recipe for those who are visual learner](https://youtu.be/ImEGGWbrPdE)
Homemade bacon is a truly magical piece of meat!
Making your own bacon will take at least a week, but this will be the greatest bacon you’ve ever had! You’ll also get the added bonus and the satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself.
Step 1: To Start We Need to Make the Cure.
In a bowl add:
1 Cup Raw Sugar
1 Cup Table Salt
1 tsp Pink Salt
2 Tbsp Dried Thyme
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Here’s a handy calculator to work out how much pink salt you’ll need: http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/calculator/dry_cure_bacon/
Thoroughly mix the cure together.
Now the cure is ready to go.
Step 2: Coating the Pork Belly
I’ve got a 2.5kg or 5.5-pound piece of skinless pork belly.
Place it in a glass tray or a ziplock bag before coating with the cure.
Make sure to fully coat all sides.
Cover the dish or seal the ziplock bag before placing it in the fridge.
Step 3: Time to Cure
It will take a least 7 days to sure the bacon, it’s ok if you leave it longer but make sure it’s had at least 7 days.
Every day or every second day flip the pork belly over, this will help it to evenly cure.
Step 4: Cured!
After about a week the pork belly should be fully cured. The meat should be firm but still pliable.
Rinse the pork belly under cold water to remove the salt from the surface, otherwise it will be way too salty.
Now the pork belly is ready to smoke and become bacon.
Step 5: Smoking!
I’m using a kettle BBQ and minion method. The minion method will give you a consistent heat over a few hours.
Place a BBQ tray on the opposite side and fill with two cups of water.
This will add some moisture to the air and stop the bacon from drying out.
You want the BBQ to be sitting at around a temperature of 225f or 110c.
Add a few hickory wood chips, you could also apple wood, the choice is yours.
Place the bacon fat side up of the drip tray. By having it fat side up the bacon will base itself.
Cover with the lid, have the vents half open.
The bacon will take anywhere from 3 to 4 hours to smoke and cook through.
Step 6: Almost There!
Once the bacon reaches a temp of 150f or 67c it will have a nice amber colour and it’s done.
Let the bacon sit and cool the room temp.
Step 7: All That’s Left to Do Is Slice This Bacon!
Because it’s been smoked to a temp of 150f it’s safe to eat as is but we all know that bacon needs to be fried.
Ezl: I made this recipe. One thing worth noting is you can use a stovetop smoker as well. Higher heat than ideal but it works.
aleister94: It makes me angry I can’t buy bacon this thick at the store
abedfilms: Is this ready to eat?
CrazyPlato: Can this be done without smoking? I don’t have access to a smoker.
I have used liquid smoke in the past when curing meats. Is the actual smoking process important here, or is it just for flavoring purposes?
lordalpha: RemindMe! 30 days “happy tummy”
Pap_down: Why doesn’t this have more likes!
jenbreid: Beautiful!!
PAChrist: By.. M
not.. u r by. .e!
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. and
Gottsby: The pink salt is poison man. Nitrites have been found to be a huge contributor to colon cancer. Plus we live in the 21st century where modern refrigeration and freezing make the nitrites unnecessary. Get yourself a good Vacmaster chamber vacuum packer and your bacon will be fine for months in the freezer and you can keep the evil out of your body!