Smoked Bacon

We've all seen those internet memes that always talk about how great bacon is and that everything tastes better when wrapped in bacon. Imagine how much better it would be if you made your own bacon! Now I'm not saying it is easy. It requires quite a bit of work and forward planning, but if you're into outdoor cooking, you're used to putting time and effort in for amazing results. 


Ingredients:

  • Whole pork belly (2kgs approx.)
  • 3/4 teaspoon curing salt
  • 5tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Procedure:

  • Combine the kosher salt, sugar, and curing salt in a small bowl and cover the whole the surface of the pork belly.
  • Let it sit until the curing mixture is absorbed and moisture has beaded on top, about 5 minutes.
  • Place the belly in an extra-large resealable zip lock plastic bag.
  • Refrigerate for 7 days, flipping the belly every day.
  • Once the belly has been in the fridge for 7 days, remove from zip-lock bag, rinse under cool water and pat it very dry with paper towels.
  • Place it on the rack skin-side up and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
  • Remove the pork belly from the fridge and bring to room temperature for 1 hour.
  • Put the pork belly in the smoker and smoke at 90-95 degrees.
  • Smoke the pork belly until it reaches an internal temperature of 65 degrees (4-6 hours)
  • Remove from the smoker and once cooled, remove the top of the skin.
  • Wrap the bacon tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight before slicing and cooking. It can be kept tightly wrapped for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer, but before freezing, be sure to wrap the bacon in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn.

Hot Tip:

  • Use a light wood such as apple to smoke bacon as stronger woods such as mesquite will be too harsh for the bacon.

Smoked Bacon

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by: Rhiannon Peterson