How to Make Homemade Bacon

by John deCaux

18K9410

Intro: How to Make Homemade Bacon

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: Cooking!

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.

7 Comments

Gurkha 3 years ago

I use mollasses and cinnamon with curing salt

jpipe28 3 years ago

Tried this, have tried a couple other recipes but this one was the best!! After the rinse I fried up a test piece and it was way too salty! Soaked it in cold water for an hour and dried it before hitting the smoker. Turned out amazing, smoked it with apple wood.

Vishnu Kutty 4 years ago

wow super tips for make delicious cook.i can try it my home

Richard Tan 4 years ago

So wonderful for a Bacon, but is there a quick cure method less than seven days. I can't wait for so long. :)

jimwi 6 years ago

You have inspired me to try this. I have just got a kettle BBQ from some friends that don't use it any more. I ordered some pink salt on line and when it gets here I will have a go.

The on line calculator for the rub

http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/calculator/dry_cu...

What settings are you using UK, US, or Neither. If neither what % off nitrite are you looking for in your end product. I am new to curring and I just want to make shore I understand how the pink salt works .

Thanks for posting love all your Instructables.

JIM

nheaps 6 years ago

You probably can if you rinse it in liquid smoke before slow roasting.