I made an instructable forhomemade bacon a while ago and have been playing with the recipe for some time now. I'm fairly certain I hit the jackpot with my cure, because the last 4 batches have all been the same recipe, I can't stop eating it. It's my best so far!

I figured since this bacon contest is on I should share the new recipe with everyone. The procedure is the same as for the homemade bacon instructable.

Images: Finished pound of cured, smoked, fatty bacon. The extra fat absorbs into fried rice and do consider using it instead of butter in mashed potatoes.

Step 1: The Recipe

For the cure:

18 ml (3 heaping tsp) Morton's Tender Quick curing salt
18 ml (3 heaping tsp) demerera sugar
4 crushed cloves of garlic
1.5 tsp crushed dried juniper berries
1/2 tsp crushed black peppercorn
1 small sprig thyme

To smoke, use hickory wood chips soaked in 1/2 water and 1/2 apple juice.

This is good for about a pound or so of pork belly.

For a quick recap of the procedure:

Mix the cure and cover and place it in the fridge for a week (ish) and then rinse the bacon off and pat it dry. Let it air dry in the fridge for one more day to form a pellicle and then smoke it! Mmmm...

Images: Rinsing the bacon of excess cure, Patting the bacon dry

Step 2: Some Delicious Results

This bacon goes ridiculously well with sweet peppers and green onion in a fried rice, or by itself.

Images: A cutting board of delicious things for dinner, Frying juniper bacon and peppers (amazing!), Some (admittedly store-bought) bacon in it's natural environment... camping! If you wrap the bacon around a green stick it's much easier to grill and turn.