Smoked Bacon Recipe
This crispy and smoky homemade bacon recipe blows anything store-bought out of the water. I'll show you how to make bacon from scratch using a simple curing and smoking method that's easier than you think!
Servings: 5 lbs
Calories: 2905kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pink curing salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 5 lb pork belly skin and bones removed
- applewood chips for smoking
Instructions
- Combine the Kosher salt, pink curing salt, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup and black pepper in a large 2-gallon zip-top bag. Squish it around until it's all mixed together, then add the pork belly.
- Massage the mixture all over the belly, being sure to get it into every nook and cranny. Press the air out of the bag, seal it, and place in the refrigerator for one week. Be sure to check on it every day or so, giving it a brief massage and turing the bag over.
- After 7 days, the meat should feel firm to the touch. If it's still very soft, allow it to cure for another day or two. Remove the meat from the bag and rinse it well under cold water, then pat very dry with paper towels.
- Prepare a smoker with applewood chips and set it to 225°F.
- Smoke the pork belly for about 2-3 hours, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees. Allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight. The bacon will be easier to slice when cold.
- Use a long serrated knife to slice it however thick or thin you prefer, then cook just as you would store-bought bacon.
- Leftover uncooked bacon can be stored, wrapped tightly, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- Always use precise measurements in your dry cure recipe, especially the sodium nitrite (pink curing salt).
- Rinse and pat the bacon completely dry before smoking for best results.
- Chill before slicing to make it easier, especially for the first time.
- If curing in bulk, label each slab of pork belly to track the curing period.
Nutrition
Calories: 2905kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 289g | Saturated Fat: 105g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 31g | Monounsaturated Fat: 134g | Cholesterol: 392mg | Sodium: 5837mg | Potassium: 1059mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg
