How to Cure Your Own Pork Bacon 

The splendid smell of sizzling bacon will promptly get anyone out of bed in the morning. There are quite a few methods for cooking bacon and many varieties of bacon to choose from. Have you ever thought about curing your own bacon? The process allows you to get involved with both the prepping and cooking process. You can use your personal selection of seasonings or slice to your desired thickness; one can personalize their bacon. It may sound a bit complicated, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

First, make sure you have the necessary tools to cure and cook bacon. We recommend a sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board. Ensure you have a reliable smoker of some sort; this gives the bacon a smoky, delicious flavor. High-quality curing salt is also essential for curing along with a cooking thermometer. Lastly, wear a sturdy apron to protect your clothes from any messiness.

We highly recommend selecting a high-quality type of pork. The finer the quality and cut of pork, the recipe will yield better bacon. You pay a little more, but you get the best result.

This recipe is from https://jesspryles.com/recipe/how-to-make-bacon/.

Ingredients:

-3lb skinless, boneless pork belly

-3 tablespoons kosher salt

-1/3 cup white sugar

-2 tablespoons pepper

-2 teaspoons paprika

-1 teaspoon pink curing salt (aka Prague Powder #1)

-Apple or cherry wood chunks/chips

Instructions:

1. Start by curing the belly: In a small bowl, combine the pepper, sugar, paprika, salt, and curing salt—place belly on a foil-lined tray and pat dry with paper towels. Using half of the cure mix, sprinkle evenly over the surface of the belly, and rub in gently. Turn over and repeat on the other side with the remaining mixture. Place the entire belly and curing mix into a large zip-top bag and place it in the refrigerator for seven days. Each day the belly should be flipped onto the other side, and the contents (which will transform to a liquid) massaged.
2. After seven days, remove from the bag and rinse underwater. Pat dry with paper towels and place back in the fridge uncovered (on a rack over a pan to catch any drips) for 24 hours.
3. Smoke the now cured belly using the apple or cherry wood for three hours at 200f, or until internal temperature reaches 150f.
4. Store bacon in an airtight plastic bag or container in the refrigerator for up to a week, cutting and cooking as required (if you don’t eat it all at once!).

Curing pork bacon is a fun and exciting process. Of course, you can always experiment with this process-use this recipe as a baseline for adding and subtracting ingredients as you go. We have tried adding in jalapeños and red pepper flakes for a kick and then maple syrup for a sweeter flavor. We hope you found this recipe helpful and inspiring.

Happy cooking, friends!