Delicious smokey bacon has to be the king of cured pork products.
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 7 daysdays
Cook Time 3 hourshours
Total Time 7 daysdays3 hourshours
Servings 7
Calories 1135kcal
Author Nick Nesgoda
Ingredients
3lbwhole pork bellyskinless
For the cure
1cuplight brown sugar
½cupKosher salt
2tbspblack peppercourse grind
1tbsppaprika
1tbspgarlic power
1tsppink curing salt(Note 1)
Instructions
Prepare curing rub by mixing all dry ingredients together until well combined.
Apply the cure to pork belly, making sure to cover entirely.
Place the pork belly in a vacuum seal bag or Ziplock and and seal well. Place in the refrigerator for 7 days and flip it over every day. There will be a liquid that forms in the bag - be sure to mix and massage this into the pork belly everyday when you flip it.
After a week, remove from fridge and give it a thorough rinse to remove the cure.
Pat dry, and return to fridge on a rack over a tray overnight to dry and for pellicle to form.
Set up your smoker to run at 200°F, and smoke the pork belly until it hits an internal temp of 150°F, around 3 hours. Check internal temp regularly to avoid overcooking.
Cool for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Slice to desired thickness and store.
Notes
1. Pink Curing Salt Curing salts are a blend of salt, sodium nitrite & sodium nitrate used for short-term preserving and curing of semi-dry and cooked meats. Also known as Prague Powder #1. Can be ordered online (Amazon Link) our found in good grocery stores2. Smoking wood for baconCherry, Hickory, or Apple wood all pair really well with pork. For a richer smoke flavor, you can add more wood during the smoking process3. How long does it take to smoke baconYou should smoke until the internal temperature of your bacon reaches 150°F. Depending on the size of your pork belly and the temperature of your smoker this can take anywhere between three and six hours.