Perfect Home Cured Bacon from Scratch - Easy Smoked Bacon Recipe for Beginners!

kosher salt

💰Cheaper: table salt

Table salt is more widely available and less expensive.

brown sugar

💰Cheaper: white sugar

White sugar can be used as a less expensive alternative.

cure #1

Cure #1 is essential for proper curing.

maple syrup

💰Cheaper: honey

Honey can be a cheaper sweetener option.

Introduce the process of making homemade bacon and emphasize its simplicity.

Select a pork belly from BJ's Wholesale, noting the importance of thickness.

Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels, stating no further trimming is needed.

Weigh the pork belly, which is 2,445 grams, to determine the amount of salt and cure needed.

Measure out 48.9 grams of kosher salt, 6.1 grams of curing salt, and 36.7 grams of brown sugar.

Add 1 tablespoon of black pepper to the mixture.

Combine the salt, curing salt, brown sugar, and black pepper until fully incorporated.

Apply the curing mixture thoroughly to all sides of the pork belly, ensuring no granules are left behind.

Wrap the pork belly tightly in at least two layers of plastic wrap or vacuum seal it using a food saver.

Place the wrapped pork belly in a large 2-gallon zip lock bag or on a baking sheet to catch any drips.

Refrigerate the pork belly for 7 to 10 days, flipping it once a day for even curing.

After 9 days, remove the pork belly from the vacuum seal and rinse it under cold water to remove excess cure.

Place the pork belly on a wire rack and pat it dry with paper towels.

Refrigerate the pork belly for 4 to 12 hours to develop a tacky surface called a pellicle.

Prepare the smoker by lighting lump charcoal and adding a chunk of maple wood, preheating to 200°F.

Place the pork belly on the wire rack in the smoker, inserting a thermometer probe.

Smoke the pork belly for about 3 hours, maintaining a temperature between 200°F and 225°F.

After about an hour, observe the color change in the bacon.

Once the internal temperature reaches 155°F, remove the bacon from the smoker and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to cool.

Let the bacon cool to nearly room temperature before refrigerating it until the next day.

Slice the bacon into strips using a sharp knife, noting the thickness of the slices.

Fry the bacon on a flat top at medium heat until crispy, emphasizing not to cook it too hot.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens