Homemade Bacon at Deep South Texas

bacon

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: pork belly

Turkey bacon is lower in fat and calories, while pork belly can be more affordable.

Mix together 0.5 cups kosher salt, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon instacure number one, and 2 tablespoons black pepper in a bowl.

Rub the mixture all over the 5 lbs pork belly, covering all sides thoroughly.

Place the pork belly in a large 2.5-gallon Ziploc bag.

Add any remaining cure mixture into the bag with the pork belly.

Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal it.

Refrigerate the bag for 7 days, flipping it over daily.

After 7 days, remove the pork belly from the bag and rinse off the brine under cold water.

Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels.

Place the pork belly on a rack and refrigerate it uncovered for at least 24 hours to dry out further.

Smoke the pork belly in a smoker for about 3 hours using a combination of apple wood and a little hickory.

After smoking, rinse off any acrid smoke from the outside of the bacon.

Pat the smoked bacon dry and refrigerate it overnight to cool and firm up for slicing.

Slice the bacon into desired thickness, cutting in half if necessary for easier handling.

Fry a few pieces of the sliced bacon in a pan until crispy.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: