How to Make Bacon Step by Step

pork belly

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Turkey bacon is lower in fat, while pork shoulder is more affordable.

cure #1

🥗Healthier: homemade brine

💰Cheaper: table salt

Homemade brine can be made with common kitchen ingredients.

liquid smoke

🥗Healthier: smoked salt

💰Cheaper: smoked paprika

Smoked salt adds flavor without the cost of liquid smoke.

maple syrup

🥗Healthier: agave syrup

💰Cheaper: honey

Agave syrup is lower in calories, while honey is often less expensive.

Prepare three pork bellies for bacon.

Use two store-bought rubs and one homemade bacon cure for the third belly.

For the homemade bacon cure, mix 1/4 teaspoon curing salt, 1 tablespoon white sugar, 3/4 tablespoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika in a container.

Season the pork belly with the homemade bacon cure mixture.

Seal the seasoned pork belly in a vacuum sealer bag.

Let the pork belly cure in the fridge for about six days, flipping it every 24 hours for even curing.

After six days, remove the pork belly from the vacuum-sealed bag and rinse it thoroughly in the sink to remove excess cure and seasoning.

Place the rinsed pork belly on a cake rack and let it dry in the fridge overnight.

The next day, set the smoker to indirect heat at 250°F (120°C) using bourbon barrel oak wood for smoking.

Smoke the bacon until it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F (65°C).

Once the target internal temperature is reached, remove the bacon from the smoker and place it on a cake cooling rack to cool.

Let the bacon cool in the fridge for about six to seven hours, or overnight if possible.

Slice the cooled bacon and cook it as desired.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: