Everybody loves bacon, but did you know you can make your own? Ten pounds of pork belly from the butcher makes ten pounds of BACON. The pork belly can most likely be purchased at your local chain grocery store. Talk to the butcher and have him order you one or more, and they most likely will, though it might take a day or two. A fair price now a days is around $4.00 to $5.00 per pound for the slab, and you’ll be able to make a bunch of delicious bacon.
After you receive the slab, cut in half making two 5 pound pieces.
I decided to use “LEM Bacon cure Dry Rub with Cure” as my base. I measured out 4 ounces, then coated the slabs, top and bottom. One pack of cure can make 25 pounds of bacon. Based on the weight of the package, 10 pounds of meat would use 4 ounces of the cure. Be sure not to overdo it.
I then mixed Demerara sugar (which is 100% pure cane sugar from the initial pressing of the cane, allowing the natural molasses to remain), and Pure 100% Maple Syrup to a paste consistency, then rubbed on the slabs as well.
Set each slab in a plastic food bag. Put them in the refrigerator and turn them over each day, for the next 5 to 6 days, with the fridge set at 38 degrees.
Rinse them off, dry with paper towel, and then let dry for 30 minutes on each side, back in the fridge. This will help form a pellicle on the slab, which allows the smoke to adhere to the bacon.
Now, off to the smoker! When the internal temp of the slab is at 128 degrees, you’re done. Chill meat before cutting or eating, as this allows for easier cutting and also lets the smoke flavor blend into the meat.
Bacon can be sliced and vac sealed in the food saver vacuum packs, or just vacuum seal the pieces you want whole.
