Dads Smoked Bacon
Category: Breakfast
Prep time : 2 weeks
Cook time : 1 day
Total time : 2+ weeks
Makes: Lots of bacon
Scale recipe by: ×
Pork belly
Morton Curing Salt (14.3g/Tbsp)
Brown sugar (14g/Tbsp)
Molasses (optional)
Maple syrup (20g/Tbsp) (optional)
Black pepper, coarsely ground (optional)
Skin pork belly, if desired. Smoke penetration is better with no skin, but with skin is also good.
Trim pork belly to a size that fits in vacuum-sealed bag.
Season the pork belly with 1 Tbsp/lb curing salt and 1-2 Tbsp/lb brown sugar, to taste. Can also substitute molasses or maple syrup for a portion (less than half) of the brown sugar.
Vacuum seal seasoned pork belly and refrigerate for 7-21 days, flipping once per day. Dad prefers a 10 day cure. Shorter cure gives softer chew/more tender, but tastes more like ham. Longer cure gives more bacon flavor, but is drier/chewier.
When cure is complete, rinse off any residual salt very well.
(Optional) If there is no skin on the bacon, season the fat side with coarsely-ground black pepper.
Heat smoker to 225 F using fruit wood or hickory.
Smoke 3-3.5 hours until meat reaches 150-165 F. Dad prefers 160-165 F. (Stall is at 155-160 F).
Put meat directly from smoker into the fridge.
Trim pork belly to a size that fits in vacuum-sealed bag.
Season the pork belly with 1 Tbsp/lb curing salt and 1-2 Tbsp/lb brown sugar, to taste. Can also substitute molasses or maple syrup for a portion (less than half) of the brown sugar.
Vacuum seal seasoned pork belly and refrigerate for 7-21 days, flipping once per day. Dad prefers a 10 day cure. Shorter cure gives softer chew/more tender, but tastes more like ham. Longer cure gives more bacon flavor, but is drier/chewier.
When cure is complete, rinse off any residual salt very well.
(Optional) If there is no skin on the bacon, season the fat side with coarsely-ground black pepper.
Heat smoker to 225 F using fruit wood or hickory.
Smoke 3-3.5 hours until meat reaches 150-165 F. Dad prefers 160-165 F. (Stall is at 155-160 F).
Put meat directly from smoker into the fridge.
11/1/20:
10.5lb belly
2/3 cup salt & sugar. Vacuum seal
11/14
1245 pull out, rinse off, pat dry. Liberally pepper skin side
1300 on grill, stayed 200-225
1730 pull, lowest internal 156
8/28/21
9.2lb
1315 rinse thorough, pat dry
1400 on, aiming for 215
1600 both probes around 165, pit temp closer to 230ave
1/3
8.5lb, fridge brine for ~10 days
1600 rinse, pat dry, pepper fat side and put on
10.5lb belly
2/3 cup salt & sugar. Vacuum seal
11/14
1245 pull out, rinse off, pat dry. Liberally pepper skin side
1300 on grill, stayed 200-225
1730 pull, lowest internal 156
8/28/21
9.2lb
1315 rinse thorough, pat dry
1400 on, aiming for 215
1600 both probes around 165, pit temp closer to 230ave
1/3
8.5lb, fridge brine for ~10 days
1600 rinse, pat dry, pepper fat side and put on
Submitted by Darren on 2020-10-28