For many bacon lovers, the smoky salty taste is what makes bacon so irresistible. However, traditional cured bacon contains nitrates and nitrites to preserve color and extend shelf life. If you want to avoid these potentially harmful ingredients but still crave bacon’s signature flavor homemade uncured bacon is the solution.
Seasoning uncured bacon may take a little more effort, but it allows you to control the ingredients while infusing the meat with custom flavors. From sweet to spicy rubs, the seasoning possibilities are endless. Follow these tips for crafting mouthwatering seasoned uncured bacon right in your own kitchen.
Why Choose Uncured Bacon
Cured bacon contains sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate to inhibit bacteria growth and maintain that recognizable pink color. However the nitrosamines formed during cooking have been linked to increased cancer risk.
Uncured bacon uses natural preservatives like celery powder, lemon juice, or vinegar instead of synthetic curing salts. This eliminates nitrates/nitrites while still preserving the meat safely. Uncured bacon offers health-conscious consumers a minimally processed alternative without the controversial additives.
Making uncured bacon at home lets you control quality. You can choose sustainably raised pork and avoid unwanted ingredients like MSG, corn syrup or artificial smoke flavoring commonly added to commercial bacon.
How to Add Big Flavor
Without curing salts, uncured bacon won’t have quite the same salty, smoky taste straight from the package. But with a little seasoning effort, you can transform mild uncured pork belly into vibrantly flavored bacon.
Start with high quality, well-marbled pork belly, skin removed. Before cooking, pat the meat dry and coat thoroughly with your favorite rub or spice mix.
Some tasty seasoning options include:
- Brown sugar and smoked paprika for sweet heat
- Maple syrup and black pepper for breakfast-worthy bacon
- A Cajun blend with cayenne and garlic for fiery flavor
- Coffee and chili powder for a wake-up call
- Herbes de Provence and citrus zest for aromatic bacon
Experiment to create your own signature flavor. Brush on sticky glazes or massage dry rubs into the meat. Cure at least 8-12 hours for full penetration.
Pro Tips for Seasoning Perfection
Follow these tips for maximum flavor when making uncured bacon:
- Cure fresh pork belly in the refrigerator, never above 40 ̊F.
- Sprinkle both sides liberally with desired seasonings.
- Allow 8-12 hours for full flavor infusion.
- For linked sausage-style bacon, stuff seasoned belly into hog casings.
- Hot smoke is optional, but adds an extra layer of flavor.
- Chill smoked or unsmoked bacon before slicing to firm it up.
- Cook slices before eating to desired crispiness.
Handy Recipe Ideas
Ready to get seasoning? Try these flavor-packed recipes:
Sweet Fire Bacon
Coat pork belly with brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, and black pepper. Cure 8-12 hours, then bake at 250 ̊F until tender.
Maple Pepper Bacon
Brush pork belly with maple syrup and coat with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Cure overnight, then bake until crispy.
Brown Sugar & Bourbon Bacon
Combine brown sugar, minced garlic, bourbon, and salt. Massage into pork belly. Cure 8-12 hours then bake or skillet fry.
Lemon-Rosemary Bacon
Blend lemon zest with minced rosemary, salt, pepper, and sugar. Rub into pork belly. Refrigerate 8 hours then bake or smoke.
Coffee & Chili Bacon
Mix ground coffee, ancho chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Coat pork belly completely. Cure in fridge then bake low and slow.
The possibilities are endless when making your own uniquely flavored uncured bacon. Creativity with spices and seasonings will make mornings sizzle. Just cure thoroughly, chill, slice, then sauté or bake to desired crispness. Say goodbye to chemical cures and hello to incredible homemade bacon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does homemade uncured bacon last?
When properly stored in the refrigerator, uncured bacon will last 7-10 days. For longer shelf life, wrap tightly and freeze for 2-3 months.
Should uncured bacon be smoked?
Smoking is optional. It adds flavor complexity but isn’t required to make uncured bacon safe or shelf-stable. Pork belly can be seasoned and baked instead.
What’s the best way to cook uncured bacon?
Pan-frying, baking, or broiling evenly cooked slices yields the best texture. Microwaving can create rubbery bacon. Grilling or smoking whole pork belly slices imparts extra flavor.
Can you make uncured bacon without nitrites?
Yes, truly uncured bacon contains no added nitrates or nitrites. Celery powder naturally contains nitrates which cure the pork safely. Additional curing salts are unnecessary.
How can you tell if bacon is uncured?
Read the ingredients! Uncured bacon will not contain sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate. It will usually mention ingredients like celery powder or juice, vinegar, sea salt or lemon juice.
With a little seasoning skill, you can craft incredible uncured bacon beyond what any store can offer. Cure a pork belly with your favorite flavors, fry up crispy slices, and enjoy the delightful taste of homemade bacon minus the controversial curing salts. From sweet to spicy, customize it your way!
Homemade Bacon Recipe with low sodium and no preservatives. A nitrate free, salt reduced way to enjoy bacon; plus you can add flavours like maple, pepper, brown sugar, honey and spices to make your own individual version.
Originally published May 2016.
I’ve been making this Homemade bacon recipe using fresh, uncured pork belly for quite some time now. There are several different versions of it that I love.
Previously, I was a little reluctant to share this method because bacon can illicit strong reactions. “It’s the best thing in the world” to “How can you eat that salty, preservative-filled junk?” and everything in between.
While I don’t think there are any truly bad foods, I do think that it is possible to eat too many of them. A moderate amount of any indulgent food is always good advice.
It’s possible that I love bacon more than most people, but I don’t like the thought of huge amounts of salt or nitrates being used to cure and preserve it. These days, I’ve been using fresh pork belly instead of bacon because it tastes great without all the extra stuff.
Beyond this basic recipe.
Be sure to see the notes in this recipe for other suggestions of flavourful additions to this recipe. This recipe also cooks in two steps, but you can serve it right from the oven if you’d rather. The second stage happens only if you reheat it.
After baking in the oven, the bacon can be put in a container that won’t let air in and kept in the fridge. It can then be fried in smaller amounts throughout the week. You can also freeze it in single servings and fry them whenever you want. And wait until you try them on burgers instead of regular bacon!
Now that’s a delicious addition to make your homemade burgers even more special!
For one unique version, try brown sugar with a sprinkle of our Smokin’ Summer Spice Dry Rub!
You may also want to try our very popular recipe for Homemade Breakfast Sausages.
Our Breakfast section has a lot more great recipes just like this one.
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