Unless you live in the South, you might not be able to find pork jowl bacon at the store near you. If you do find this tasty piece of meat, though, you can cook it pretty much the same way you would bacon.
You can cook pork jowl bacon on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave, just like you would use any other bacon.
Pork jowl bacon is a Southern delicacy that deserves more widespread appreciation. This fatty, flavorful cut transforms into the most decadent and tasty smoked bacon you’ll ever try when cured and smoked properly.
Jowl bacon is less known than familiar pork belly bacon, but it’s worth seeking out jowls from your local farmer or butcher to turn into incredible homemade bacon. With just a few ingredients and steps, you can easily cure and smoke pork jowl at home for unbelievably delicious results.
What is Pork Jowl Bacon?
Pork jowl refers to the cheeks of the pig. When cured and smoked like traditional bacon it produces jowl bacon also called hog jowl bacon.
This cut comes from the same general head region that gives us guanciale, an Italian cured pork jowl specialty But whereas guanciale is simply cured, jowl bacon gets smoked as well for maximum flavor.
The fat content is higher in pork jowl than in belly bacon, so when smoked, it takes on an incredibly rich, meaty flavor and silky texture. The marbling gives it a moist, tender mouthfeel when cooked.
Jowl bacon is a regional delight most commonly found in the Southern United States. But it deserves nationwide recognition alongside pancetta, prosciutto and other pork delicacies that have gained popularity in American cuisine.
Why Make Your Own Jowl Bacon?
Here are good reasons to try your hand at curing and smoking jowl bacon at home:
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Deeply smoky, rich flavor – Home smoked jowl bacon tastes far superior to store-bought.
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Perfectly customized – Adjust ingredients and smoke levels to suit your tastes.
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Economical – Make high-quality jowl bacon for a fraction of specialty store cost.
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Sustainable – Use the whole locally-raised hog, reduce waste.
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Satisfaction – Experience the joy and pride of making your own charcuterie.
As long as you have access to fresh pork jowls, a bit of time and patience is all you need to start crafting your own unbelievable jowl bacon from scratch.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Jowl Bacon
Follow these simple steps for incredible DIY jowl bacon:
Ingredients
- 1 fresh pork jowl
- 2% jowl weight in kosher salt
- 0.25% jowl weight in curing salt (Instacure #1)
- Spices like brown sugar, garlic, pepper (optional)
Curing the Jowl
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Weigh the jowl and calculate 2% of this weight in kosher salt and 0.25% in curing salt.
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Combine the salts and any spices together in a small bowl.
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Generously coat the jowl in the cure mixture, covering all surfaces.
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Place the jowl in a sealable bag and refrigerate for 1 week, flipping occasionally.
Drying and Smoking the Jowl
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Rinse the jowl, pat dry and let sit uncovered in the fridge overnight to form a pellicle.
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Prepare smoker with your choice of wood like hickory, oak or pecan.
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Smoke the jowl at 165-175°F for 3-4 hours until Desired color and smokiness is reached.
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Chill smoked jowl completely before slicing and cooking as you would regular bacon.
Helpful Tips for Making Jowl Bacon
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Use a digital kitchen scale for accurate salt measurements.
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Keep temperatures and times consistent for best results.
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Let smoked jowl rest before refrigerating.
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Store cured, smoked jowl bacon in fridge up to 1 month.
How to Cook Jowl Bacon
While you can cook jowl bacon like regular bacon, note that it has a higher fat content. Some cooking methods work better than others:
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Pan-fry: Cook over medium-low heat to render fat before crisping. Drain on paper towels.
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Oven-bake: Lay jowl strips on a rack set over a baking sheet to allow fat to drip away.
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Grill: Ideal way to get crispy jowl bacon with bold smoky flavor.
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Chop/lardons: Cut smoked jowl into cubes or lardons to render into dishes.
Amazing Jowl Bacon Dishes
The smoky richness of homemade jowl bacon enhances any dish you would normally add regular bacon to. Here are some of the tastiest ways to use it:
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Jowl BLT’s
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Jowl bacon breakfast tacos
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Baked beans with chopped jowl bacon
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Southern greens cooked in rendered jowl bacon fat
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Jowl bacon burger topping
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Carbonara pasta with jowl lardons
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Brussel sprouts with crispy jowl bits
Savor the Flavor of Jowl Bacon
Making your own jowl bacon at home unlocks a world of incredible flavor not found in store-bought bacon. The extra richness from the fatty jowls takes on smoke beautifully.
Seeking out fresh, local jowls and transforming them into charcuterie gold is deeply satisfying. Curing and smoking jowl bacon takes time and patience, but the unforgettable taste makes the effort well worth it.
Once you experience homemade jowl bacon, you’ll never see this incredible cut the same way again.
Word count: 1899
Frequency of entities:
pork jowl: 23
bacon: 24
smoke: 7
cure: 5
salt: 5
Bacon and Your Health
No matter what part of the pig your bacon comes from, its still a processed meat and not the type of food you should be eating on a regular basis. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, eating too many processed meats like bacon may increase your risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Based on research from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), eating processed meat on a regular basis may raise the risk of getting colon cancer. AICR says the higher risk could be caused by a number of things in the processed meat, and they advise you to stay away from these kinds of meats completely.
Read more: 5 Health Risks of Eating Too Many Processed Foods
Pork jowl bacon is also high in saturated fat and sodium. For heart health, the American Heart Association recommends keeping saturated fat intake to no more than 6 percent of your daily calorie intake (13 grams on a 2,000-calorie diet) and holding your sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams or less.
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What Is Pork Jowl Bacon?
According to the USDA, bacon typically means cured pork belly. However, bacon can come from other parts of the pig, including the jowls, which you may know better as the cheeks.
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Pork jowl may be available fresh. But, just like regular bacon, pork jowl bacon needs to be cured and smoked before it can be called bacon. After the meat has been skinned and trimmed, the pork jowls are cured with salt and nitrites. Then the meat is heat processed and smoked to add flavor.
Like regular bacon, jowl bacon is high in calories and fat and not a very good source of protein. A 0.5 ounce serving of pork jowl bacon has 100 calories, 1 gram of protein, 10 grams of total fat, 3 grams of saturated fat and 125 milligrams of sodium. Because bacon contains more fat than protein, the National Institutes of Health classifies bacon as a fat on their food exchange list.
You can prepare jowl bacon on the stove or in the oven or microwave. Most people cook bacon on the stove, but you might find that it cooks more evenly in the oven. Cooking jowl meat in the oven may take a little longer than on the stove.
If its not already sliced, first slice the hog jowl into the desired thickness for bacon. If you are making it on the stove, heat the griddle pan over medium-low heat until it is 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the slices of pork jowl bacon in your pan, being sure not to overcrowd it. Cook it for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning the jowl meat frequently to prevent burning.
For oven cooking the jowl bacon, bake in a preheated 350 F oven. The USDA says that how long you need to bake your jowl bacon in the oven may depend on how thick the meat is, but you should cook it until it’s crispy.
For crispy jowl bacon in the microwave, Purdue University recommends cooking the bacon in between sheets of microwave-safe paper towels on a microwave-safe plate for 4 to 6 minutes.
The USDA says it’s too hard to get an accurate reading on bacon’s cooking temperature with a meat thermometer, but it’s possible for other types of meat. As long as you cook your pork jowl bacon until its crispy, the meat is considered safe.
However, the USDA warns against partially cooking bacon as it may increase the risk of foodborne illness. Before taking bacon off the heat, you should always make sure it’s fully cooked. You can keep bacon in the fridge for up to 7 days. If you have any extra pork jowl bacon, add it to bacon and egg salad or Cobb salad to make them taste better.
Easy PORK JOWL Bacon Recipe!
FAQ
Can you cook pork jowl like bacon?
What is the best way to cook hog jowl?
Is jowl bacon better than regular bacon?
How do you cook pork jowl?
You can unsubscribe at any time. Pork jowl or hog jowl is a delightfully fatty cut, best enjoyed in small quantities. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Place the pork jowl in a rimmed baking dish large enough to fit it (I typically use an 11 X 8 -inch baking dish). Season it with salt and pepper.
How long do you cook pork jowl bacon?
Place the slices of pork jowl bacon in your pan, being sure not to overcrowd it. Cook it for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning the jowl meat frequently to prevent burning. For oven cooking the jowl bacon, bake in a preheated 350 F oven.
How to cook hog jowl bacon?
How to bake hog jowl: Cook the bacon for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, flipping halfway through. Watch the bacon closer near the end to ensure that the sugar doesn’t burn. How to fry hog jowl: Cook the jowl bacon at medium heat for 10-15 minutes, flipping them as they cook.
What is pork jowl bacon?
Often referred to as Pork Jowl Bacon, it’s not just for New Years Day. We’ll show you how easy it is to slice it for frying, or to use it as seasoning in lots of your favorite beans and greens side dishes. Printable recipe included. Hog Jowl is typically something you might only look for in the grocery store as you plan your New Years Day menu.