Making your own homemade Smoked Bacon is a bit of a process, but it’s 100% worth the effort. I will show you how to make smoked bacon from scratch that is much better than store-bought bacon.
I don’t think I’ve ever cooked anything that made me as excited as this homemade smoked bacon. I mean, it’s bacon. Which is awesome enough. But the fact that I bought a huge piece of pork belly and made homemade bacon with great seasoning and smoke made me almost dizzy. I can’t wait to show you how to do it and see how proud you look as you make your own bacon.
I’m not going to say I’m the first person to try to make bacon. I read a lot about the right cure times, how much curing salt to use, how thick the bacon should be, etc. I did, however, make these two great cure recipes using what I learned from people who had made bacon before me. I hope you give them a try!.
Making homemade bacon is a several day process, but it is totally worth it. The steps I took are written out below so you can follow along and make your own delicious smoked bacon.
First, you need to pick up a piece of pork belly. Thickness will vary, but lately Costco has been stocking beautiful, already skinned slabs of pork belly. Ask the butcher if they can take the skin off the belly for you if you buy it from them. It can be pretty gross to take off this skin yourself, and since it’s usually not taken off until after the cure is over, it makes the cure take longer.
If you have a big piece of meat, I suggest cutting the pork belly into smaller pieces so it is easier to work with in the cure. I usually portion mine off so they can easily fit in a gallon sized zip top bag.
Making your own bacon at home by curing pork belly is one of the most satisfying DIY food projects you can take on. Once you nail down the process you’ll never want to buy store-bought bacon again. The flavor of homemade bacon is unmatched and you can customize it exactly how you like.
It takes some time and work to cure and smoke pork belly to make bacon, but it’s 100% worth it. This tutorial will show you how to make bacon from beginning to end, from picking the right pork belly to cutting it up and cooking it. Let’s get started on this incredibly rewarding project!.
Step 1: Choose the Pork Belly
The first step is to source a nice big slab of pork belly. Look for high-quality pork from a butcher or quality meat shop. Costco often carries whole slabs of pork belly with the skin already removed, which makes prep easier.
If this is your first time making bacon at home, I suggest getting a 5-pound slab. This size is easy to work with. When curing and smoking, it can be harder to handle pieces that are much bigger. Aim for pork belly that’s around 1. 5 to 2 inches thick. Thinner pieces will cure and smoke faster.
If you get pork belly with the skin on, ask your butcher to remove it for you or plan to do it yourself. It’s a messy, annoying job that’s best avoided if possible.
Once you’ve got your slab of pork belly, it’s time to start the curing process!
Step 2: Make the Curing Brine
There are two main ways to cure pork belly – with a dry rub cure or a wet brine cure. The dry cure involves rubbing a mix of salts and spices directly onto the meat. With the wet brine, you submerge the pork in a liquid cure solution. Both methods work well, so choose your preference.
For a wet brine, you’ll need:
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon pink curing salt
The pink curing salt (also called Prague Powder #1) is a must for safety when curing meats It gives the pork belly that nice pink color while preventing bacteria growth.
For a dry cure, combine:
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon pink curing salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Mix the dry ingredients together until well incorporated. The texture will be grainy and flaky – perfect for curing.
No matter which cure method you use, make sure to calculate the proper amount of pink curing salt based on the weight of the pork belly. Use too little and you risk bacteria growth. Use too much and the bacon will be overly salty.
Step 3: Cure the Pork Belly
Now it’s time to get that pork belly curing! If using a wet brine, fully submerge the pork in the liquid cure inside a large container or food-safe plastic bag. For a dry cure, thoroughly coat the pork belly with the curing mix, rubbing it all over.
Place the cured pork belly in the fridge for 7-10 days. Flip it over and massage the cure into the meat once per day. This evenly distributes the cure and seasons the pork.
After a week, check that the pork belly is firm through and through. There should be no squishy spots left. If needed, leave it in the cure for 1-2 more days until fully firmed up.
Once cured, rinse off any sliminess under cool water and pat the pork belly completely dry. It’s now ready for the next step!
Step 4: Let It Rest to Develop the Pellicle
Before smoking, the cured pork belly needs to chill out in the fridge uncovered for anywhere from 12-24 hours. This resting period lets a super important coating called the pellicle develop.
The pellicle is a tacky, glue-like layer that forms on the exterior of the meat. It helps the smoke cling to the pork belly during smoking. Without that sticky coating, your bacon won’t take on that delicious smoky flavor as well.
Place the cured pork belly on a wire rack over a baking sheet and pop it in the fridge until it’s nice and tacky. Then it’s ready to meet the sweet smoke.
Step 5: Hot Smoke That Pork Belly
Now for the best part – smoking that pork belly until it becomes bacon! This takes around 5-6 hours at low temperature.
Set up your smoker or grill for hot smoking by getting the temperature dialed in between 180-250°F. Use your favorite hardwood smoking wood like apple, maple, or hickory.
Place the cured, pellicled pork belly directly on the grates. Close the smoker and let it ride until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the pork hits 150°F. This will take roughly 5-6 hours depending on the size of your pork belly and temperature of the smoker.
Hot smoking is key here. You want the heat to gently cook and tenderize the pork belly as it smokes so it ends up with that perfect bacon texture.
Once your pork hits 150°F, it’s ready to come off the smoker. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes before the next step.
Step 6: Chill and Slice the Bacon
After smoking, that pork belly is technically bacon, but we’ve got a couple more steps to go.
First, let the smoked pork belly chill thoroughly in the fridge, preferably overnight. Chilled pork belly slices much more cleanly than warm.
When ready to slice, use a sharp knife to cut the bacon into your desired thickness. I like slightly thicker slices for really meaty bacon, but go as thin as you want.
Now you’ve got gorgeous homemade smoked bacon slices ready for cooking and eating!
Step 7: Cook and Enjoy Your Bacon
The final step is the best – frying up and devouring that bacon you worked so hard for!
Get a cast iron or stainless steel skillet hot over medium heat. Add just a touch of oil or butter then arrange your bacon slices in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy.
Blot away excess grease with paper towels. Serve the still-sizzling, perfectly smoky bacon immediately and bask in the glory of DIY delicousness.
Making your own bacon is incredibly rewarding and actually much easier than you’d think. Once you try homemade, you’ll never miss the store-bought stuff again. The flavor can’t be beat.
How to Smoke Bacon
The pork belly needs to be rinsed and put back in the fridge to get a pellicle, which is a sticky skin. First, I like to put my pork belly on a wire cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet. Then I put it back in the fridge. You need to leave your bacon in the fridge for 12-24 hours; I usually leave mine overnight. This time in the fridge to dry out will help the smoke stick to the meat by giving it a sticky outside.
Now it’s smoke time! I like to use apple wood to smoke my bacon, but maple and hickory are also awesome choices. Fire up your favorite pellet grill and keep the temperature as low as possible (I was smoking around 165 degrees F).
Place the cured pork belly on the grill grates of the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for about 6 hours or until the internal temperature is up to 155 degrees F. Invest in a GOOD quality thermometer! It will make all the difference in the finished product if you have an accurate temperature reading. I always recommend ThermoWorks thermometers because they are insanely accurate and very durable.
Once the pork is smoked, you are ready to slice and fry it up! Finally after all of that waiting, it is time to eat that glorious, salty sweet piece of meat heaven. It is hard to resist slicing pieces off right away, so definitely cut off a few pieces and fry them up. If you’ve got the patience, chill the bacon completely before slicing. It’ll make the job much easier when the meat is cold. You can use a meat slicer if you’ve got one, but I just used a really sharp knife and went to work! If you feel intimidated, come try a piece of my homemade bacon. It’ll pluck up your courage. Venture out of your comfort zone and try something new. You got this!
How to Cure Bacon
Next, it is time to make the cure. There are two cures in the recipe card below. The peppered cure is a little more sophisticated with some added spice. It is amazing on BLTs and cheeseburgers. The recipe notes contain the ingredients for the maple cure. It is the perfect mixture of sweet and salty and it just screams breakfast.
When you’re ready to make bacon, put the pork belly and cure in a plastic bag and seal it up tight. You can also vacuum seal the bag to remove all the air if you have this available. Place the bag in the refrigerator and allow it to cure.
Allow the pork belly to cure for approximately 7 days. A general rule is to cure your bacon 7 days for every inch of thickness. Make sure you flip your pork belly over in the cure and massage once a day. When the seventh day is up, cut the bacon down the middle to make sure the pork belly is pink all the way through and there is no gray left. If it isn’t pink through, put it back in the cure for another day and test again. The texture should also feel like a well done steak when it is done curing.
Easy Homemade Bacon | How to Cure Your Own Bacon at Home
FAQ
Why do you cure pork belly for bacon?
How do you cure pork belly for bacon without a smoker?
Is it cheaper to buy pork belly and make your own bacon?
How long can you cure pork belly?
How do you cook a pork belly with bacon?
Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels. Season the top with the tablespoon of fresh cracked black pepper. Place the peppered bacon in the fridge (while still on the rack) and leave uncovered for at least 12 or up to 24 hours. This step helps develop a tacky coating called a pellicle on the exterior of the bacon. Smoke the bacon.
How to treat pain in the belly button or upper abdomen due to stomach ulcers?
Pain in the belly button or upper abdomen from stomach ulcers can be managed with medical treatment. Your doctor may prescribe antacids, acid-reducing medications, and antibiotics if the ulcer is caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. Avoid spicy, acidic, and irritating foods. Stress management can also help.
Is Bacon made from pork belly?
Bacon is made from pork belly, but pork belly is not bacon. It tastes more like other cuts of pork on its own. When making smoked bacon at home, you’ll need to cure the bacon before smoking it. The cure, seasonings, and wood smoke are what give bacon the delicious flavor you are looking to make.
How do you cure a pork belly?
You can use your hand to stir it together with the water, making sure to break up any clumps. Once the curing agent is mixed in, add the kosher sea salt and continue to mix until the salt dissolves. Place the pork belly in the cure, making sure the meat is completely submerged in the cure.