If you have never tried to make your own bacon, you should do that immediately. An 8 lb slab of pork belly, some curing/kosher salts and your choice of spices gets you something that looks like this.
![Curing the Pork Belly](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_auto,q_glossy,ret_img,w_640,h_480/https://nateotaylor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_2310.jpg)
Leave it in your fridge for a week, make sure you use some pink salt in addition to your regular salt, otherwise you’ll get some nasty bacteria and it will make you sick/kill you. Remove from fridge and wash off your spices, then throw it on your cold smoker for 4-5 hours or until it gets to about 150 degrees internal. It will look something like this.
![Fully Smoked Bacon](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_auto,q_glossy,ret_img,w_640,h_480/https://nateotaylor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_1874.jpg)
You will never go back to packaged bacon ever again.
Details (It’s sort of an inexact science for me):
-3Tbs Kosher Salt
-3Tbs Cracked Pepper
-Curing Salts as needed based on weight
-3 Bay Leaves Crushed
-Honey/Bourbon Depending on your taste, 2-3 Tbs of your choice.
Keep in mind you can substitute the pepper and bay leaves for honey and brown sugar if you want a really hearty “maple” bacon flavor.
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