Homemade Smoked Bacon is a lot easier than you might think! I bought an off set smoker last year and I have started to experiment with various foods and this one is a winner. The off set smoker is relatively inexpensive and easy to set up. Pellet smokers are very popular as well but I wanted to start from the ground up to learn the basics. The biggest difference is that with a pellet smoker you can just set it and forget it. With my off set smoker you have to tend the fire a lot to maintain the right temps. I will say that once you have made your own you will not believe the difference! Just like my great uncle used to make in Denmark. Takes a bit of investment in time but I am sure you will agree that it is so worth it.
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Ingredients: Homemade Smoked Bacon
Ingredients
- 2.5 kilos (5.5 lbs) skinless pork belly
- 50 gr. (3 tbsp) kosher salt
- 90 gr. (1/3 cup) white sugar
- 30 gr. (2 tbsp) smoked paprika
- 8 gr. (1 tsp) curing salt (Prague powder)
- A few pieces of charcoal and a bag of Hickory wood chunks
Directions for Homemade Smoked Bacon
Directions
- Begin by mixing all dry ingredients into a bowl. Mix well!
- Take your pork belly and dry thoroughly with paper towel.
- Take a baking pan and pour the curing mix into it and spread evenly on he bottom.
- Place pork belly into tray and rub the dry ingredients all over the pork. Massage well into meat.
- Shake off excess dry mix and place pork belly into zip lock bag.
- Place on lowest rack in your fridge. ( Careful not to cross contaminate.)
- Flip bag over every day for 11 days. You can cure for as short as 7 days but I prefer 11. ( If liquid accumulates, drain out. This is normal.)
- After it is cured remove from bag and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. And I do mean thoroughly. Then pat dry with a tea towel or paper towels.
- Bring your smoker up to 200 F. (95 C. ) Once you have achieved this temp. Place pork on a baking tray with a grill underneath and put in smoker with a tray of water beside it.
- Smoke for 3 to 4 hours depending on how well you managed your temp. throughout this period.You should have an internal temp. of no less than 145 F. (63 C.)
- Let Bacon, ( yes it now Bacon!) rest for an hour on your counter or until cool. Double wrap your bacon in saran wrap and place back in fridge overnight to set.
- Next day you can cut your Bacon into what ever portions you like. Please see video.
- As always, I hope you enjoy! Bon Appetite !
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