bacon 1.3 KB

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  1. Ingredients
  2. 1/3 cup course sea salt (sea or kosher)
  3. 3T cracked pepper corns
  4. 2 teaspoons pink curing salt (Prague Powder #1 or Insta Cure #1)
  5. 1/3 cpu packed dark brown sugar
  6. 1 piece (3-3.5lb) pork belly (skinned - see Notes)
  7. Process
  8. 1. Plase salt, pepper & curing salt in a mixing bowl and mix well with fingers. Add sugar - breaking up any lumps
  9. 2. Place belly on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub half of cure into the top, flip - use rest of cure.
  10. 3. Put belly and any remaning cure in a large plastic bag. Remove air - seal bag, put in foil pan or roast pan to contain leaks
  11. 4. Cure for 6 days - flip each day - liquid will accumulate in bag - don't freak
  12. 5. Drain and rinse well with cold water - blot dry w/ paper towels
  13. 6. put on wire rim rack over baking sheet to dry in fridge overnight
  14. you might be tempted to salt this again - don't it will come out super salty
  15. however adding cracked black pepper and any other spices here might be a good idea
  16. 7. put on heated smoker (~170F) smoke until internal temp hits 155F (3.5-4 hours)
  17. 8. put on wire rim rack over baking sheet to cool to room temp
  18. 9. Wrap in butcher's paper or plastic wrap 4 hours to overnight
  19. 10. Keeps for 5 days in fridge or frozen for months
  20. Notes: Pork belly can be bought at Whole Foods - but usually comes in 10-12lbs - ask them to remove the skin