Bacon – Cured Pork Belly
Curing your own pork belly at home to make bacon is easy! Just follow these simple instructions and you'll be frying up your own bacon in no time! The recipe below is adapted from Michael Ruhlman's recipe from his popular book, Charcuterie.
1 week
2 hours
Difficulty
Show nutritional information
| This is our estimate based on online research. | |
| Calories: | 1217 |
| Fat: | 122 g |
| Carbohydrates: | 7 g |
| Protein: | 21 g |
| Calculated per serving. | |
Serves: 30
Serves: 30
Ingredients
- 15 lb 15 lb 15 lb Pork Belly
- 3/4 cup 3/4 cup 3/4 cup Salt, Coarse, kosher
- 6 tsp 6 tsp 6 tsp Salt - Pink Curing, (or celery juice powder)
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup Black Pepper, eyeball it. we coarsely milled ours in our coffee grinder for a few seconds.
- 6 6 6 Bay Leaf, crumbled
- 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/4 cup Maple Sugar
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup Maple Syrup, Pure
- 15 cloves 15 cloves 15 cloves Garlic, Crushed
Process
Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results
- Combine salt, maple sugar, maple syrup, and spices together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Rub mixture all over the pork belly, and place into ziploc bags, add in a clove of garlic for each pound of belly.
- Refrigerate the belly for 7 days. Flip the bags daily to ensure even dry rub contact.
- After 7 days, remove the belly from the bags, and rinse the dry rub off under cold water. Pat the pork belly dry.
- Smoke the belly for 2 hours at 200-220 degrees. If you don't have a smoker, cook in an oven for 90 minutes at 200 degrees.
- Refrigerate for an additional 12 hours or freeze, then cook as you would any other bacon, and serve.
Notes
The pink salt or powdered celery juice is important for the nitrite content. This not only keeps the bacon "safe" for consumption, but it also allows the bacon to keep it's beautiful red color while cooking.
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My Notes:
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Can I use pink Himalayan salt for the pink salt ?
Hi BB,
No, you cannot use pink himalayan salt in place of the pink curing salt. They’re vastly different. Check out Ruhlman’s post on making bacon – I think you’ll find the post enlightening. Good luck!
Bill
Do you have concerns about the safety of using nitrates to cure meat? There are vast amounts of research indicating this is very detrimental to health. What are your thoughts? Is there any “healthy” alternative?
Hi Benjamin,
No I don’t have any concerns, regarding the amounts spec’d in the recipe. You can cure bacon using celery salt which has natural nitrates (for what it’s worth, there is more naturally occurring nitrate in broccoli than most bacon). Here’s an article from the highly-respected Chris Kresser on Nitrates. http://chriskresser.com/the-nitrate-and-nitrite-myth-another-reason-not-to-fear-bacon
Yay! I’m gonna be makin’ bacon! Such a great recipe. Also, the info on the nitrates in broccoli surprised me! Thank you for sharing!
Hi! Do you have any idea how long I can keep bacon in the fridge, unsealed?
Eyeris the bags should ALWAYS be sealed during the curing process.
I just got a whole side of pork belly and am so excited to make bacon! Mine came with the skin on, should I leave it on or remove it and if I remove it, can it be used for cracklins?
I’d recommend to remove it, because it will get REALLY hard during the whole curing and cooking process. I don’t like that. I’d try to remove and make some cracklins instead! Great instinct on that! -Bill
Question.
I used to make salted ribs or beef, using salt, sugar and salpetre. But I now have to change my diet due to Hashimoto’ thyroiditis.
Can I use salpetre instead of pink curing salt?
Can I substitute sugar substitute or entirely leave out the sugar when curing?