Homemade Bacon

Yield: about 4 pounds

Total Time: 7-10 days

Ingredients:

5lb pork belly
2 ounces (1/4 cup) kosher salt
2 teaspoons pink curing salt #1*
1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 bay leaves, crumbled
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
5 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme

 

Directions:

*Pink curing salt (not to be confused with Himalayan pink salt) is a combination of salt and sodium nitrate that helps preserve the color of the bacon as well as prevent bacteria growth. Find it online at Butcher & Packer or on Amazon.

Directions:

Place your pork belly on a sheet pan or large baking pan big enough to fit the belly. You can also use a 2 gallon zip-top bag.

In a bowl, combine salt, curing salt, pepper, brown sugar, nutmeg, bay leaf, garlic, and thyme. Rub evenly over the entire belly, including the sides. You want all surfaces of the pork belly covered in the spice mixture.

 

Cover with plastic wrap (or seal in the zip-top bag) and refrigerate.

After 3 to 4 days, flip the belly and rub to redistribute the spice mixture.

The bacon is done when it is just firm to the touch, which usually takes about 7 to 10 days. Rinse well under cool water to remove the excess seasonings. Place bacon back in the fridge, uncovered, overnight to dry.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place bacon on a clean sheet pan and roast for about 90 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. Remove from oven and let cool.

When bacon is still slightly warm, remove the skin. It should peel off pretty easily, otherwise, carefully trim off the skin with a sharp knife.

Let cool completely prior to slicing thin and cooking. Leftover bacon will keep, refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.

 

Source: Loveandoliveoil.com