Dry Cured Bacon

southernsmoker · 01-02-2012, 10:22 AM

Hi All,

Thinking about trying my hand at making some dry cured bacon.
Anyone have any recipes that you're partial to and willing to share?
I have two full pork bellies, skin on or off?

Thanks

jestridge · 01-02-2012, 10:45 AM

Leave skin on. salt it down leave it flat in an unheated space after 1 month it should have took salt, then hang it up in unheated space or put it in a cotton or burlap bag leave hanging for a few months or longer

LM600 · 01-02-2012, 12:31 PM

Here's what I do....

Weigh out 5% of cure mix (Prague#1, Instacure etc) to the weight of the pork.

Remove the skin if there is any.

Rub about a third of the cure into the pork and place in a lidded container.

Place lidded container in the fridge, elevated at one end so any juices run out of the pork.

Leave for 24hrs.

After 24hrs, remove from the lidded container, drain any liquid and apply further cure mix to the pork.

Place back in the lidded container and back in the fridge.

Repeat after 24hrs until all the cure is used up - about 3 days.

Leave the bacon in the lidded container in the fridge for another 3 days (6 days in total).

Remove the bacon from the lidded container and place on a rack, uncovered in the fridge to allow the pellicle to form for 1 day.

Cold smoke for as long as you want - I like 5 days of 12hrs each day (overnight so the temps are lower).

Wrap in clingfilm or vac pack, put back in fridge for a few days then slice and cook.

This is how I have made bacon from pork loins weighing ~3kgs and they have always come out good.

Here are some pics of the finished product (taken on a rubbish camera phone...sorry for the quality!)

Hope that helps.

SirPorkaLot · 01-02-2012, 12:35 PM

I leave the skin on (hold the cure in better), and only cure it 5-7 days. It is bacon, not ham we are curing.

Once cured, you can remove the skin if you want, but i leave it on to smoke.

LM600 · 01-02-2012, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirPorkaLot

I leave the skin on (hold the cure in better), and only cure it 5-7 days. It is bacon, not ham we are curing.

Yup, dry cure for 7 days in total then smoke it up

stubshaft · 01-02-2012, 01:23 PM

I leave it on and remove it after smoking.

View Poll Results: When making dry cured bacon from full pork bellies should I remove the skin or leave it on?
Leave skin on, I like the rind	4	44.44%
Take skin off, spices penetrate better.	5	55.56%
Voters: 9. You may not vote on this poll

01-02-2012, 12:31 PM	#3
LM600 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-16-11 Location: Milton Keynes, UK	Here's what I do.... Weigh out 5% of cure mix (Prague#1, Instacure etc) to the weight of the pork. Remove the skin if there is any. Rub about a third of the cure into the pork and place in a lidded container. Place lidded container in the fridge, elevated at one end so any juices run out of the pork. Leave for 24hrs. After 24hrs, remove from the lidded container, drain any liquid and apply further cure mix to the pork. Place back in the lidded container and back in the fridge. Repeat after 24hrs until all the cure is used up - about 3 days. Leave the bacon in the lidded container in the fridge for another 3 days (6 days in total). Remove the bacon from the lidded container and place on a rack, uncovered in the fridge to allow the pellicle to form for 1 day. Cold smoke for as long as you want - I like 5 days of 12hrs each day (overnight so the temps are lower). Wrap in clingfilm or vac pack, put back in fridge for a few days then slice and cook. This is how I have made bacon from pork loins weighing ~3kgs and they have always come out good. Here are some pics of the finished product (taken on a rubbish camera phone...sorry for the quality!) Hope that helps. Last edited by LM600; 01-02-2012 at 01:31 PM..

01-02-2012, 12:35 PM	#4
SirPorkaLot somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-31-09 Location: Homeworth, OH Name/Nickname : John	I leave the skin on (hold the cure in better), and only cure it 5-7 days. It is bacon, not ham we are curing. Once cured, you can remove the skin if you want, but i leave it on to smoke. __________________ John

01-02-2012, 01:23 PM	#6
stubshaft Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-05-11 Location: State of Confusion - Middle of the Pacific	I leave it on and remove it after smoking. __________________ If God didn't want man to eat animals. He wouldn't have made them out of MEAT!

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01-02-2012, 10:22 AM	#1
southernsmoker is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-14-08 Location: NS, Canada Name/Nickname : JO	Dry Cured Bacon Hi All, Thinking about trying my hand at making some dry cured bacon. Anyone have any recipes that you're partial to and willing to share? I have two full pork bellies, skin on or off? Thanks __________________ Southern Smoker-Northern Division! Lang 84D Longneck Cookshacks Gone brick n mortar :crazy:

01-02-2012, 10:45 AM	#2
jestridge somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 12-28-07 Location: annville ky	Leave skin on. salt it down leave it flat in an unheated space after 1 month it should have took salt, then hang it up in unheated space or put it in a cotton or burlap bag leave hanging for a few months or longer