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4.9 from 24 votes

German Bacon

This recipe is based on a 3-pound slab of pork belly, and it can be scaled up or down accordingly. You will want to get your hands on some curing salt, which you can get in most butcher shops or buy online. Everything else you can find in a supermarket. I smoke the bacon over oak. If you can't find oak, go with -- in order of preference -- alder, birch, apple, maple or hickory. Once cured and smoked, this bacon will a month in the fridge or longer in the freezer.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 15
Calories: 492 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

  • 3 pound slab of pork belly
  • 2 tablespoons brandy, preferably German brandy
  • 27 grams kosher salt, about 3 level tablespoons
  • 4 grams curing salt (Instacure No. 1), about a heaping 1/4 teaspoon
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Find a container that will just about hold the pork belly, or use a heavy duty, sealable plastic bag. Massage the pork belly with the brandy over a bowl. If you have any extra brandy, pour it into the container or plastic bag.
  2. Mix all the dry ingredients for the cure together, then massage that into the meat. Put the pork and any remaining cure into the plastic bag or container, seal it and set it into the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Every 12 hours or thereabouts, turn over the pork. This helps distribute the cure evenly.
  3. Take the pork belly out and quickly rinse off the cure under cold water. Some cure will stick to the meat -- leave it, as it adds flavor. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and set on a cooling rack. Put the rack under a ceiling fan or in another cool, breezy place and let it dry for at least 2 hours, preferably 4. Or, you can put the meat on a cooling rack set in the refrigerator uncovered and leave it overnight.
  4. When you are ready to smoke, smoke the bacon at about 225°F for 4 to 6 hours. I never check internal temperature on the bacon, but if you are looking for a temperature, between 140°F and 165°F is fine. This is a pretty well-cured bacon so you don't need to cook the hell out of it. Allow to cool before using.

Notes

  • This recipe makes about 3 pounds. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 492kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 4g (1%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 48g (74%) Saturated Fat 18g (90%) Cholesterol 65mg (22%) Sodium 728mg (30%) Potassium 181mg (5%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 9IU (0%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 11mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 15Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 492

% Daily Value*

Calories 492kcal 25%
Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 48g 74%
Saturated Fat 18g 90%
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 728mg 30%
Potassium 181mg 4%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 9IU 0%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.