5.0 from 6 votes
Smoked Bacon (Ready to Eat)
Fully cooked hickory-smoked bacon with maple flavor.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Additional Time
14 d 12 hrs
Total Time
14 d 16 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 334 kcal
Course:
Appetizer , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine:
American , Eastern European
Ingredients
- 1000 g pork belly skinless
- 22.5 g kosher salt
- 2.5 g Cure #1
- 10 g black pepper coarsely ground
- 50 g maple syrup
- 0.5 g cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Weigh the pork belly in grams. Divide by 1000, then multiply each ingredient by that number. For example, if your belly weighs 2650 g, you need to multiply the ingredients specified above by 2.65.
- Combine the salt, Cure #1, cayenne and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Apply the dry cure mix evenly on all sides of the pork belly.
- Place the pork into a Ziploc or vacuum-sealer bag and add maple syrup spreading it evenly over the meat. Refrigerate for 7 days flipping occasionally.
- Remove from the bag, scrape off excess seasonings with the back of a knife, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Place the meat on a cooling rack fitted over a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
- Remove the meat from the fridge and let warm up to room temperature over the course of 1-2 hours.
- Meanwhile, preheat your smoker/smokehouse to 135F - 140F.
- Hang pork bellies in the smoker and let them warm up for about 30 minutes without smoke.
- After 30 minutes and once the meat's surface is dry, apply smoke. Smoke for 2-4 hours depending on how smoky you want your bacon and how much color you want on it.
- Place the meat in a Ziploc or a vacuum sealer bag. Poach at 167F (75C) for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 154F (68C). Chill the bacon under a cold shower for a few minutes or in a cool room (50F - 55F / 10C-12C) for 10-12 hours.
- Hang the bacon in a cool room or a curing chamber for 5-7 days (or longer, to taste) to dry at about 55F (12C) and 70% relative humidity. See notes.
- Remove bacon from the curing chamber, wrap it into an unglazed butcher's paper and refrigerate or vacuum seal, and freeze for longer storage.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- You may also dry the bacon in your fridge by placing it on a cooling rack fitted over a baking sheet and left uncovered. A week of drying in the fridge will be enough. Be warned though that the smoky flavor will spread to other items in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
Serving
60g
Calories
334kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
3g
(1%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
33g
(51%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
15g
Cholesterol
45mg
(15%)
Sodium
626mg
(26%)
Potassium
132mg
(4%)
Fiber
0.2g
(1%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
23IU
(0%)
Vitamin C
0.2mg
(0%)
Calcium
10mg
(1%)
Iron
0.4mg
(2%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 334
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 60g | |
| Calories | 334kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 33g | 51% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 45mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 626mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 132mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 0.2g | 1% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 23IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.2mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 10mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.4mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.