What You Need
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup table salt
- 3 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper, divided
- 1/2 tsp pink curing salt
- 1 bay leaf, crushed
- 1 (4-pound) skinless pork belly
- 5 (3-inch) wood chunks
- 1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan
Cure the Belly
Mix brown sugar, salt, 1 tablespoon pepper, pink curing salt, and crushed bay leaf in a bowl.
Put pork belly in a 13×9 glass dish. Rub the cure into every surface – really work it in.
Wrap tight with plastic. Refrigerate 7-10 days, flipping every couple days. It’s ready when firm but still has some give.
Rinse and Season
Rinse the pork well under cold water. Pat dry – don’t worry about every speck of pepper.
Coat all sides with the remaining 2 tablespoons pepper.
Set Up Your Grill
Open bottom vent completely. Arrange 30 briquettes in a C-shape around half the grill edge – 2 briquettes wide, overlapping.
Stack another 30 on top to make a 2-by-2 charcoal wall.
Place wood chunks on the charcoal, starting 1 inch from one end, spacing ~2 inches apart.
Put the aluminum pan in the center, running lengthwise inside the charcoal arc. Add 6 cups water.
Light and Smoke
Fill a chimney with 15 briquettes, bunched to one side so they light easier. When partially ashed over, use tongs to place them at the beginning of your charcoal C.
Oil the grate. Place pork belly fat side up over the water pan.
Cover with lid vent positioned over the meat. Smoke ~1.5-2 hours until thickest part hits 150F internal. Temperature won’t be uniform – that’s fine.
Cool and Store
Let bacon cool 1 hour. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours until cold.
Keeps wrapped in the fridge for a month, freezer for 2 months.
Slice and Cook
Cut bacon in half crosswise. Slice what you need ~1/8 inch thick. Rewrap the rest.
Oven: 400F on middle rack. Line a baking sheet with foil. Lay out up to 1 pound – slight overlap is OK. Bake ~20-25 minutes until crispy, rotating halfway.
Stovetop: Up to 8 slices in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Medium heat ~10-14 minutes until crispy, flipping once.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Pink curing salt is crucial – prevents botulism and gives bacon that pink color. Not the same as Himalayan pink salt. I use apple wood but hickory works too.
Homemade Smoked Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup table salt
- 3 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper divided
- 1/2 tsp pink curing salt
- 1 bay leaf crushed
- 1 4-pound skinless pork belly
- 5 3-inch wood chunks
- 1 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum pan
Instructions
- Mix brown sugar, salt, 1 tbsp pepper, pink curing salt, and crushed bay leaf.
- Rub cure mixture thoroughly into pork belly in glass dish.
- Wrap in plastic, refrigerate 7-10 days, flipping every 2 days until firm but pliable.
- Rinse pork under cold water, pat dry, coat with remaining 2 tbsp pepper.
- Arrange 60 charcoal briquettes in double-stacked C-shape around grill edge.
- Place wood chunks on charcoal 2 inches apart, starting 1 inch from end.
- Set aluminum pan with 6 cups water in center of grill.
- Light 15 briquettes in chimney, add to start of charcoal C when partially ashed.
- Place pork belly fat side up over water pan.
- Cover, position vent over meat, smoke 1.5-2 hours to 150°F internal.
- Cool 1 hour at room temperature.
- Wrap in plastic, refrigerate minimum 2 hours until cold.
- Slice bacon 1/8 inch thick as needed.
- For crispy bacon: Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or pan-fry over medium heat 10-14 minutes.
- Drain on paper towels, serve hot.
