Bacon Recipes
Making your own bacon is not that difficult, and you can save money and create a product that you will enjoy.
Many people are hesitant to make their own bacon because they think you need special equipment, or that it's dangerous. You don't and it's not. Again, it's quite simple.
A couple of tips before you begin:
For all of my bacon recipes, I cure them in the refrigerator for 10-14 days. Each day, flip the bacon over so that all of the juices penetrate the slab. Optionally, remove the belly from the 2-gallon plastic bag, pat it dry with a paper towel, and let it sit the last day in the refrigerator on a cookie sheet. This creates what is called a pellicle, a semi-sticky coating on the belly.
Many people are hesitant to make their own bacon because they think you need special equipment, or that it's dangerous. You don't and it's not. Again, it's quite simple.
A couple of tips before you begin:
- All of the bacon recipes below require Prague Powder #1 pink curing salt. Note that this is not the same thing as "pink salt" or "Hymalayan Pink Salt." Curing salt can be dangerous if you use too much. In all of my recipes, I use 1 tsp. per ~5 lbs of meat. All of my bacon recipes use Prague Powder #1 pink curing salt.
- Make sure you have room in your refrigerator. Bacon is not cured at room temperature, and will be cured in the refrigerator for 8-10 days. My recipes below use 1/2 a pork belly at a time, or approximately 5lbs.
- Purchase 2-gallon zip-lock bags. These are perfect for curing a 1/2 slab. To avoid an accidental leak, I always put the bag on a baking sheet during the curing process.
- Purchase a meat slicer -- your life will be easier. A 10" slicer will work fine, but if you have the space and can afford it, a 12" slicer will make it easier to slice larger slabs. (If your significant other is not on board with the slicer, explain to them the amount of money that you'll be able to save by slicing everything from lunch meats and veggies to shabu shabu -- also, only communists don't use slicers to cut bacon)
- I smoke all of my bacon on a wood smoker; however, you can finish the bacon in the oven. Only a few people will make fun of you. I typically use a mixture of woods when smoking. For these recipes, I prefer a hickory base and a fruit wood like apple or cherry.
- Have freezer space. I'm fortunate to have a chest freezer where I can place my bacon after it has been cured and smoked. Remember, just because bacon is cured doesn't mean it will last forever. It must be refrigerated or frozen. After I slice my bacon, I wrap it and put it in the freezer where it could last for a year or more at which point it will likely become freezer burnt (flavors begin to change after 3-4 months).
- Cook your bacon. Even though it's cured, you must always cook bacon before consuming it.
For all of my bacon recipes, I cure them in the refrigerator for 10-14 days. Each day, flip the bacon over so that all of the juices penetrate the slab. Optionally, remove the belly from the 2-gallon plastic bag, pat it dry with a paper towel, and let it sit the last day in the refrigerator on a cookie sheet. This creates what is called a pellicle, a semi-sticky coating on the belly.
Juniper Berry Bacon (Mike's Martini Bacon)
1/2 slab pork belly (~5 lb.)
3 Tbs Juniper Berries (cracked)
3 Tbs Peppercorns (cracked)
2 Tbs Garlic powder
1 tsp Pink Curing Salt (Prague Powder #1)
4 Tbs kosher salt
3-4 Bay leaves chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1. Coat belly with mixture thoroughly and cure in refrigerator for 10 days, turning daily.
2. Smoke at 200 degrees until core temp reaches 150 (~4 hours)
3. Put in freezer for 30 minutes, then slice and wrap.
Pepper Bacon
1/2 slab pork belly (~5 lb.)
2 Tbs Ground White Pepper
4 Tbs Peppercorns (cracked)
2 Tbs Garlic powder
1 tsp pink curing salt (Prague Powder #1)
4 Tbs kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1. Coat belly with mixture thoroughly and cure in refrigerator for 10 days, turning daily.
2. Smoke at 200 degrees until core temp reaches 150 (~4 hours) [Note: Mesquite works well on this bacon]
3. Put in freezer for 30 minutes, then slice and wrap.
Fennel Breakfast Bacon
1/2 slab pork belly (~5 lb.)
4 Tbs Fennel Seed (toasted then cracked)
4 Tbs Peppercorns (cracked)
1 tsp Pink Curing Salt (Prague Powder #1)
4 Tbs kosher salt
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
2-4 Tbs Maple Syrup (apply before smoking)
1. Coat belly with mixture thoroughly and cure in refrigerator for 10 days, turning daily.
2. Rinse belly and apply 2-4 Tbs of maple syrup to cover the belly
3. Smoke at 200 degrees until core temp reaches 150 (~4 hours)
4. Put in freezer for 30 minutes, then slice and wrap.
Roasted Juniper Berry Breakfast Bacon
1/2 slab pork belly (~5 lb.)
4 Tbs Juniper Berries (toasted then cracked)
4 Tbs Peppercorns (cracked)
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Pink Curing Salt (Prague Powder #1)
4 Tbs kosher salt
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
2-4 Tbs Maple Syrup (apply before smoking)
1. Coat belly with mixture thoroughly and cure in refrigerator for 10 days, turning daily.
2. Rinse belly and apply 2-4 Tbs of maple syrup to cover the belly
3. Smoke at 200 degrees until core temp reaches 150 (~4 hours)
4. Put in freezer for 30 minutes, then slice and wrap.
Not Pancetta Italian Bacon
1/2 slab pork belly (~5 lb.)
4 Tbs Fennel Seed (cracked)
3 Tbs Peppercorns (cracked)
3 Tbs Garlic powder
1 Tbs Red Pepper Flakes (cracked)
1 tsp Pink Curing Salt (Prague Powder #1)
4 Tbs kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1. Coat belly with mixture thoroughly and cure in refrigerator for 10 days, turning daily.
2. Smoke at 200 degrees until core temp reaches 150 (~4 hours)
3. Put in freezer for 30 minutes, then slice and wrap.
No Frills Bacon
1/2 slab pork belly (~5 lb.)
2 Tbs Peppercorns (cracked)
1 tsp Pink Curing Salt (Prague Powder #1)
4 Tbs kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1. Coat belly with mixture thoroughly and cure in refrigerator for 10 days, turning daily.
2. Smoke at 200 degrees until core temp reaches 150 (~4 hours)
3. Put in freezer for 30 minutes, then slice and wrap.
Sausage Recipes
the recipes below are my fresh sausage recipes. Having fat in sausage is extremely important, and many of the recipes include fatback. I order fatback from a local butcher shop and grind this ahead of time into 1/2 lb. packages, which I store in the freezer.
EYE-talian Sausage
5 lb. lean pork trimmings
.5 lb. fatback
2 tbs salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp black pepper
4 tsp fennel
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp basil
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup cold water
1. Grind meat through 3/8" coarse plate (sometimes called "chili plate"]
2. Thoroughly mix in spices
3. Mix in egg, red wine vinegar, and cold water.
4. Grind through 1/8" sausage plate
5. Stuff in casings (optional)
Bratwurst
I find bratwurst more labor intensive than many other sausages. Due to the high liquid content, when making bratwurst you may find it easier if you grind the meat when it is mostly frozen. Keeping a low temperature is key, otherwise it can gum up the grinder.
25 lbs lean port trimmings
2 lb. fatback
3/4 cup salt
2 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp onion powder
4 tbsp ground white pepper
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp ground ginger
3 egg, beaten
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
6 quarts very cold water
1. Grind meat through 3/8" coarse plate (sometimes called "chili plate"]
2. Thoroughly mix in spices
3. Mix in egg, cream, and cold water.
4. Grind through 1/8" sausage plate [optional: don't use knife on last grind for a bit more coarse grind]
5. Stuff in casings (optional)
