Post by mapper on Nov 27, 2023 17:45:34 GMT -5
It's true bacon makes everything better.
I'll get a 10 lb pork belly, cut it in half
Then for each half in a bowl, I'll take 2 1/2 ounces of Morton tenderquick (but you can make your own cure of sugar, salt, and pink cure salt) 3 to 4 cloves of garlic smashed with the side of a chef knife, 1 cup lt brown sugar, 4 or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme, a crushed bay leaf or 2 small ones, some black pepper, and the zest from 2 to 3 lemons.
Mix it up, mix in lemon zest last as it will liquefy sugar.
Spread mix on pork belly like a rub. Vacuum seal in bag.
Put in refrigerator for 7 days, each day massage it a little and turn it over.
On day 7, wash cure off and put on smoker. A nice fruit wood works well.
Smoke until 150 degrees internal temp.
After cooled, slice thick, and cook.
It does better to be less than crispy as the sugar in it caramelized and goes from perfect to burnt easily.
I like this method as it takes up minimal refrigerator space, and gives a nice citrus flavor bacon.
You can also do the same thing to a pork loin for Canadian bacon, but it needs a little weight on the loin during curing.
Just so this thread is not worthless
Hurricane preparations in the last pic..
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