How to Cure Your Own Bacon

Niman Ranch and Slow Food USA hosted a live cooking demonstration on how to cure your own bacon with 2020 Food + Advocacy Snailblazer Award-Winner Chef Adrian Lipscombe. Chef Adrian shared her process for curing bacon at home using Niman Ranch pork belly and then transformed this bacon into the perfectly balanced sweet and savory bacon jam.

Watch a recording of the demonstration:

How to Cure Your Own Bacon

Smoked Bacon

• 5-7 pounds pork belly
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup honey (preferably a dark honey, I used buckwheat)
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon ramp powder or onion powder
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
• 2 teaspoons celery powder (or Pink Curing Salt)

*please note you can change desired spices for bacon.

Storage:

• Food grade container, with lid or a 2 gallon Ziplock bag

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, honey, red pepper flake, garlic powder, ramp powder (or onion powder), cloves, allspice, black pepper and celery powder (or curing salt), stirring until well mixed.
2. Rinse the pork belly with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Add half of the curing mixture to the top of the belly. Use your hands to rub it into the flesh, evenly coating. Flip over and rub the remaining curing mix onto the other side of the pork belly. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Place seasoned pork belly in desired storage container and refrigerate. Flip the belly once a day for the next 5-7 days.
3. Remove the pork belly from the cure and thoroughly rinse the pork. Use several paper towels to COMPLETELY dry the pork belly on all sides. Place a rack over a baking sheet and rest the pork belly on the rack. Refrigerate uncovered for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.
4. The bacon has cured and it can be sliced and cooked if desired. To achieve the smoky flavor it will need to be smoked.
5.  Smoking:
   1. Choose desire wood. I preferred to use a mixture of apple, cherry and oak.
   2. Smoke Bacon at 225 degrees for 2-3 hours, internal temperature must be 150-155 degrees
      Once bacon is smoked, allow to rest to cool. Wrap bacon and refrigerate overnight.  It is easier to cut slices of bacon if the bacon is cold.
6. To cook, heat oven to 400 degrees, slice bacon to desire thickness and place on a wired rack sheet pan. Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping bacon half way through.

Don’t stop there! Find out how to make Chef Adrian’s perfectly balanced sweet and savory bacon jam.