INGREDIENTS:1kg raw pork belly
35-45g finely ground salt
20g brown, white or raw castor sugar
2.5g cure salt #1 (1/2 teaspoon)
1g ground black pepper
METHOD:
1. Discard bones from the pork belly.
2. Make cure mix: combine finely ground salt, sugar, cure salt and pepper together. Mix well.
3. Sprinkle the cure mix all over the pork belly.
4. Place prepared pork belly into a dish and cover (or seal into bag).
5. Refrigerate for 5-7 days, turning over daily.
6. Rinse and dry bacon.
7. Refrigerate bacon for 1-2 days to equalise.
8. Optional: cold and/or hot smoke bacon.
9. Slice bacon.
10. Tightly wrap/vacuum seal portions of cured bacon, label and date, and refrigerate or freeze.
11. Cured bacon will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.
12. Bacon must be fully cooked before consumption.
TIP:
Ask your butcher to de-bone the pork belly for you!
LEARN MORE:
FOOD PRESERVING GUIDES