How to Make Bacon at Home

How to Make Bacon at Home – Smoked Short Cut Bacon

Making bacon at home is surprisingly simple. This smoked short cut bacon uses pork belly with the loin attached, a commercial bacon cure and a low-and-slow smoke on the BBQ. The process takes about a week, but most of that time is curing in the fridge.

Making Bacon at Home

Homemade bacon is all about the preparation. There are a few steps involved, but none are particularly difficult, and the result is well worth the wait.

For this recipe, I’m making short cut bacon, using skinless pork belly with the loin attached. Streaky bacon gets plenty of attention, so I wanted to make something a little different.

Choosing the pork

Ask your butcher for skinless pork belly with the loin attached if you want to make short cut bacon.

A piece with an even thickness will make the curing and smoking process more predictable. Your butcher should be able to prepare the pork for you, so there is very little trimming required at home.

I used a piece weighing approximately 1.5 kg (3.3 lb).

The bacon cure

For this recipe I’m using Dr Jay’s Miracle Bacon Cure All, which is designed specifically for making bacon.

The amount of cure required is based on the weight of the pork. For this particular cure, the manufacturer's recommended minimum is 25 g per kilogram of meat.

For my 1.5 kg piece of pork, that works out to:

1.5 kg × 25 g = 37.5 g of bacon cure

Always follow the instructions supplied with your particular bacon cure. Cure products can have different formulations and application rates, so don't substitute another curing product using the same amount without checking its instructions first.

How long should bacon cure?

For this recipe, the pork is cured for 5 to 10 days, with 7 days being my preferred middle ground.

The exact curing time can depend on the size and thickness of the pork and the instructions provided with your cure.

A handy way to make sure you've used the correct amount is to weigh your cure container before you start and again afterwards. The difference will tell you exactly how much cure you've used.

Equipment

• 57 cm (22 inch) Weber Kettle or similar BBQ
• Chimney starter
• Vacuum sealer and bags, or an airtight container
• Wire rack
• Digital meat thermometer with internal probe
• Ambient temperature probe
• Charcoal briquettes
• Cherry wood chunks
• Ironwood chunks
• Sharp knife or meat slicer

Recipe Tutorial

Stage 1: Preparation

1. Weigh the pork

Start by weighing the pork belly with the loin attached.

The amount of bacon cure required is calculated from the weight of the meat, so getting an accurate weight is important.

For my 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) piece of pork, I needed 37.5 g of Dr Jay's Miracle Bacon Cure All.

2. Apply the bacon cure

Place the pork belly into a large tray or bowl and evenly coat all surfaces with the bacon cure.

Make sure the cure is distributed as evenly as possible over the entire piece of pork.

Don't guess the amount. Weigh the pork first and calculate the required amount of cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3. Seal and refrigerate

Place the cured pork into a vacuum-sealer bag and seal it.

If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can use an airtight container instead.

Place the pork into the refrigerator and allow it to cure for 5 to 10 days. For this recipe, I cured it for 7 days.

Turn the pork during the curing process if recommended by your cure manufacturer, ensuring the cure and any liquid that develops remain evenly distributed.

Stage 2: The Cook

4. Rinse the cured pork

After seven days, remove the pork from the packaging and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water to remove the excess cure from the surface.

Pat the pork completely dry with paper towel.

5. Form the pellicle

Place the cured pork onto a wire rack and return it to the refrigerator uncovered overnight.

This allows the surface to dry and form a pellicle.

The pellicle is a slightly tacky, shiny surface that helps smoke adhere to the meat during the smoking process.

This overnight drying stage is worth doing. Good bacon is as much about the preparation as it is about the smoking.

6. Set up the Weber Kettle

Set up your 57 cm (22 inch) Weber Kettle for indirect cooking at approximately 120°C (250°F).

For this cook, I use the snake method with charcoal briquettes.

Carefully arrange the briquettes around the edge of the kettle to form a continuous snake. Take your time when building it so the briquettes are packed neatly and can burn progressively from one end to the other.

Light approximately 12 briquettes in a chimney starter.

Once the briquettes are fully lit, place them at one end of the snake. These lit briquettes will gradually ignite the unlit briquettes and provide a long, controlled cook.

7. Add the smoking wood

For this bacon I use:

• 2 cherry wood chunks
• 2 ironwood chunks

Place one piece of each wood on or near the lit charcoal, then position the remaining chunks further along the snake, approximately 50 mm (2 inches) apart.

This gives the bacon a steady supply of smoke as the fire progresses.

8. Stabilise the temperature

Install your cooking grate and an ambient temperature probe.

Watch the temperature closely as the kettle comes up to heat.

The target is approximately 120°C (250°F).

Start closing down the bowl vents before the BBQ reaches the target temperature. This makes it easier to control the fire and avoid overshooting your desired cooking temperature.

Stage 3: Smoke the Bacon

9. Add the pork

Place the cured pork belly onto the cooking grate fat side down.

Position it on the indirect side of the BBQ, away from the lit charcoal.

Insert an internal temperature probe into the thickest part of the pork.

Place the lid on the Weber with the lid vent positioned over the pork.

This helps draw the heat and smoke across the bacon before exiting through the lid vent.

10. Smoke until 65°C (150°F)

Maintain the kettle at approximately 120°C (250°F) and smoke the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 65°C (150°F).

Start checking the bacon after about an hour.

The cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the pork and how consistently you maintain your cooking temperature. For this size piece, expect roughly 1½ to 2½ hours.

During the cook, keep an eye on the surface of the bacon. If liquid begins pooling on top, gently pat it away with paper towel.

Stage 4: The Payoff

11. Remove and cool

Once the pork reaches 65°C (150°F) internally, remove it from the BBQ.

At this point, you've officially made bacon.

Allow the bacon to cool before slicing. Chilling it thoroughly will also make it much easier to slice cleanly.

If you really can't wait, you can fry a thick slab straight away. But for neat bacon slices, let it cool first.

12. Slice the bacon

Once chilled, slice the bacon using either a sharp knife or a meat slicer.

The thickness is completely up to you. Thin slices will crisp quickly, while thicker slices give you a meatier piece of bacon with a little more chew.

I usually slice the entire piece, portion it up and vacuum seal it before freezing.

Keep enough out for breakfast, because homemade bacon has a habit of disappearing very quickly.

13. Fry and serve

Heat a frying pan and cook the bacon until it reaches your preferred level of crispness.

For classic crispy bacon, cook it until the fat has rendered and the meat is browned and crunchy.

Serve with breakfast, pile it onto a bacon sandwich, add it to burgers or use it anywhere you'd normally use bacon.

And yes, you can absolutely eat it straight from the pan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) skinless pork belly with loin attached, for short cut bacon
• 37.5 g (1.3 oz) Dr Jay's Miracle Bacon Cure All
• Cherry wood chunks, 2 pieces
• Ironwood chunks, 2 pieces
• Charcoal briquettes, approximately 12 briquettes for starting the snake plus enough to form the snake

Note: The amount of bacon cure is based on the weight of the pork. This recipe uses 25 g of Dr Jay's Miracle Bacon Cure All per kilogram of meat. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the specific cure you are using.

Recipe Steps

1. Weigh the pork belly and calculate the required amount of bacon cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. For 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) of pork, measure out 37.5 g (1.3 oz) of Dr Jay's Miracle Bacon Cure All.
3. Evenly coat the entire pork belly with the bacon cure.
4. Vacuum seal the pork or place it into an airtight container.
5. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 days. For this recipe, cure for 7 days.
6. Remove the pork from the packaging and rinse thoroughly under cold water.
7. Pat completely dry with paper towel.
8. Place on a wire rack and refrigerate uncovered overnight to form the pellicle.
9. Set up a 57 cm (22 inch) Weber Kettle using the snake method for indirect cooking.
10. Build the snake with charcoal briquettes and light approximately 12 briquettes in a chimney starter.
11. Once fully lit, place the lit briquettes at one end of the snake.
12. Add cherry and ironwood chunks approximately 50 mm (2 inches) apart along the snake.
13. Stabilise the BBQ at approximately 120°C (250°F).
14. Place the pork on the indirect side of the grill, fat side down.
15. Insert an internal temperature probe into the thickest part of the pork.
16. Position the lid vent over the pork and close the lid.
17. Smoke at approximately 120°C (250°F) until the internal temperature reaches 65°C (150°F).
18. Start checking the pork after approximately 1 hour. Total cooking time will generally be around 1½ to 2½ hours, depending on the size of the pork and cooking temperature.
19. Remove the bacon from the BBQ and allow it to cool.
20. Once chilled, slice with a sharp knife or meat slicer.
21. Portion, vacuum seal and freeze any bacon you won't use immediately.
22. Fry until browned and crispy and serve.

Tips & Variations

Weigh your cure

Don't estimate the amount of cure by eye. Weigh the pork and calculate the required amount based on the instructions for your particular curing product.

A simple trick is to weigh your cure container before you start and again once you've finished applying it. The difference tells you exactly how much cure you have used.

Don't skip the pellicle

The overnight drying stage gives the surface of the bacon time to dry and develop a pellicle. This helps the smoke adhere to the meat and contributes to the finished appearance and flavour.

Use a thermometer

Don't rely solely on cooking time. The size and thickness of your pork belly will affect how quickly it reaches temperature.

Use an internal temperature probe and cook until the pork reaches 65°C (150°F) internally.

Control the kettle temperature early

One of the easiest ways to overshoot your target temperature is to wait until the kettle reaches 120°C (250°F) before adjusting the vents.

Start restricting the airflow as you approach your target so the fire settles rather than continuing to climb.

Fat side down

Smoking the bacon fat side down provides a little protection from the heat source and helps protect the surface during the cook.

Slice it cold

If you want thin, even slices, chill the bacon thoroughly before slicing. A meat slicer makes this particularly easy, but a good sharp knife works perfectly well.

Streaky bacon instead

If you prefer traditional streaky bacon, use skinless pork belly without the loin attached. The curing and smoking process can be followed in the same way, provided the cure manufacturer's instructions are followed for the weight and thickness of the meat.

How to store homemade bacon

Once cooled and sliced, portion the bacon into meal-sized quantities and vacuum seal it before freezing. This makes it easy to pull out exactly what you need rather than having to thaw the entire batch.

Recipe Info

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Curing Time: 5–10 days
• Pellicle Time: Overnight
• Cook Time: 1½–2½ hours
• Serves: Approximately 10
• Effort: Easy
• Course: Breakfast / Main
• Cuisine: Australian
• Hydration: Approximately 5 beers
• BBQ Temperature: 120°C (250°F)
• Finished Internal Temperature: 65°C (150°F)

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