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Classic Dry Cure Bacon

Homemade dry-cured bacon with brown sugar, garlic, and paprika, smoked low and slow.

Total time
225 min
Serves
16
Difficulty
Medium
Classic Dry Cure Bacon
As seen on Episode 172

The preparation

7 steps, about 225 minutes start to finish.

  1. 01

    Mix salt, brown sugar, Prague powder #1, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to make the dry cure.

  2. 02

    Coat pork belly thoroughly with the cure mixture.

  3. 03

    Place in a zip-lock bag or vacuum seal.

  4. 04

    Refrigerate for 7-10 days, flipping daily.

  5. 05

    After curing, rinse the pork belly thoroughly under cold water.

  6. 06

    Pat dry and place uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to form a pellicle (tacky surface).

  7. 07

    Smoke at 200°F until internal temperature reaches 150°F.

lightbulb The chef's notes

“Measure the Prague powder exactly, since curing salt is not something to eyeball. Flip the belly every day so the cure works evenly, and don't skip the overnight air-dry afterward, because that tacky pellicle is what lets the smoke actually grab hold.”

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