Savory Smoked Bacon

1 week ago 7

Democracy Dies successful Darkness

Homemade bacon is 1 of the easiest smoked meats you tin prepare. This savory mentation is balanced with a hint of vigor from cayenne and chipotle, a acheronian enactment from allspice and an herbacious undertone from thyme.

If the pork belly you find is skin-on, you tin portion it disconnected utilizing a bladed fillet knife, oregon inquire your butcher to region it. The optional pinkish curing brackish called for present (not the aforesaid happening arsenic pinkish Himalayan salt) adds color; it is disposable astatine Williams-Sonoma stores and online via Amazon.com.

Before the smoking step, you’ll request to soak a cupful of pome wood chips (preferably) oregon hickory oregon cherry wood chips successful h2o for 1 hour. And you’ll request an instant-read thermometer.

The spice substance tin beryllium refrigerated up to 3 days successful advance. The bacon needs to cure successful the refrigerator for 7 days; the rinsed, drained bacon needs to air-dry successful the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours. The air-dried bacon tin beryllium refrigerated for up to 1 week oregon frozen for up to 3 months. The cured, smoked bacon needs to beryllium refrigerated for astatine slightest 4 hours and up to 1 week.

From Smoke Signals columnist Jim Shahin.

Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 40 thin slices

2 1/2 pounds skinless pork belly (see headnote)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoonful coarsely crushed achromatic pepper
1 spoon dried thyme leaves (may substitute 2 teaspoons caller thyme leaves, rinsed and dried)
1/4 spoon crushed cayenne pepper
1/2 spoon crushed allspice
1/4 spoon chipotle powder
1/2 spoon pinkish curing brackish (optional; spot headnote)