The last poultry brine you will ever need
January 7, 2022
Carolina Gold sauce
January 11, 2022Homemade Maple Bacon
If you are anything like me, you know that bacon can improve almost any recipe. That's why I love making my own bacon at home. You know exactly what's in it, you can control the ratio of fat to meat and make it taste just the way you like it.
The best part about this recipe is that it takes traditional bacon to the next level, by infusing it with maple throughout the curing process. The extra flavor makes this bacon sweet, complex and more delicious than you can imagine-And the best part? Pound for pound, you cant beat the price!
This recipe uses an ingredient which is crucial when curing meat. It can be known by a few different names but I generally refer to it as Prague Powder #1. Prague Powder is bright pin, but isn't like that Himalayan pink salt you can get from the supermarket. It is dyed bright pink so that you don't use it in error.
Prague Powder contains Sodium Nitrate which can be dangerous if misused or overused, so definitely be mindful of using it correctly. in this recipe, that means making sure you don't adjust any of the amounts of ingredients (Especially the Prague powder) without considering this. Check out this website which has a bacon curing calculator, which allows you to calculate how much Prague Powder, salt and meat you should be using in your calculations. Click here for Calculator
What you will need
- 6 lb pork belly- skinless, trimmed to desired fat thickness
- 3 T kosher salt (I use Morton's)
- 3 T cracked black pepper
- 6 T light brown sugar
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups distilled water
- 1 t Prague powder #1
Method
1.Begin by selecting a good pork belly which has a good ratio of fat and meat. I find that a ratio of one third fat and two thirds meat is ideal.
2. In a large Ziplock bag, mix together water, maple syrup, Prague Powder, Kosher salt, Black pepper and brown sugar until well combined. Place pork belly into the bag and place in the refridgerator.
3. Allow the pork belly to cure for seven days, flipping each day to allow the cure to interact with the meat evenly. Before cooking, remove pork, rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Discard all remaining liquid.
4. Preheat your smoker to 200F and place on your favorite fruit wood. Smoke until the bacon reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
5. Once cooked, remove bacon from the heat and allow to cool fully before slicing into desired thickness. Cut against the grain using a deli slicer if you have one, or a sharp knife.
6. Cook bacon as you usually would, being mindful of the increased sugar which will darken your bacon more easily. Store in the refridgerator for upto a week or frozen for up to six months.
