Bacon
25 pounds pork belly
Rub
10 ounces kosher salt
4 ounces sugar
2 ounces instacure #1
1/2 ounce black pepper
habenero powder (very optional, 1 1/4 ounce maximum)
Brine
1 gallon water
5 ounces salt
2-3/4 ounces sugar
1-3/8 ounces instacure #1
Cut pork belly to size of container (best found are 4 gallon rounded rectangular food safe frosting buckets, usually free from local bakery). Work rub into bellies and place in bucket. Cover and refrigerate 2 days. After 2 days overhaul (rearrange) the bellies, then add enough brine to cover. If needed weigh down the bellies. Overhaul every two days for the next 8 days (total 10 days). At the end of 10 days pull the bellies from the brine, rinse well, pat dry with a towel and allow to air dry for an hour or so (this gives you time to get the smoker up to speed). Smoke at 225 to 250 degrees until internal temp is 150 degrees (4+ hours). Allow to cool then refrigerate overnight. Package as you want.
A variation of this is cottage bacon. It is made using boneless pork shoulder. It has less fat and more meat so does not fry up as well. I think of it as a cross between bacon and ham. Same process but keep the slabs of shoulder meat to about 1 1/2 inch.
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25 pounds pork belly
Rub
10 ounces kosher salt
4 ounces sugar
2 ounces instacure #1
1/2 ounce black pepper
habenero powder (very optional, 1 1/4 ounce maximum)
Brine
1 gallon water
5 ounces salt
2-3/4 ounces sugar
1-3/8 ounces instacure #1
Cut pork belly to size of container (best found are 4 gallon rounded rectangular food safe frosting buckets, usually free from local bakery). Work rub into bellies and place in bucket. Cover and refrigerate 2 days. After 2 days overhaul (rearrange) the bellies, then add enough brine to cover. If needed weigh down the bellies. Overhaul every two days for the next 8 days (total 10 days). At the end of 10 days pull the bellies from the brine, rinse well, pat dry with a towel and allow to air dry for an hour or so (this gives you time to get the smoker up to speed). Smoke at 225 to 250 degrees until internal temp is 150 degrees (4+ hours). Allow to cool then refrigerate overnight. Package as you want.
A variation of this is cottage bacon. It is made using boneless pork shoulder. It has less fat and more meat so does not fry up as well. I think of it as a cross between bacon and ham. Same process but keep the slabs of shoulder meat to about 1 1/2 inch.
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