Cure your own bacon

I don’t know how many different types of bacon I have eaten and cooked in my career, but trust me, it’s been a lot. For years I was on a quest for the best bacon around. I would not advise you to try this at home. Although I never met a strip of bacon that I didn’t like, some are definitely better than others.

There are several things that give bacon its unique taste and character. The first and most important factor is the quality of pork. Mass-produced factory-farmed pork does not have much flavour. Fortunately, there are a growing number of smaller producers who raise meat naturally or organically, sometimes relying on heirloom breeds, and their pigs have by far the best taste. The second consideration is the amount of fat. I look for a nice ratio of fat and meat, with a bent toward the fattier side. Other considerations are salt, sugar, and smoke—too much or too little of any of those can ruin a dish.

After years of buying bacon for my restaurants, we decided to start making our own and found out just how easy it is. It’s also a much better bacon than any I’ve ever had (and a third of the price). I always keep a slab in my freezer at home so it’s there whenever the mood strikes me.

For the best results, slice the bacon when it is cold (room-temperature bacon is too soft and flabby to slice). Slice the bacon as thin or thick as you like. I like the chewy texture (and meaty bite) of thick, slightly undercooked slices that showcase the flavor of the pork. Thinner slices will cook up crisper.

Homemade bacon: Makes about four pounds

Ingredients

4 pounds fresh boneless pork belly, cut into 1-pound pieces
4 cups kosher salt
3¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
¾ teaspoon curing salt*

Preparation
Pat the pork belly with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Combine the salt, sugar, brown sugar, and curing salt in a mixing bowl. Place the pork in a baking pan or a large plastic container; cover the top of the pork with a layer of the salt mixture, then flip it over and bury the meat in the remaining mixture. Refrigerate the pork, covered, for 10 days. This will “cure” the belly, and you will have what’s known as salt pork or unsmoked bacon.

Remove the pork from the salt and rinse under cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Place the pork on a glazing rack (or on cake racks set on baking sheets) and refrigerate overnight to air-dry.

Smoke the pork at about 140°F for about 1 hour. The bacon can now can be held in the refrigerator or frozen.

* Curing salt typically contains sugar, nitrates, and curing agents that help preserve meat longer; it keeps the inside of the meat an appealing pink colour (without it the meat would turn gray). Regular salt cannot be used as a substitute.