Home Curing

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This one is seasoned with onion powder and garlic powder. Both are cured with Morton's curing salt. A friend's dad gave me half a pound of his homemade bacon and showed me the ropes. The process is piss easy and fairly cheap.

Can elaborate on the process if there's any interest.

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I do thirty pounds of bacon every six or eight months. Usually do three or four different flavors. A couple of savory, something sweet and some pancetta. I also don't generally smoke mine as I like to preserve the flavor or whatever I cure it with.

>>9145548
Nice, do you buy whole porkbelly, and what are you usually paying?

>>9145548
Also, what seasonings do you prefer?

Interested in the process here

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>>9145589

I usually use a food purveyor that buys locally and get a case of fresh bellies. Typically I pay somewhere around two dollars a pound, give or take. As for seasonings, my favorite is probably rosemary and garlic. I've done all sorts of strange combos though. I once did a five spice blend that I made and threw in some black garlic on top of that. Really unique flavor. For the pancetta I do a pretty standard cure with bay leaves, juniper and thyme.

>>9145548
whats the $/lb of bacon at the end of it all?

>>9145598
This is a really bare bones explanation, and the more experienced curing anor or online guides might fill in more holes.

1) Procure curing salt (salt with nitrates to combat microbe growth) and porkbelly. It might be easier to start with smaller portions (2-5lb) and go bigger with experience (sadly I don't know, this is the only size my local hookup sells).

2) SANATIZE EVERYTHING, counter, cutting board, hands knife (foodsafe gloves are recommended).

3)Remove the skin with a sharp knife removing as little fat from the belly as possible. I've found that pulling up on the loose corner and running the knife at a slight upward angle toward the skin are helpful. When the skin is removed I recommend cutting it into 1" x4" strips, seasoning according to taste, and baking in a tray at 400-425 for 25-30 minutes, while flipping occasionally. This yields delicious cracklins.

Continue?

>>9145678
I get smaller portions of porkbelly (2-3lb) for $4lb, with salt and water weight loss it's roughly $5.50. Not far off high grade store prices. Reasonably cost effective but more fun as a hobby in that you choose your seasoning.

>>9145678
>>9145740
If you can find a good supplier, whole belly is $2.50-3/lb and actually cost effective.

>>9145628
Sounds delicious, especially the black garlic

Was thinking of trying to make some biltong. Does anyone have any experience making it?

>>9145727
4) Warm water rinse and paper towel dry the deskinned belly.
5) Roll it in a baking tray full of curing salt and chosen (dry) spices, ensuring even coverage.
6) Secure belly section in gallon storage ziplock, add a few TBSP of salt (look at an official recipie for proper ratio). Seal ziplock with as little air as possible.
7) Place in fridge for one week. A large quantity of pinkish saline fluid will form in the bag (water from the belly mixed with the salt) this is normal, and should be kept in the bag. After about 5 days, test the meat's firmness with a fingertip (should feel firm like a brick of bacon at the store).
8) Once firmness is achieved, remove and rinse your bacon.
9) Towel dry thoroughly, I'm talking 'won't stick to flour' dry.
10) Place on a baking rack over a cookie sheet in the fridge. *Be sure to clean your fridge thoroughly before this and secure odorous foods, as the bacon will take on errant flavors in your fridge*
11) Allow bacon to dry and age for 1-3 weeks.

At this point it's ready to go (if you're a smokerless poorfag like me). Slice to your preferred level of thiccness, fry and enjoy. Freeze and store surplus in portions reasonable to your bacon needs.

>>9145795
Why don't you add some liquid smoke? This is what they actually to most commercial bacon. Only the high end stuff is actually dry cured and smoked.

>>9145860
Hadn't thought of that, seems like it would work really well.

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>>9145881

I make a glaze with brown sugar, apple cider and liquid smoke and use that on my sweet cured bacon while its roasting.