Bacon is a beloved breakfast staple that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. But have you ever considered curing your own bacon at home?
It may seem daunting, but with the right ingredients and a little patience, you can create your own delicious bacon with a unique flavor profile.
In this article, we’ll show you how to cure bacon with brown sugar, creating a sweet and savory treat that will impress your friends and family.
So, let’s get started!
How To Cure Bacon With Brown Sugar?
Curing bacon with brown sugar is a simple process that involves a few key ingredients and some time. Here’s how to do it:
1. Start with a pork belly: You’ll need a fresh pork belly to make bacon. Look for one that is about 5-7 pounds and has a good balance of meat and fat.
2. Make the cure: In a bowl, mix together kosher salt, packed brown sugar, black pepper, and pink salt. This will be the cure that you’ll use to season the pork belly.
3. Apply the cure: Place the pork belly on a baking sheet and massage the cure onto all sides of the meat. Then, place the pork belly and any excess cure into a resealable plastic bag. Set the bag in a glass dish to catch any potential leaks. Refrigerate and turn the bag daily until the belly is firm (like a cooked steak), which should take about 5-7 days.
4. Rinse and dry: Once the pork belly has cured, rinse it under cool water to remove all excess cure. Dry the belly with paper towels or clean kitchen towels, then place it on a rack inside a baking dish. Refrigerate the belly, uncovered, for 12-24 hours, turning once or twice to dry it out and form the pellicle.
5. Smoke the bacon: Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions to maintain a temperature of 175-200 degrees Fahrenheit. Use hardwood chips or chunks to smoke the bacon until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which should take about 2-3 hours.
6. Chill and slice: Transfer the bacon to a clean rack and let it come to room temperature before wrapping it in plastic and chilling overnight to set the flavor and texture. Slice chilled bacon 1/8-inch thick or to your desired thickness.
Gathering Your Ingredients
Before you start curing your bacon, you’ll need to gather a few key ingredients. First and foremost, you’ll need a fresh pork belly. Look for one that is about 5-7 pounds and has a good balance of meat and fat. You’ll also need kosher salt, packed brown sugar, black pepper, and pink salt for the cure. Make sure to use non-iodized table salt to avoid any off flavors. Additionally, you may want to gather any optional aromatics, such as bay leaves or garlic, to add extra flavor to your bacon. Finally, if you plan on smoking your bacon, you’ll need hardwood chips or chunks and a smoker capable of maintaining a temperature of 175-200 degrees Fahrenheit. With these ingredients in hand, you’re ready to start curing your own delicious bacon at home!
Preparing The Pork Belly
Before you can cure bacon with brown sugar, you need to prepare the pork belly. Start by trimming any scraggly edges from the pork belly so that it forms a neat rectangle. You can save the scraps for making homemade sausage if desired. Rinse the pork belly under cool running water and pat it dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towels.
Next, you’ll need to make the cure. In a bowl, mix together kosher salt, packed brown sugar, black pepper, and pink salt. This mixture will be used to season the pork belly and give it that delicious bacon flavor.
Place the pork belly on a baking sheet and massage the cure onto all sides of the meat, making sure to coat it evenly. Then, place the pork belly and any excess cure into a resealable plastic bag. Set the bag in a glass dish to catch any potential leaks. Refrigerate and turn the bag daily until the belly is firm, which should take about 5-7 days.
Once the pork belly has cured, rinse it under cool water to remove all excess cure. Dry the belly with paper towels or clean kitchen towels, then place it on a rack inside a baking dish. Refrigerate the belly, uncovered, for 12-24 hours, turning once or twice to dry it out and form the pellicle.
Now your pork belly is ready to be smoked and turned into delicious brown sugar bacon!
Creating The Brown Sugar Cure
To create the brown sugar cure for your bacon, you’ll need a few extra ingredients in addition to the basic cure. In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, espresso powder, curing salt, pepper, and enough water to create a sludgy mixture. Use your hands to slather this mixture all over the pork belly, making sure to coat all sides.
Once the pork belly is coated in the brown sugar cure, place it into a large resealable plastic bag and seal it. Fit the bag into a baking dish and then slide the whole thing into the fridge. Refrigerate for 7 days, making sure to flip the bag and massage the liquid that accumulates in the bag into the pork belly once a day.
After 7 days, remove the pork belly from the bag, rinse it thoroughly under cool running water, and pat it dry. Now you’re ready to smoke your bacon! Set up your smoker or grill according to the manufacturer’s instructions and smoke the meat until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once your bacon is smoked, let it rest until it’s cool enough to handle. Slice it thinly or thickly and cook it up any way you like. You can store any leftover bacon in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it for up to 2 months. Enjoy your delicious homemade brown sugar bacon!
Applying The Cure To The Pork Belly
Before you can smoke or roast your pork belly, you will need to apply the cure. This is a crucial step in the process that will give your bacon its signature flavor and texture. Here’s how to apply the cure to your pork belly:
1. Mix the cure: In a bowl, combine kosher salt, packed brown sugar, black pepper, and pink salt (also known as Cure #
Refrigerating And Waiting
Refrigeration and waiting are crucial steps in the process of curing bacon with brown sugar. After applying the cure to the pork belly, it’s important to refrigerate the meat for 5-7 days, turning it daily to ensure that the cure is distributed evenly. During this time, the cure will penetrate the meat, infusing it with flavor and helping to preserve it.
After the curing process is complete, it’s important to rinse the pork belly thoroughly under cool water to remove any excess cure. Then, the meat should be dried with paper towels or clean kitchen towels and placed on a rack inside a baking dish. At this point, it’s important to refrigerate the pork belly uncovered for 12-24 hours to allow a pellicle to form on the surface of the meat. This pellicle will help to absorb smoke during the smoking process and will give the bacon a crispy texture.
Once the pellicle has formed, it’s time to smoke the bacon. The pork belly should be smoked at a temperature of 175-200 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 hours, using hardwood chips or chunks for added flavor. After smoking, allow the bacon to come to room temperature before wrapping it in plastic and chilling overnight. This will help to set the flavor and texture of the bacon.
Smoking Or Baking The Bacon
Once your bacon has been cured with brown sugar, you have the choice of smoking or baking it to achieve that classic smoky flavor. Here are two methods you can try:
Smoking: Smoking your bacon will give it a rich, smoky flavor that is hard to beat. To smoke your bacon, set up your smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions and use hardwood chips or chunks to smoke the bacon until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This process should take about 2-3 hours. Be sure to monitor the temperature of your smoker and adjust as needed to maintain a consistent temperature.
Baking: If you don’t have access to a smoker, you can still achieve great results by baking your bacon in the oven. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and place the bacon on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet. Bake for about 2-3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to keep an eye on your bacon as it bakes to prevent it from burning.
No matter which method you choose, be sure to let your bacon cool before slicing and serving. Once cooled, slice it thinly or to your desired thickness and enjoy the delicious flavor of homemade brown sugar cured bacon!
