Homemade Bacon!

Hi!
I'm here to convince you to make your own bacon at home.

Don't look at me like that, like I'm probably asking you to do an impossible task that only butchers or professionals do. Really. I wouldn't be promoting this for you, dear reader if I didn't consider it 

a) not difficult in any way—really! 

b) not expensive—absolutely is cheaper than buying pre-made bacon. 

c) way more delicious than store-bought bacon—the truth is now I only want to eat my own bacon. Period. Come to the dark side...it's delicious.

The only two catches:

1. I recommend you made at least 2 pounds at one time. If you have other eaters in your house (re: boyfriends, roommates, tiny children, puppies, etc.) I am 100% sure this won't be an issue. If it is, you may freeze it in an airtight wrapping and save for later. That's fine. 

2. The process takes around a week from start to finish. Do note that you are not doing work for all this time! Rather, the bacon itself does most of the work. 

Alright. Ready? Yeah, you are. You're so ready.

Cowen Park Kitchen's Guide to Homemade Bacon

Quick Summary of the Process

1. Clean meat.

2. Apply cure and chill for ~5 days, turning every day or every other day. 

3. Rinse and pat dry, leaving covered and chilled for 1-3 days.

4. Either roast until internal temperature is 150 degrees F or smoke until temperature reads the same.

5. Slice, cook and enjoy! 

The Expanded Version for Your Reading Pleasure

1. Purchase at least two pounds of pork belly (aka side pork), in one piece. Frozen is fine. I recommend decently sourced and fresh meat, of course, but the absolute quality and budget is up to you. Good places to look: Whole Foods, though you may have to inquire with the butcher if no belly is in the case, or if it looks less than fresh or is strangely cut. Farmer's Markets are great for this, albeit rather more costly. I have not noticed a significant difference in product or taste between organic and non-organic. Lastly, Asian or Latin markets. These will probably be your cheapest sources, but do make sure you get a sense of how clean and fresh the product and butcher counter is. This can vary depending on where in the world you are. Generally, I expect to pay between $3 and $5 per pound of pork belly. 

This is a little more than 4 pounds, before cutting into two pieces (one for Maple Bacon, one for regular).

When you get it home (and perhaps, thawed), give it an inspection. Sometimes belly is sold with the rind still attached. This is the layer above the fat, below the skin. I once had a segment of belly that had a nipple or two...gross. Buck up and deal with it, I say: if you're going to eat it, you may as well know where it came from. You may remove the rind with a very sharp knife, or leave it on for the curing process, after which you may remove it before roasting/smoking, or even after. Yes, you can eat it. It's just not as delicately textured, and will not render its fat at the same rate as the rest. It's entirely possible your butcher will remove the rind if you ask (not if it's frozen, obviously) with his or her professional tools and hands. 

Here's the trimmed piece before curing, about 2 pounds total.

You want an even, clean-cut rectangle. At least, I do. You can leave it how you receive it. It will taste fine. Do note that the evenness of the meat matters, however, for the overall cured and salt level of the bacon. 

2. Next, make a cure. A small kitchen scale is useful here. You should own one, anyway! They are so useful for baking. The ratio is 2:1 by weight kosher salt to sugar. Please use kosher salt. This is the best quality salt for meat curing. You may choose white sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, etc. I enjoy brown for its rich flavor. White sugar will give a "cleaner" flavor but potentially less interesting. Optional: include a small amount of pink salt (potassium nitrite/curing salt). This will keep the meat pink and reduces the the possibility of botulism spores, which is recommended if you will be smoking the bacon for more than 4 hours. Otherwise I do not find it to be necessary. Salt and sugar are wonderful preservatives, and the risk of said botulism is extremely, extremely low, especially if as I mentioned, you do not keep it out for more than 4 hours. Pink salt comes in very handy if you plan on aging or drying a piece of meat, neither of which I am showing you how to do today.
You may as well make a large batch of cure, say 1-2 cups total (for next time!) but you will only use about 1/4-1/2 cup total per 2 pounds of bacon. A word of warning on the pink salt: do not use more than recommended, and do not sprinkle on food like regular salt. Consider it a chemical substance that can be helpful if used correctly. Definitely keep out of reach of small children and pets, and label well. 

Here's the belly after applying the cure.

Mix the cure well and thoroughly rub the belly. Like a mini, delicate massage, leaving a lot on—like sand. Rub on all sides. It'll stick on some places, and the excess will fall away. Toss the excess (do not put back into the rest of the cure). Pick up meat and place in a Ziplock bag with a good seal. If you have any other flavoring to add, now is the time. Options include cracked black pepper, dry or fresh herbs, molasses, maple syrup, beer, bourbon, or other spices. I've done some adventurous versions like miso and buckwheat honey. Use about 1 T. of liquid sweetener per 2 pounds, slightly more beer or bourbon. 

Now the best part: all you have to do is "overhaul" (re: turn over) the bacon (bag included) in the fridge once daily for the next 4-7 days. How you will know it's done: it's "firm" in the center as well as the edges. Not firm like a rock; firm like say, cooked fish. There will be slight give, but it should not be squishy. If you overcure, bacon will be too salty, and you will need to blanch it before consuming. Not a lost cause, so don't worry. However, if you undercure, bacon will not be flavored right, will not have the proper texture, and will not keep well. 

And here we are after resting for 2 days, rinsed and dried.

3. Remove from bag and rinse in cool water to remove excess cure/seasoning. Don't scrub, but make sure to hit all sides. Dry gently with paper towels or non-terry linen. Don't leave paper towels on too long (will stick to meat, especially fatty parts). It doesn't need to be bone dry; just not sitting in its own juices. Place on a plate and cover plate tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit for 1-3 days in the fridge. Your choice. 

4. If smoking, I'm going to assume you either have already kludged together a stovetop smoker (vent hoods highly recommended!) or that you have a proper smoker and know how to use it. In which case, you may follow your own process, pulling bacon at internal temperature of 150 degrees. If you don't wish to smoke the bacon, which is the most delicious and authentic way, you may oven-roast the bacon at a low temperature—200 or so degrees F until the 150 internal temperature is reached. You may just leave a meat thermometer in the bacon. Personally I love oven-roasted bacon and don't feel like I'm missing out too terribly when laziness or weather prevents the smoker from being cranked up. 

5. Finally! Slice off a small piece and cook in a pan on low heat until done. Test for deliciousness; test for salt-level. It will be salty; it is bacon after all, and the end pieces touched more of the cure and thus will be slightly more salty than the middle. You'll know if it's too much. Then you may blanch bacon briefly and continue onwards into bacon-eating-nirvana. This is all up to your tastes.

Last note. I hold strong opinons that bacon does not have to be considered an overly rich, fatty or excessive food. When I use bacon I render most of the fat away (low heat is important for this) and use some of that same fat for cooking things like eggs, greens, or potatoes. I also usually use bacon as a flavoring agent for vegetables, soups, and grains, rather than eating slice after slice. Not that that is to be looked upon negatively either. It's your life. I just want to make a case for the inclusion of bacon in any normal diet (excepting those who abstain for religious reasons). You made the bacon, you know what is in it. You can feel 100% good about enjoying without guilt your beautiful finished product. Do that pig some justice, people, and enjoy to the fullest! 

Homemade Bacon!

Recipe by Cowen Park Kitchen; strongly guided by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn's Charcuterie. 

Home-cured bacon: so much easier than you imagine!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. pork belly
• 1/4-1/2 c. cure 
• pink salt (optional)
• optional additions: 
• molasses maple syrup
•  cracked black pepper
•  bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, sage
•  bourbon

Method

1. Clean meat.
2. Make cure: 2:1 by weight kosher salt to sugar. If using pink salt, use 2 t. per 8 oz. sugar or 1 1/2 lbs total cure. 
3. Apply cure and chill for ~ 5 days, turning every day or every other day.
4. Rinse and pat dry, leaving covered and chilled for 1-3 days.
5. Either roast until internal temperature is 150 degrees F or smoke until temperature reads the same.
6. Slice, cook and enjoy!