There’s nothing quite like the flavor of homemade smoked bacon — and it’s easier to make than you might think! With just a few ingredients, some patience, and a smoker, you can enjoy thick-cut, richly flavored bacon made right in your own kitchen (or patio). I've been making this recipe for years with fresh pork belly from my family's pigs, and it never disappoints!
Recipe Highlights
Unbeatable Flavor: Smoky, savory, and slightly sweet — better than any store-bought bacon. Don't forget to save the bacon grease for making the best elk burgers or grilled potatoes!
Simple Ingredients: Just a few pantry staples transform pork belly into something incredible. For another simple homemade cure, try this smoked trout recipe.
Customizable: Easily adjust the seasoning, smoke level, and thickness to suit your taste.
Ingredients
- Pork Belly: (8–9 lb, whole): Look for a skinless pork belly with a good balance of fat and meat. A whole slab allows for even curing and smoking, and gives you more control over how you slice it later. Buy some extra to make pork belly ramen!
- Kosher Salt: This coarse salt is ideal for curing meat because it dissolves slowly and distributes evenly. Avoid using table salt, which is finer and can lead to over-salting.
- Curing Salt #1 (aka Instacure #1 or Prague Powder #1): This pink curing salt contains sodium nitrite, which prevents bacterial growth and preserves color and flavor during curing and smoking. Be sure to measure carefully—this ingredient is potent and essential for safe curing.
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Homemade Smoked Bacon
Here's how to cure, smoke, and slice your own bacon step by step—from raw pork belly to savory, smoky perfection.
- Step 1: Combine salt, brown sugar, and curing salt in a small bowl.
- Step 2: Rub seasoning mixture all over pork belly. Make sure you fill in all the nooks and crannies.
- Step 3: Place pork belly in a 2.5 gallon zippered bag and squeeze the air out. Place the bag on a sheet pan.
- Step 4: Flip the bag once every day.
- Step 5: On the 6th day, remove the pork belly from the bag. Rinse the outside of the pork belly well until all seasoning is removed. Place the pork belly on a wire rack on a sheet pan, uncovered. Refrigerate overnight.
- Step 6: The next day, heat the pellet grill to 180°F. Don’t let the temperature of the grill go above 200°F or the fat will start to render. Place the baking rack with the pork belly on the far side of the pellet grill, away from the direct heat.
- Step 7: Smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 4-5 hours. Remove from the grill and let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Transfer to the fridge and cool completely.
- Step 8: Slice the bacon into the desired thickness. I like mine somewhere between ⅛-¼" thick. A meat slicer is very helpful for this but you can also slice it by hand.
Pro Tip
Let the pork belly dry uncovered in the fridge overnight before smoking — this creates a tacky surface called the pellicle, which helps the smoke cling better and results in a more flavorful bacon.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Once your bacon is cured and smoked, here’s one of the easiest ways to cook it to crispy perfection without the mess!
- Step 1: Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Bend the edges up a bit to make sure the bacon grease doesn't spill out onto the pan. Arrange slices of bacon on the sheet pan. Place the pan into a cold oven and turn it on to 350°F.
- Step 2: Cook for 20 minutes, or until it is almost cooked to your liking.
- Step 3: Flip the bacon and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the bacon has reached your desired doneness. Place bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Step 4: Don't forget to save the bacon grease to cook with later! Enjoy!
How to Customize Your Homemade Bacon
Once you’ve mastered the basic cure, try one of these easy variations to make your homemade bacon truly your own.
Herb-Crusted Bacon: Add crushed rosemary or thyme to the cure for a fragrant, earthy flavor.
Maple Bacon: Add ¼ cup maple syrup to the cure for sweetness and a deeper caramelized flavor.
Jerk Bacon: Coat your bacon in homemade jerk seasoning before smoking.
Pepper Bacon: Press coarsely ground black pepper into the surface before smoking.
Storage
Once your bacon is fully smoked and cooled, it can be stored whole or sliced, depending on how you plan to use it. For best results, vacuum seal the bacon to keep it fresh and prevent freezer burn.
Freezer: Vacuum-sealed bacon will last up to 6 months in the freezer with minimal loss of quality. For easy use, freeze slices in smaller portions (I like to freeze in 12-oz portions) so you can grab just what you need.
Refrigerator: Store sliced or whole bacon in an airtight container or vacuum-sealed bag for up to 1 week.
Cooked Bacon: If you've already cooked the bacon, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in an oven for the best texture.
Serving Suggestions
This homemade smoked bacon is incredibly versatile and perfect for elevating a variety of meals. Serve it alongside eggs and toast for a classic breakfast, or layer it in a sandwich using fluffy buttermilk biscuits.
It also makes a delicious topping for grilled sliders, smoked fish sandwiches, and sourdough pizza. Don’t forget to save the rendered bacon fat—it’s fantastic for frying eggs, roasting vegetables, or adding to elk burgers.
Recipe FAQs
Curing salt (Instacure #1) is important for both safety and the characteristic pink color and flavor of bacon. If you omit it, you’re technically making a seasoned pork belly, not true bacon.
Once smoked and sliced, it lasts about a week in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
It’s helpful for even slices, but a sharp knife works just fine. Freeze the bacon slightly before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Any smoker or grill setup that can maintain a low temperature (180–200°F) works. Just avoid high heat that will render too much fat.
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Thank you!
Annie
📖 Recipe
Homemade Smoked Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8-9 lb pork belly, whole
- ⅓ cup kosher salt
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoon curing salt (instacure #1)
Instructions
- Combine salt, brown sugar, and curing salt in a small bowl.
- Rub seasoning mixture all over pork belly. Make sure you fill in all the nooks and crannies.
- Place pork belly in a 2.5 gallon zippered bag and squeeze the air out. Place the bag on a sheet pan. Flip the bag once every day.
- On the 6th day, remove the pork belly from the bag. Rinse the outside of the pork belly well until all seasoning is removed. Place the pork belly on a wire rack on a sheet pan, uncovered. Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, heat the pellet grill to 180°F. Don’t let the temperature of the grill go above 200°F or the fat will start to render.
- Place the baking rack with the pork belly on the far side of the pellet grill, away from the direct heat. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 4-5 hours.
- Remove from the grill and let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Transfer to the fridge and cool completely.
- Slice the bacon into the desired thickness. I like mine somewhere between ⅛-¼" thick. A meat slicer is very helpful for this but you can also slice it by hand.
- Cook it however you like to cook bacon!
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Bend the edges up a bit to make sure the bacon grease doesn't spill out onto the pan.
- Arrange slices of bacon on the sheet pan. Place the pan into a cold oven and turn it on to 350°F.
- Cook for 20 minutes, or until it is almost cooked to your liking.
- Flip the bacon and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the bacon has reached your desired doneness.
- Place bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Don't forget to save the bacon grease to cook with later!
Notes
- Look for a skinless pork belly with a good balance of fat and meat. A whole slab allows for even curing and smoking, and gives you more control over how you slice it later.
- Kosher salt is ideal for curing meat because it dissolves slowly and distributes evenly. Avoid using table salt, which is finer and can lead to over-salting.
- Pink curing salt contains sodium nitrite, which prevents bacterial growth and preserves color and flavor during curing and smoking. Be sure to measure carefully—this ingredient is potent and essential for safe curing.
- A pellet smoker provides consistent, low heat and a steady flow of smoke—perfect for bacon. You can also use an electric, charcoal, or offset smoker, as long as you can maintain a low temperature (180–200°F) throughout the smoking process.
- A meat slicer makes it easy to get uniform bacon slices, especially if you like them thin. However, a sharp knife and a steady hand work just fine if you're going for a more rustic or thick-cut style.
- Let the pork belly dry uncovered in the fridge overnight before smoking — this creates a tacky surface called the pellicle, which helps the smoke cling better and results in a more flavorful bacon.
Annie Weisz says
We butcher pigs every year as a family, and I always look forward to having this bacon in the freezer. It’s been a favorite for years!