Homemade Smoked Bacon
Learn how to make rich, smoky homemade bacon with just a few ingredients and a smoker. This easy pork belly recipe delivers thick-cut, flavorful bacon every time.
Servings: 7.5 lb
Calories: 2523kcal
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 155°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.
Nutrition
Calories: 2523kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 256g | Saturated Fat: 94g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 27g | Monounsaturated Fat: 120g | Cholesterol: 348mg | Sodium: 2652mg | Potassium: 901mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 3mg
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