Brown Sugar Maple Bacon

Have you ever tried making bacon at home? While it takes some prep work and a little bit of time, the results can be phenomenal. This Brown Sugar Maple Bacon recipe was surprisingly easy to make and well worth the time spent.

Instructions

1. 01

   Get your pork belly completely thawed in the refrigerator.

2. 02

   Remove from packaging and remove the skin (if the butcher has not previously done this for you). Completely pat dry on all surfaces. Set aside.

3.  

   Ingredients

   • 3 1/2 pounds Pork belly, skin removed

4. 03

   In a one (1) gallon sealable freezer bag, combine your Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Cinnamon and Curing Salt. Mix well.

5.  

   Ingredients

   • 1 cup Packed brown sugar
   • 1 cup Maple syrup
   • 2 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
   • 1 1/2 tablespoons Ground black pepper
   • 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
   • 1 1/4 teaspoons Curing salt

6. 04

   Place your pork belly inside the sealable bag with all of the curing ingredients. Seal the bag and move belly and ingredients around to cover all sides of the belly completely in the solution.

7. 05

   Squeeze all of the air out of the bag (or as much as you can) and place the bag with the belly on a cooking rack or in a shallow pan. This will catch any liquid seepage from the bag over the 7 days. Pro Tip: Use 2 bags. The outer bag will catch seepage and this will not affect the curing process. Pro Tip: Use a vacuum sealed bag for this step if you have the means, otherwise the sealable bags work fine.

8. 06

   Place inside the refrigerator where it will remain for 7 days. FLIP the bag ONCE per day (preferably every 24 hours exactly).

9. 07

   After 7 days, removed the bag from the fridge, remove the belly from the bag and RINSE thoroughly. The idea is to get all of the excess curing solution off of the exterior of the belly. You should notice your belly has taken on a darker color form the brown sugar and maple syrup. This means your cure has taken to the meat!!

10. 08

    Once rinsed off, pat dry again with paper towels, removing as much excess moisture as possible. Set aside in your fridge for another 30 minutes to an hour, to further let it air dry in the cool temps.

11. 09

    Get your grill/smoker/cooker up to a temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82.2 Celsius) for an indirect cooking method.

12. 10

    Place the pork belly on the cooking grates away from the heat source. Cook belly until an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit (68.3 Celsius) is achieved. Pro Tip: Use probe thermometers to better keep track of the cookers temperature and the belly’s internal temperature.

13. 11

    Once the internal temp is achieved, remove belly from the cooker and let rest on a cutting board, loosely covered in foil for approximately 20-25 minutes.

14. 12

    All done! Slice it as thin or as thick as you prefer, fry it up and enjoy!!

15. 13

    Store in vacuum sealed bags and keep it in your fridge or freezer