Smoked bacon recipe

Added 27 October 2026

Smoked bacon is a classic cured pork dish with roots in traditional European meat preservation practices. It is made by curing fresh pork belly in a salt and spice mixture before slowly cooking it over fragrant hardwood smoke. Typically sliced and fried until crisp, it is popular worldwide as a breakfast centerpiece, sandwich filling, or savory addition to soups.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Nut-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free

Units: Metric (g, kg) US (oz, lb)

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Pork belly
• 3 tbsp Kosher salt (38 g)
• 0.25 cup Dark brown sugar (50 g)
• 1 tsp Curing salt (5.9 g)
• 1 tbsp Black pepper (7.4 g)
• 2 tbsp Maple syrup (39 g)

• Ingredients in total: 1.64 kg
• Weight lost in cooking: 501 g (mostly water boiling off)
• Net weight (cooked): 1.14 kg · 12 servings of about 95 g

Method

1. Trim any loose, thin edges off the pork belly so it forms a neat, uniform rectangular slab.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the kosher salt, dark brown sugar, pink curing salt, black pepper, and maple syrup until a damp, evenly mixed cure paste forms.
3. Rub the cure paste thoroughly over all surfaces and sides of the pork belly slab until completely coated.
4. Place the pork belly into a large sealable plastic bag, press out all excess air, seal tightly, and lay it flat in the refrigerator to cure for 7 days, turning the bag over once each day so the juices coat the meat evenly.
5. After 7 days, take the pork belly out of the bag, rinse away all the curing rub under cold running water, and pat it completely dry with paper towels.
6. Set the pork belly fat-side up on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours until the surface feels sticky to the touch.
7. Prepare a smoker for indirect cooking with applewood or hickory chips, bringing the temperature to a low heat between 95°C and 110°C.
8. Place the pork belly on the smoker grate fat-side up, cover, and smoke for 2 to 3 hours until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 65°C.
9. Transfer the smoked slab to a cutting board, allow it to cool completely to room temperature, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to firm up for slicing.
10. Slice the chilled bacon slab with a sharp knife into your desired thickness, then cook the slices in a heavy skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until the fat renders and the edges turn crisp and golden brown before serving alongside fried eggs or toast.

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Nutrition and nutrient score for this recipe provided by GapPlate

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