Blitz all the ingredients, except the pork, in a blender or food processor to a powder and then rub into the pork belly. Leave it there (loosely wrapped in muslin if you like but this is not necessary) for another 5 days. Lastly, good-quality dry-cured bacon can cost up to £24 per kilo. It is so simple but so effective. Please fill in your details to sign up to our mailing list. This will store well in a closed container. Plug in 10 or 20 pounds as weight then calculate the ingredients. There is no need to be too fastidious and it is fine for there to be some residual traces of dissolved cure left in the box. Put into a plastic box and refrigerate for around 4–5 days, turning daily and rubbing the cure into the meat. The meat is then left to cure. I cured my bacon for about 11 days. Cleaning/Hygiene Pay attention to hygiene; keep everything clean and safe. By continuing to use There is no further culinary use for it. In the meantime, store the cure in an airtight plastic box so it doesn't absorb moisture from the air and become damp. This bacon is definitely more of a savory bacon- it is not like your breakfast bacon. Read about our approach to external linking. You can rotate the belly in order to even out the application of cure mix but this isn't strictly necessary. This is the best method for curing bacon at home. the website you are accepting the use of these cookies. Wrap in muslin and refrigerate again for 2–3 days. Slice and cook in your favourite recipes or make a wonderful bacon sandwich! 2kg pork belly, skin on, flat rib bones intact (if the belly contains any), 20 or so juniper berries, lightly bruised. cookie policy This is an adaption of the tutorial that I wrote on 'beginners' bacon curing for the sausagemaking.org forum. The injected liquid also adds weight to bacon, but it impacts the texture and taste. Whether you’re using the wet or the dry curing method, the next step for smoking the bacon is the same. The daily application of a basic cure consisting of sugar, salt and a few aromatics, to a small, inexpensive piece of pork belly creates perfect bacon in just 10 days. Smoking the Bacon. Place all the cure ingredients in a clean, food standard container. You might find the salad boxes in the bottom of your fridge are perfect for this. Join us for the definitive approach to curing and smoking with our handbook author and tutor Steven Lamb, working with an exciting variety... We would like to send you details about other River Cottage activities, events, information and products that we think you would be interested in. Immersion curing is very similar to pumping, except bacon is left to cure in liquid for 2-3 days, then hung to dry. The fat is easy to remove: just pull it away by hand. Amazing, but different. Lay the pork flat in the fridge and leave for five days, turning occasionally. It will keep in the freezer for months. Put into a plastic box and refrigerate for around 4–5 days, turning daily and rubbing the cure into the meat. After 5 days (the same number of days hanging as it had in the cure), it will be ready to slice with a sharp knife or meat slicer* and eat and it will be the best bacon you have ever had. Leave for 24 hours. for more information. Lastly, good-quality dry-cured bacon can cost up to £24 per kilo. Remove, wash in cold water and dry. Basic Dry Cure Bacon. But it is not like the bacon you have with your eggs in the morning, it’s just different. Dry curing is the method where salt, Cure #1, and spices are applied to pork belly pieces. https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/dry-cured-streaky-bacon non-personal data through cookies. A rounded bowl is ideal because it enables you to thoroughly mix the ingredients with no pockets of salt, sugar or flavourings caught in any corners. You will notice that the belly will get firmer and darker in colour and there will be less liquid to pour away each day as the meat cures and dries.