The German style bacon below packs a ton of flavor and the recipe will yield 3 pounds of which you can enjoy on your own or break it down to share with friends and family.
Hell, it’s so good you could even charge them a couple of bucks for a chance to get a pound of your homemade bacon.
Ingredients
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3 pound slab of pork belly
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2 tablespoons brandy, preferably German brandy
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3 tablespoons kosher salt (I use Morton’s)
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1/2 teaspoon curing salt (I use Instacure No. 1)
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1/4 cup brown sugar
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1/2 teaspoon celery seed
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1 teaspoon dried marjoram
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1 teaspoon mustard powder
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1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
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2 teaspoons garlic powder
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2 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
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Find a container that will just about hold the pork belly, or use a heavy duty, sealable plastic bag. Massage the pork belly with the brandy over a bowl. If you have any extra brandy, pour it into the container or plastic bag.
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Mix all the dry ingredients for the cure together, then massage that into the meat. Put the pork and any remaining cure into the plastic bag or container, seal it and set it into the fridge for 3 days. Every 12 hours or thereabouts, turn over the pork. This helps distribute the cure evenly.
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Take the pork belly out and quickly rinse off the cure under cold water. Some cure will stick to the meat — leave it, as it adds flavor. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and set on a cooling rack. Put the rack under a ceiling fan or in another cool, breezy place and let it dry for at least 2 hours, preferably 4. Or, you can put the meat on a cooling rack set in the refrigerator uncovered and leave it overnight.
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When you are ready to smoke, smoke the bacon at about 250°F for 4 to 6 hours. I never check internal temperature on the bacon, but if you are looking for a temperature, between 140°F and 165°F is fine. This is a pretty well-cured bacon so you don’t need to cook the hell out of it. Allow to cool before using.
Recipe source: Honest Food
Photo source: @citybagger
