Homemade Bacon: Your Ultimate Guide to Curing and Smoking “Bacon Gold”

Embark on a culinary adventure and learn how to make bacon at home with this comprehensive, step-by-step guide. Discover the rewarding process of curing and smoking your own bacon, transforming a simple pork belly into what we lovingly call “bacon gold.” This recipe promises an unparalleled flavor and texture experience, delivering the absolute best bacon you’ve ever tasted – succulent, smoky, and utterly melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

The Joy of Homemade Bacon: A Culinary Revelation

The journey to crafting your own bacon at home began in 2019, driven by a simple yet profound desire for better breakfast. After extensive research, experimentation, and countless tests over several years, we are thrilled to share our meticulously tested and perfected homemade bacon recipe with you. While making your own bacon requires a bit of foresight and patience, the unparalleled results are absolutely worth every moment. Prepare yourself for the finest bacon experience of your life – a truly transformative taste that will leave you wondering why you ever settled for store-bought.

This isn’t just bacon; it’s an artisanal creation that literally melts in your mouth, resembling pure, savory liquid gold. The depth of flavor, the perfect balance of sweet and smoky, and the incredibly tender texture are simply unmatched. We typically source a 9-pound pork belly for this recipe, dividing it to explore two distinct and equally delightful flavor profiles: a classic maple bacon and an unexpectedly delicious toasted fennel bacon. While the maple offers a familiar comfort, the toasted fennel variety is guaranteed to surprise and delight your palate, elevating everything from a simple breakfast plate to the absolute best BLT sandwich you’ve ever had. Imagine the crisp texture and aromatic notes—a game-changer for any meal.

One of the many benefits of making bacon at home is the ability to customize flavors and ensure the highest quality ingredients. Plus, it’s incredibly economical in the long run. The finished bacon can be stored whole or conveniently sliced into portions and frozen for up to a year. We make this recipe 3-4 times annually, ensuring a consistent supply of our beloved “bacon gold” always ready in the freezer. We wholeheartedly recommend you do the same, so you’re never without this extraordinary treat!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Bacon

Crafting exceptional homemade bacon starts with understanding the role of each ingredient. Below, we detail the best choices for this recipe, alongside practical substitution options. For precise measurements, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card at the bottom of this page.

• Core Curing Ingredients:

  • Pork Belly: The foundation of your bacon! We typically purchase an 8-10 pound pork belly from Costco due to their consistent quality and size. If Costco isn’t an option, speak with the butcher at your local grocery store; they can often cut a custom size for you. Other warehouse stores like Sam’s Club or Smart & Final are also great sources. Look for a slab with a good balance of meat and fat for the best texture and flavor.
  • Premium Curing Salt #1 (Prague Powder #1 / Pink Curing Salt): This is a crucial ingredient for food safety and flavor development in cured meats. It contains sodium nitrite, which prevents bacterial growth, gives bacon its characteristic pink color, and contributes to its distinct cured taste. Always order this online or find it at specialty meat and butcher shops. Do NOT confuse it with regular table salt or other types of curing salts (like Prague Powder #2) as they have different uses and concentrations.

• For Irresistible Maple Bacon:

  • Maple Syrup: Insist on genuine, pure maple syrup. Artificial pancake syrup or imitation maple syrup will not deliver the authentic, rich flavor we’re aiming for. The real stuff provides a complex sweetness that perfectly complements the smoky pork.
  • Brown Sugar: Adds a touch more sweetness and moisture, enhancing the maple flavor and aiding in the curing process.
  • Kosher Salt: Provides essential seasoning and contributes to the overall curing.
  • Ground Black Pepper: Offers a subtle warmth and aromatic spice, balancing the sweetness.

• For Aromatic Fennel Bacon:

  • Fennel Seeds: These aromatic seeds are the star of this unique flavor profile. You’ll find them in the spice aisle of any major grocery store. Toasting them first unlocks their full, fragrant potential.
  • Brown Sugar: Similar to the maple version, it balances the flavors and aids curing.
  • Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning and flavor depth.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Homemade Bacon

Follow these detailed steps carefully to achieve perfect homemade bacon. For a complete list of ingredient quantities, please refer to the recipe card below.

Phase 1: Prepare the Curing Mixes

1. For the Fennel Bacon Cure: Begin by dry-toasting the fennel seeds. Place them in a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat. Continuously toss the seeds for 5-7 minutes until they become lightly toasted, release a rich, fragrant aroma, and deepen slightly in color. Immediately remove them from the heat and transfer to a small bowl. Combine with brown sugar, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and curing salt (Prague powder #1).
2. For the Maple Bacon Cure: In a separate small bowl, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and curing salt (Prague powder #1). Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Phase 2: Cure the Pork Belly (10 Days)

3. Season and Seal the Pork Belly: Take your two pork belly halves (or two separate pork bellies) and place each into its own vacuum sealer bag. Add the maple seasoning to one bag and the toasted fennel seasoning to the other. Now, here’s our secret tip: add approximately 20 ice cubes to each bag. As they melt in the refrigerator, they’ll become water, creating the necessary liquid environment for the cure without making vacuum sealing messy. If you are using a large plastic zipper bag instead of a vacuum sealer, you can simply add the appropriate amount of water directly.
4. Vacuum Seal and Refrigerate: Use a vacuum sealer to remove all air from the bags and seal them tightly. If you’re using zipper bags, press out as much air as possible before sealing. Place the sealed bags of seasoned pork belly in the refrigerator, fat side down. Each day for the next 10 days, remember to flip the bags, alternating between fat side up and fat side down. This ensures even distribution of the curing mixture. We also recommend gently massaging the pork belly through the bag each day when you flip it to help the flavors penetrate.

Phase 3: Form the Pellicle (24 Hours)

5. Remove from Bags and Dry: After 10 days of curing, remove each pork belly from its bag. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. We do not recommend rinsing, as this would wash away all the delicious seasonings that have adhered to the surface. A good pat dry is sufficient.
6. Develop the Pellicle: Place each pork belly on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. Leave them uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This critical step allows a “pellicle” to form – a slightly tacky, dry surface that will help the smoke adhere better, resulting in superior flavor and color. If fridge space is limited, you can carefully stack the wire racks using small jars or risers in between, ensuring airflow around both pieces without them touching.

Phase 4: Smoke the Bacon

7. Smoke to Perfection: Preheat your smoker to a consistent 225°F (107°C). Place the pork belly directly on the grates, fat-side up. Insert a reliable temperature probe into the thickest part of the pork belly, ensuring it doesn’t touch bone or fat pockets, or use an instant-read meat thermometer to check periodically. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches precisely 150°F (65°C). Remember, smoking is more about achieving the correct internal temperature than a fixed time, but this typically takes around 2 hours, depending on the thickness of your pork belly and smoker consistency.

Phase 5: Rest and Refrigerate

8. Rest the Smoked Pork Belly: Once the internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C), promptly remove the pork belly from the smoker. Transfer it to a clean cutting board and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a more tender and flavorful final product.
9. Chill Thoroughly: After resting, wrap each smoked pork belly tightly in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped bacon in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, before slicing, storing, or cooking. Chilling makes the bacon much easier to slice evenly and ensures it’s fully set.

Phase 6: Store or Cook Your Homemade Bacon

9. Storing for Later Use: For convenient storage and defrosting, we recommend slicing the bacon into 1-2 pound blocks. Vacuum seal these slabs, or place them into heavy-duty, freezer-safe plastic bags. Always clearly label each package with the date and flavor (maple or fennel). This uncooked, frozen bacon will maintain its quality for up to 1 year.
10. Cooking Your “Bacon Gold”: When you’re ready to indulge, slice the bacon to your preferred thickness – whether you like it generously thick-cut or delicately thin. For this exceptional homemade bacon, we find that a thick-cut slice cooked at a slightly lower temperature than commercial bacon yields the best results. This method allows the luxurious fat to render perfectly, creating a crisp exterior without overcooking the lean meat. For oven baking, arrange slices in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes. Keep a close eye on it after 15 minutes, as oven temperatures can vary, and slice thickness affects cooking time. Burning this precious “bacon gold” would truly be a tragedy! Alternatively, you can fry the slices in a large frying pan over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side, or until your desired level of crispness is achieved.