Handload Bacon

Preparation

1. Pat the pork belly dry with a paper towel.

2. Follow the curing instructions provided with your bacon cure. Note that wet and dry curing methods have different processes but both yield excellent results.

3. Once cured, rinse the pork belly with cold-water and pat dry with a paper towel.

4. Place the pork belly on a rack-lined tray and refrigerate overnight to dry out.

5. Remove the pork belly from the fridge and allow it to rest at room temperature. Apply a topical rub if desired.

6. Line the smoker drip tray with fresh aluminum

Smoking Procedure

1. Preheat smoker to 100°F with dampers closed.

2. Once smoker preheats, hang pork belly in the smokehouse, ensuring pieces are not touching.

3. Insert meat probes to monitor temperature.

4. Fill a pan 2/3 full with sawdust, dampen thoroughly, and form it into a funnel shape. Place it on the smoke burner.

5. Raise temperature to 110°F with dampers 3/4 open, and smoke for 5 hours.

6. After 5 hours, remove sawdust, add another pan 2/3 full, and set dampers 1/4 open.

7. Increase temperature to 130°F and smoke for 5 hours.

8. After 5 hours, remove sawdust, continue smoking with dampers closed until internal temperature reaches 140°F.

9. Once internal temperature is reached, remove from smoker and cool at room temperature.

10. Place finished bacon in a cooler for 12 hours before slicing.