Make your own Bacon

Last Updated on Sunday, 17 July 2011 23:18 Written by fish Sunday, 17 July 2011 22:46

If you go to sainsburys in the week take a look at the bacon aisle, everything from basics at 99p a pound to dutchy originals dry cure bacon at over £18.00 per lb! Most bacon these days isn't really bacon as we think of it; pork is injected with brine and left for 24 hours then sliced and packed, that's what the white scum is when you cook it. Also, the brine adds weight, so you are paying for water! Mixed into the brine are artificial preservatives, the product needs this as it isn't really cured and will go off when not in a vaccum pack seal. Even dry cures contain preservatives in the salt rub. I for one am allergic to the preservatives and can't eat bacon baught from the shop. Last year I worked at a farm shop cutting plant and there I was given the job of bacon cure, and it really is  very easy. I started to make my own bacon at home, minus the preservatives in the rub as I now make my own rub. On a monthly basis I make 20lb of dry cured streaky bacon and it only takes 30 minutes. It will take 4 days to cure and then I smoke it.

Below is the basics of bacon making.
Pork, rubs, and a knife.

Firstly the ribs need cutting off and put aside for the BBQ. Your butcher will gladly do this for you. Also trim the flare fat and trim any mis-shaped edges off the piece.

Next turn the meat skin side up and stab/ pierce the skin all over with a knife point. Don't go too deep 1cm should do!(It helps to think of the Psycho shower scene!)

Next spinkle the rub mix liberally onto the skin side and rub in hard, pushing the rub in with the heel of your hand:

Next turn the meat over and repeat the process, ensuring that you rub the mix into all the seams and folds.

Not forgetting the sides of the meat, use plenty of rub, don't be shy.



And here you have the final product! Best hung in a fridge or outside in the winter. When hanging outside I put it in a pillow case to keep the bugs off. I pat it dry with a cloth and smoke it, it's ready to try now and is fine if you like 'green' bacon.