Uploaded January 2017 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Five Day Home Cured Hickory Smoked Bacon
Items needed:
ordinary barbecue or smoker
candy thermometer, if using a barbecue
large foil pan
2 gallon zip-lock bag for each 3-5 lb. slab of rindless pork belly
Ingredients:
1 – 3-5 lb. slab of rindless pork belly or whole pork belly (yields 3 slabs and will require cutting off the rind)
For each 3-5 lb. slab, you will need:
2/3 cup Morton’s kosher salt
½ cup white granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. molasses
2 tbsp. coarse black pepper
Directions: (For each pork belly slab)
1. Mix salt and both sugars together by hand in a large foil pan, crushing any brown sugar clumps so mixture is evenly distributed and set aside.
2. Rinse and pat dry pork belly slab.
3. Rub molasses onto the pork belly slab, working it by hand, into every nook and cranny, until well coated.
4. Sprinkle pepper onto coated slab, working it in by hand, for even distribution.
5. Place slab into foil pan containing the salt/sugar mixture and coat all sides.
6. Place slab into a 2-gallon zip-lock bag and place into refrigerator.
7. Flip the bag over, once a day, for 5 days.
8. Remove slab from bag and rinse thoroughly, using hands to rub off as much pepper as possible. (3-5 minutes per slab for medium saltiness tasting bacon, 7 minutes for light saltiness tasting bacon) Pat bacon slab dry.
9. Smoke with hickory, keeping smoke chamber temperature between 150 - 200° F for 3 ½ hours.
10. Let cool and refrigerate for easy slicing for immediate use, or package and refrigerate for use within one week, or package and freeze for later use.
11. Fry bacon strips before consumption.
Five Day Home Cured Hickory Smoked Bacon
Items needed:
ordinary barbecue or smoker
candy thermometer, if using a barbecue
large foil pan
2 gallon zip-lock bag for each 3-5 lb. slab of rindless pork belly
Ingredients:
1 – 3-5 lb. slab of rindless pork belly or whole pork belly (yields 3 slabs and will require cutting off the rind)
For each 3-5 lb. slab, you will need:
2/3 cup Morton’s kosher salt
½ cup white granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. molasses
2 tbsp. coarse black pepper
Directions: (For each pork belly slab)
1. Mix salt and both sugars together by hand in a large foil pan, crushing any brown sugar clumps so mixture is evenly distributed and set aside.
2. Rinse and pat dry pork belly slab.
3. Rub molasses onto the pork belly slab, working it by hand, into every nook and cranny, until well coated.
4. Sprinkle pepper onto coated slab, working it in by hand, for even distribution.
5. Place slab into foil pan containing the salt/sugar mixture and coat all sides.
6. Place slab into a 2-gallon zip-lock bag and place into refrigerator.
7. Flip the bag over, once a day, for 5 days.
8. Remove slab from bag and rinse thoroughly, using hands to rub off as much pepper as possible. (3-5 minutes per slab for medium saltiness tasting bacon, 7 minutes for light saltiness tasting bacon) Pat bacon slab dry.
9. Smoke with hickory, keeping smoke chamber temperature between 150 - 200° F for 3 ½ hours.
10. Let cool and refrigerate for easy slicing for immediate use, or package and refrigerate for use within one week, or package and freeze for later use.
11. Fry bacon strips before consumption.
