Smoked Bacon baked in oven
You need:
- Fresh Pork Side with no skin
For Curing Brine:
- Water
- Pickling or Kosher salt
- Cure#1
- Spices
Preparing Brine:
- For each 1 kg (2.2 lb)of meat, you need to prepare 500ml (2 cups) of cold tap water, 36 grams (2 tbsp) of salt and 4 grams (2/3 tsp) of cure#1
- From 500ml (2 cups) of water subtract about 100 ml (7 tbs) which will be used to prepare spice broth.
- In remaining 400 ml of water dissolve salt and cure#1 and put aside.
- Mix the spices in the 100 ml of water and brew the mixture, covered on the lowest setting for 15 minutes and then let the broth cool down.
Approximate amount of spices per 500 ml (2 cups) of brine: (spices and their quantity can be modified at your discretion)
- Allspice Whole – 4-5 grains
- Black Pepper Whole – 4-5 Grains
- Marjoram – 1 teaspoon
- Fresh sliced Garlic – 1 clove
- Bay leaf 1-2 leaves
- When the spice broth cools down mix it with the water with dissolved salts.
The proportions of brine to meat are quite important for proper salinity of the final product.
- Place the Pork Side in a selected container, so the meat is completely immersed in brine.
- Place the container in the fridge for 7 days turning the meat every second day.
Draining, Drying and Smoking:
- After 7 days remove the meat from the brine and rinse under cold running water. Hang in the kitchen at room temperature for about 2 hours to warm up and dry.
- Before putting meat in the smoker, preheat the smoker to 55°C (130°F) and when ready, hang the bacon in the smoker and dry for about 30 minutes without smoke. Dry until it feels warm to touch and there are no signs of water on the surface of the meat. Open the dumper enough so the heat flows though the smoker.
- Now it’s time to start smoking; with medium smoke density at 55°C (115°F), remembering that the smoke has to flow through the smoking chamber. Smoking time for the bacon is about 3-4 hours, depending on smoke density and desired color of bacon. If the color of bacon is suitable for you, finish the smoking.
Wrap smoked bacon tightly in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 2-3 days. Finish by baking in the oven; makes very tasty sandwich:
Baking in the oven:
- Put bacon in roasting pan fatty side up and place in the oven preheated to 150°C (300°F). Add some water on the bottom of the pan, cover with lid or foil and bake for 3 hrs. After one hour flip the meat and pour some drippings over the top.
- Let it completely cool down first in the air, than in the fridge before cutting.