“You have made bacon. You are like unto God,” said my friend, Chris.
“Oh my God, this bacon is obscene,” said another.
I even received the offer of being my cabana boy in exchange for a hookup of cured pork belly.
I think Kelis got it wrong: it ain’t milkshakes that bring the boys to the yard.
There’s something so primal about seeing those thick ribbons of fat and the lip-smacking expectation of smoky, savory meat. There’s nothing quite like the flavor profile that bacon adds to a recipe, turning greens into a sturdy side dish, intensifying sweets with its saltiness, and making a Sunday brunch dish memorable.
It is no secret that I love bacon, and learning how to make my own is one of the greatest pieces of knowledge I now have in my repertoire. To be fair, this is not the first time I’ve made bacon–when Michael Ruhlman posted his instructions on how to home-cure bacon, I absolutely had to do it. How could I not? Still, even though I may have had a head start on some other Charcutepaloozers, I found myself making some rookie mistakes. The first batch I made, I forgot to rinse off the cure before putting it in the smoker leaving the bacon overseasoned. It was still good, but I was ready to try it again. With the maple bacon I have pictured, my timing was all wrong. The day I had planned on smoking my bacon it rained–and foolishly, I didn’t take it out of the cure, but left it in there for a few days longer, until I was ready to fire up the smoker. Another rookie mistake: not letting the bacon dry out and form a pellicle (a tacky ‘skin’ that forms on the meat which helps provide a surface that will hold on to the smoke flavor and also helps seal the meat to keep it from drying out) before smoking. The bacon is fine enough, but I think the third time will be a charm: no overcuring, rinsing off the cure, and giving the bacon a day to form a pellicle–got it.
But, if we’re really going to talk about something awesome, let’s talk about the pancetta. If I got anything right this time around, it was the pancetta. I followed the instructions to the letter, poking the curing belly every other day, and laughing with Choo as we struggled to tie the roll properly. I have been so thrilled with how it turned out that I’ve been sharing the goodness with everyone to the point where I now only have a few ounces left. This past Saturday, I found myself cutting pieces out to all my dinner guests to take home–because cured pork belly is pretty darn close to love under this roof. I have been using it in bits and pieces with my CSA greens–chard, collards and kale have all got the pancetta treatment, and Kiddo approves heartily.
I didn’t come up with a special recipe this time around, as I wanted to pull up some of my favorite bacon recipes I’ve posted before:
Chard Gratin with Bacon & Chevre
The Bacon, Cheddar & Cornmeal Waffle
I’m pretty sure I’m never going to buy bacon again.
Yum! I agree…I can’t imagine buying bacon again! I’m sure your third round will be perfect. Wish I was one of your friends to get some of that love wrapped up in pancetta!
Thanks for sharing. I, too, did not stray from the pancetta recipe. I’ve never made pancetta before so safety first :-).
I love bacon, too!
Great post! I made bacon for this first time during last month’s challenge. Can’t believe how much better it taste in comparison to storebought. Hope you enjoy the brining challenge!
Hi Jen:
This is the first blog of yours I’ve read and you write so well! Not to mention what a great cook you are. These recipes look delicious, I love good bacon too. See ya at work!
Best regards,
Lynda
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