Homemade Bacon

• Gluten free

• Meat

  • 5 lb Pork belly

• Produce

  • 4 Bay leaves
  • 5 cloves Garlic
  • 5 sprigs Thyme, fresh

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 2 teaspoons pink curing salt
  • 1/4 cup Black pepper, coarsely ground
  • 1/4 cup Brown sugar
  • 2 oz Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg

Found on loveandoliveoil.com

Ingredients

• 5lb pork belly
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons pink curing salt #1*
• 1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 bay leaves, crumbled
• 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 5 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

• Place your pork belly on a sheet pan or large baking pan big enough to fit the belly. You can also use a 2 gallon zip-top bag. In a bowl, combine salt, curing salt, pepper, brown sugar, nutmeg, bay leaf, garlic, and thyme. Rub evenly over the entire belly, including the sides. You want all surfaces of the pork belly covered in the spice mixture. Cover with plastic wrap (or seal in the zip-top bag) and refrigerate. After 3 to 4 days, flip the belly and rub to redistribute the spice mixture. The bacon is done when it is just firm to the touch, which usually takes about 7 to 10 days. Rinse well under cool water to remove the excess seasonings. Place bacon back in the fridge, uncovered, overnight to dry. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place bacon on a clean sheet pan and roast for about 90 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. Remove from oven and let cool. When bacon is still slightly warm, remove the skin. It should peel off pretty easily, otherwise, carefully trim off the skin with a sharp knife. Let cool completely prior to slicing thin and cooking. Leftover bacon will keep, refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.