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The Science of Curing & Smoking Homemade Bacon

Life is better with bacon. Learn to cure and smoke your own or cook store-bought to perfection.

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All Recipes

Plated roast goose
Difficult
1 hour 15 minutes
2.58 from 19 votes
Candied bacon and egg breakfast bread bowls
Moderate
30 minutes
2.90 from 19 votes
BBQ bloody Mary in glass with celery stalk
Easy
3.48 from 48 votes
candied bacon
25 minutes
3.18 from 40 votes
chicken skin and chicken thigh sandwich
Easy
40 minutes
3.61 from 33 votes
Skillet cornbread topped with butter
Easy
25 minutes
4.08 from 71 votes
sliced homemade smoked bacon.
Moderate
2 hours
4.59 from 657 votes
capicola pizza raw
Easy
15 minutes
2.79 from 38 votes
sloppy joe's bar in havana cuba.
Easy
2 hours
3.71 from 37 votes
Melissa Cookston and John Wheeler
Easy
20 minutes
3.90 from 40 votes
sausage meat loaf
Moderate
1 hour 30 minutes
3.85 from 38 votes
Sliced homemade Canadian bacon
Moderate
2 hours
4.21 from 312 votes

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FAQ

Can I make bacon at home?
Yes, using a dry cure of salt, sugar, and Pink Salt #1 (Prague Powder).
The oven is superior for even cooking and minimizing mess.
Yes, bacon freezes perfectly for up to 3 months if sealed airtight.
Is it ‘done’ yet?

Quick Facts

Type:

Tender Steak-like Cut

Best For:

Breakfast, Burgers, and Toppings

Temperature:

145°F (63°C) for smoking; Crisp to preference for eating

Texture:

Crispy, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth fat

Flavor Pairings:

Maple, Black Pepper, Bourbon, Brown Sugar

Common Mistakes:

Cooking on too high a heat which burns the curing sugars.

Best Equipment:

Offset Smoker or Sheet Pan (Oven)

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