Home-Smoked Bacon
You might be a fan of traditionally preserved meat and fish, but have you ever thought of doing a spot of smoking yourself? If not, earn your smoking stripes by starting with a bit of bacon – it’s surprisingly easy, oh-so-effective and more than a little bit addictive.
There are lots of online retailers selling smoking supplies. If you think smoking’s going to be your new hobby, you might want to invest in a smoking unit (they’re a bit like a portable barbecue with a lid). Or you can construct a makeshift smoker without too much expense. Using a 'smoke generator' is an easy route to reliable home smoking. It’s a low-tech device that keeps wood dust smouldering without flame for a set period of time.
Home-Smoked Bacon
You might be a fan of traditionally preserved meat and fish, but have you ever thought of doing a spot of smoking yourself? If not, earn your smoking stripes by starting with a bit of bacon – it’s surprisingly easy, oh-so-effective and more than a little bit addictive.
There are lots of online retailers selling smoking supplies. If you think smoking’s going to be your new hobby, you might want to invest in a smoking unit (they’re a bit like a portable barbecue with a lid). Or you can construct a makeshift smoker without too much expense. Using a 'smoke generator' is an easy route to reliable home smoking. It’s a low-tech device that keeps wood dust smouldering without flame for a set period of time.
- Serves: 6
- Prepare: 120 Hours
- Cook: 3 Hours
WHO ARE THE ORGANIC BUTCHERY?
Starting life as an organic farm in the heart of the West Country, The Organic Butchery is proudly founded on a long history of organic principles. We source the best quality organic grass-fed and wild meats, sustainable fish and organic free-range poultry from trusted local suppliers and like-minded brands to guarantee the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to approach butchery with a whole-carcass perspective, to make the most of every animal that crosses our blocks, which means we offer you cuts that you will never see on the supermarket shelves.
WHAT IS ORGANIC PORK?
We rear organic pigs that are a cross of traditional, native breeds. Reared outdoors, they have plenty of space to express their natural instincts - they love to wallow, rootle and forage in the grass for bugs. Growing our animals slowly ensures their meat has great flavour and texture, balanced by just the right amount of fat.
Ingredients
For The Cure
- 1.2kg organic pork belly (for streaky bacon)
- 2kg organic pork loin (for back bacon)
- 250g sea salt
- 2 litres of water
- 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
- pinch of black peppercorns
- handful of bay leaves
- handful of juniper berries
- pinch of cloves
- black treacle (optional)
- cinnamon (optional)
- star anise (optional)
- orange peel (optional)
For The Smoker
- 90-litre galvanized metal bin
- length of strong wire
- three bricks
- mess tin
- s-hook
- firelighter
- wood chips
- wood dust
Method
For The Cure
- In order to make bacon, you must first cure the meat. This draws excess moisture out of the cells and gets the fibres ready to soak up all that delicious smoky flavour. For streaky bacon you’ll need a piece of pork belly (skin removed if you’re not a fan of rind); for back bacon, you’ll need boned loin
- To wet cure the meat, make up a brine of 250g sea salt to 2 litres of water and put it in a lidded plastic container big enough for your pork. Add a tablespoon of soft brown sugar, a good pinch of crushed black peppercorns, a few bay leaves and a few roughly bashed juniper berries. You can be as coy or bold as you like with your spices and flavours. To give your bacon festive flavours, add cloves, black treacle, cinnamon, star anise and even a shaving or two of orange peel
- When your cure’s ready, pop in the meat, submerge it in the liquid and let it relax in the fridge for at least 5 days. You can go longer if you want a more deeply salted result
- When the time’s up, remove the joint from the cure, rinse it thoroughly then pat it dry. Put it on a rack in the fridge overnight to properly dry out – if it’s too wet when you come to smoke it, the smoke won’t penetrate so well through the meat
For The Smoke
- If you haven’t got a smoker (and let’s face it, few of us do), we have a down-and-dirty way to build the necessary kit without forking out a fortune.
- Take the 90-litre galvanized metal bin and drill two holes through the lid, on either side of the handle
- Pass a length of the strong wire through the holes and securely twist the ends together. You need a tight loop that’s robust enough to hold the weight of your meat
- Stand the bin on three bricks in a safe place, away from the house, fences or sheds
- Place the mess tin (the sort you’d use when camping) at the bottom of the bin. Put the firelighter inside the tin and light it
- Gradually pile wood chips on top until they begin to smoke. You don’t want them to be burning with an active flame, just smouldering. Heap wood dust on top, again making sure to keep it just smouldering. If you’ve invested in a smoke generator, use it instead of the mess tin
- Hang your cured pork on the S-hook (you can either pierce it with the hook or use a piece of string) from the wire inside the bin lid
- Replace the lid on the bin and let your bacon smoke away. Keep an eye on the wood dust to ensure there’s enough fuel to get the smoke coming. A couple of hours will give the bacon a delicate flavour, with intensity developing the longer you leave it. Around six hours results in something pretty special
Other recipe ideas
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Bacon & Cheddar Cheese Muffins
Got more of a savoury tooth? We've got you with this easy cheesy recipe
WHO ARE THE ORGANIC BUTCHERY?
Starting life as an organic farm in the heart of the West Country, The Organic Butchery is proudly founded on a long history of organic principles. We source the best quality organic grass-fed and wild meats, sustainable fish and organic free-range poultry from trusted local suppliers and like-minded brands to guarantee the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to approach butchery with a whole-carcass perspective, to make the most of every animal that crosses our blocks, which means we offer you cuts that you will never see on the supermarket shelves.
WHAT IS ORGANIC PORK?
We rear organic pigs that are a cross of traditional, native breeds. Reared outdoors, they have plenty of space to express their natural instincts - they love to wallow, rootle and forage in the grass for bugs. Growing our animals slowly ensures their meat has great flavour and texture, balanced by just the right amount of fat.
Frequently asked questions
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When choosing any meat to purchase, it is worth carrying out some research. There are a number of studies that suggest organic pork is a healthier option – higher in Omega 3, Amino Acids and Healthy Fats. There are also several other reasons why choosing organic pork is a good idea. They range from the contribution of organic pork to climate change, animal welfare and the use of pesticides and medicines used in the farming of conventional pork animals having a detrimental effect on our health.
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Pigs cannot survive only on grass, they also need some grain in their diet, this is why you will not find ‘grass fed pork’ on meat packaging, unlike beef which can survive on grass alone. Our pigs are raised on a diet of grass, hay and concentrated food that helps them grow at the rate nature intended.
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Organic pork comes from organic pigs that have been reared in accordance to high welfare standards, we there are raised a nature intended, they live active lives outdoors, foraging and exercising freely. Our pigs are slow grown unlike intensive farming, this gives their muscles deep colour and robust flavour.