Can you make bacon from sliced belly

[ratman6]

I purchased a hog from a butcher and they delivered ‘fresh side’ which was belly cut into strips, uncured, unprocessed. I would like to turn this into bacon but find very little info on how to brine belly that has already been cut into strips, turning it into bacon. I have smokers, dehydrators, press, mixer, everything needed but the ‘know how’ Help please.

[Departing Contestant]

Oh hell no! have you ever had fresh side? flour it sprinkle on steak and roast then throw it in a skillet. Fantastic with eggs. throw the fresh side and eggs on homemade bread with fresh tomatoes garlic mayo, lettuce and re imagine the BLT.

[Departing Contestant]

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[Departing Contestant]

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[Departing Contestant]

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[Randyman]

Fresh side pork is really good-sorta like a very thin pork chop. If you want bacon just get a whole pork belly (Costco) and follow any of the many techniques on youtube. Iv’e done 5 or 6 and use a very simple dry brine. Takes about 7 days for the brine to soak then just smoke and slice to your desired thickness. I’ll never buy bacon again. I’ve also been curing select cuts from Pork shoulder and treating it like bacon only it’s much leaner. Google Buckboard bacon.

[pr0wlunwoof]

Randyman I am very interested in this Buck Board Bacon. Tell us more about your process.

[glen]

ratman6 Like DC said, salt and flour it, fry to a crispy outside and still fatty inside and go to porky heaven!

[mikemikemike]

ratman6

I would use a bacon cure recipe and cure the slices for 24 hours. Then sort of stack them back together and truss them. Or you can make a spiral and truss that. Then cold smoke as usual, and Bob’s your uncle.

[Joe Hell]

Departing Contestant You can say that again! LOL

[Departing Contestant]

Joe Hell hmmmm that Is odd, it seems like I did, like I did, like I did, like …

[Randyman]

pr0wlunwoof I bone out a pork shoulder roast (butt) and kind of butterfly it. Pick out the best parts of it to use for bacon and use the rest for sausage. I usually get 2 nice pieces from each butt about 4 or so pounds total.
Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. Kosher salt
3 oz. pink cure salt
1 Tbs black pepper
Blend all this together and rub equally on the pork. Place pork in a zip lock bag and pour in 1/4 cup real maple syrup.
Put the bag in the fridge-on a pan in case the bag leaks. Every day turn the bag over and massage the brine into the meat a little making sure all sides of the pork is coated. After 7 or 8 days remove the pork from the bag and rinse well under cold water. Then soak the meat in ice water for an hour-drain and soak another hour. I kind of work the meat a little to get some of the salt brine out of the meat but it’s a personal thing as to how salty you want the bacon. After the second hour remove and pat the meat dry. Place it on a cooling rack and put back in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight uncovered. The meat should be fairly dry but tacky. Place it on your smoker rack and lightly coat with a little more syrup and sprinkle with course ground pepper. Smoke at 180 degrees till you get an internal temp of 150 or so. Remove from the smoker and let the meat rest in the fridge for a couple of hours till it’s cool and firm. Slice to your desired thickness and enjoy.

[glen]

Randyman did you mean .3 oz. of pink cure salt?

[Randyman]

glen Good catch! Yes .3oz. Guess I forgot the decimal point.

[glen]

Randyman Easy to do

[Chef]

glen Hence, measure twice, cut once - works with food too!

[ratman6]

Thanks everyone, I certainly have a few options to try.

[pr0wlunwoof]

Randyman does it turn out similar to store bought
bacon or pork belly or is it more like a cured ham?

[Randyman]

pr0wlunwoof It’s much leaner than store bought bacon and therefore has a little tougher chew to it. I like being able to control how salty it comes out as most of the bacon in the stores is too salty. I use the same recipe for pork sirloin roasts and it comes out just like canadian bacon. I use sirloin because it’s about half the cost of pork loin. I keep all my bacon type meats to under 3" in thickness and don’t have to inject. If it’s close to 3" I leave it in the brine for a couple more days 8-9. Pork belly is only about 1.5" so 6-7 days works for me. I can email some photos if you want. My email-
[email protected]

[Jonathon]

Departing Contestant I’m betting you tried posting that yesterday around 3? I’ve done it recently too, you don’t think it is posting but it actually is every time you hit the button