Bacon Virgin!

[NDKoze]

To remove some of the sodium, you can soak the bacon in cold water.

I would first do a fry test by cutting a slice off of one of the sides. If it is too salty, soak in cold water for an hour and then retest. keep doing this until you get the salt level that you like. I tend to find that the salt evens out a little after smoking/resting. So don't soak too much of the sodium out of there.

When you do your fry test, you should be able to see if the cure has penetrated to the middle of your bacon or not. Assuming that it has, there shouldn't be a problem pulling early.

 

[Libohunden]

Now wouldn't this be nice!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291992933966

 

[GoodForTheSport]

do you think the pink salt is 100% necessary?

Thanks, Ray

 

[Libohunden]

Well, I guess if you don't want to kill those eating it. I certainly wouldn't try bacon without the required brine.

 

[SconnieQ]

Also...the pink salt (cure) is what makes bacon taste like bacon. Without the cure, it would taste like smoked pork belly, which tastes great, but tastes nothing like bacon. If you don't use the pink salt, then you need to use a completely different method for safety reasons. And it won't be "bacon" in my book.