Maple Bacon!

[RG 2.0]

Every once in a while I feel like making bacon. Fairly recently, while out and about with the better half, she decided to go to a local purveyor of meat (Butcher, lol) and ask if they had any pork belly. Normally they have to order it but we "lucked out" and they had one in the case. It's not your everyday pork belly, it was a fresh - never frozen one that was a heritage breed. So, I paid $6.99/lb for this thing! It was 10.xx pounds so by the time we add tax, it was 70 some odd dollars for pork belly! I've never had Berkshire or any other heritage breed so I thought "what the heck, let's buy the whole belly!"

So, we did. My Wife wants to use some of it to make Ancho Pork Belly Tacos again. I cut the belly up into 3 pieces and made bacon out of one using Meatheads recipe on Amazing Ribs. I've never used his before so I thought I would try the Maple version.

I have to say, it was good! I smoked it and let it chill overnight in the fridge then I sliced it and made a BLT out of it yesterday and this morning made myself some breakfast with it. Good stuff!

Yesterday's Lunch

This mornings breakfast

There. That should've made you all sufficiently hungry, lol!

Enjoy the day my friends!

 

[DivotMaker]

Looks fantastic!  But, it's not cured, right?  It looks cured... I'm confused... ???

 

[RG 2.0]

Yep,  it's cured. 7 day wet brine that actually ended up being 9 days

 

[DivotMaker]

Got it!  I saw the "smoked pork belly" reference, and wasn't sure.  It looks really, really tasty!!

 

[jcboxlot]

You can "almost" never have enough fresh BLT.  Though this time of year it ads up. 

I'll miss them in Jan, but then there is chili and meatloaf!

Bacon looks great.