Makin' Bacon

Maybe it was the fabulous smoker wedding gift, maybe it was the gorgeous weather or most likely it was the just fact that we live in South and love bacon, but Aaron decided to make bacon.  Yay!

Aaron bought a pork belly from Whole Foods, rubbed it down with some tasty spices and covered it in kosher salt to cure it.  Curing meat means drawing the water out and preserving it.  He sealed it with our FoodSaver (another fab wedding gift!) and kept it in the fridge for 7 days, turning it and rubbing it each day.  Remembering the bacon became our biggest responsibility in that short week, turn, rub, turn, rub- it was like our baby, only it didn't cry or whine if we forgot it.  In that way, it was much better than a baby.

 

Bacon sealed and ready for a rubdown on day 1

 

Bacon on day 7-washing off salt and spices

After the week, Aaron rinsed the excess salt and spices off the bacon, chilled it for a day and then placed it on the smoker.  He used Applewood chips to give the bacon a great flavor.

 

yay!

This happened around 11pm last night (because midnight is the best time for bacon).  The bacon smoked for 2 hours and then we let it cool, finally it was time to slice and cook it.

 

getting terribly excited and peep the clock it's 1 am

 

 

and finally!!!

Oh, homemade bacon.  Thick cut and delicious.  Except it was salty, like really salty, like country ham salty.  We thought we misread the recipe-did we use too much salt?  I lamented this on the phone to my mom this morning who is a country girl, born and raised.  She grew up in a time homemade bacon was how you got it, not just what you do kicks.  You dummies, she basically said.  Go soak that bacon before you have a heart attack!  And so soak it we shall.  And we are looking forward to enjoying more of our homemade masterpiece tonight!