It was not that long ago when we needed to preserve food to survive. In a world where our local butcher or supermarket has a seemingly endless supply of everything we need there is no longer a need for our own preserving. Sadly what was common place only a few generations ago the preserving skills that our great great grandparents knew and practiced are being lost.
Me personally I love the idea of making my own bacon at home. There is no mystery to making your own either, this recipe / method is very simple.
This is what you will need
- 1 piece of pork (I used a piece of 1.2 kg Pork Eye of Loin)
- 2 x 250ml maple syrup
- 2 x 300g of salt (I used Sea Salt crystals) Try not to use table salt as it has chemical additives to help it flow freely.
- You will also need a nonreactive container or plastic zip lock bag to cure your pork in
Original piece of pork
Place you pork in the nonreactive container or plastic zip and pour 250ml of maple syrup over the pork, coating it completely. Leave the pork in the maple syrup for 24 hours and turn once. (after around 12 hours)
I lift the pork out of the syrup and rub 300g of salt into it. Place the pork back into the syrup for another 24 hours. (turn after around 12 hours.)
It's is now time to change the cure. Remove the meat from the container and rinse off the salt and syrup. (if you are using a nonreactive container give it a clean otherwise grab a new zip lock bag.)
After 2 days
In just the past 2 days there has been a distinct change. The light pink pork has started to take on a deeper colour and firmness.
Work in another 300g of fresh salt and pour over a further 250ml of maple syrup.
Over the next 4 days continually turn and rub the salt into your pork. Try not to get obsessed. Each time you look at pork, it will have gotten darker and firmer.
After the 4 days wash your bacon free of the cure and pat it dry. In theory the pork is supposed tot mature for two days to reach its best flavour. Hah, good luck with that. I waited about 2 seconds.
The bacon as it is is just divine. If you wanted to, the next step would be to cold (or hot) smoke the bacon. you are going to have to wait for another day for me to write about that one.
NOTE: if you find your first slice to salty, then the pork can be soaked in water for a few hours to remove some of the saltiness.
The bacon on day 0, 2 and 7
If only you could smell this one
Have you ever cured your own meats? Do you have cure or preserving recipes that your grand parents passed down? Share your recipes here Or add your comments below.