Breakfast
Homemade Bacon in 48 Hours
This recipe for homemade bacon transforms a traditionally week-long process into a quick and flavorful 48-hour journey. Using a combination of brine, rub, and brine injection, the pork belly is cured and seasoned from both inside and out. After a short drying period, it’s smoked to perfection, delivering smoky, salty, and crispy bacon that’s ready to enjoy. Ideal for anyone with a smoker or grill, this method simplifies bacon-making while preserving its irresistible flavor.
Blog: Bacon in a Hurry: How to Make Homemade Bacon in Just 48 Hours
Homemade Bacon in 48 Hours
Homemade Bacon in 48 Hours
Recipe Notes
- Yield: Approximately 4-5 pounds of homemade bacon, depending on the size of the pork belly.
- Method: brining, injecting, and smoking
Ingredients
- 5-pound pork belly (skin removed)
For the Brine:
- 4 quarts water
- 1/3 cup Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Prague powder (curing salt)
For the Rub:
- 1/4 cup Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Prague powder (curing salt)
You'll Also Need:
- 1 A large resealable Ziploc bag, Meat injector, Wire rack, Sheet pan, and a Instant-read thermometer
Recipe Steps
1: Make the Brine: Heat water, dissolve salt, peppercorns, brown sugar, and Prague powder. Cool completely.
2: Mix the Rub: Combine Kosher salt, black pepper, brown sugar, and Prague powder in a bowl.
3: Prepare Pork Belly: Rub pork belly with the mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4: Inject Brine: Use a meat injector to brine the pork belly every 3 hours (4 rounds total), keeping it refrigerated between injections.
5: Rinse & Dry: Rinse off the rub, pat dry, and refrigerate the pork belly on a wire rack for 4 hours to develop a tacky surface.
6: Smoke the Bacon: Preheat smoker to 200
7: Cool & Refrigerate: Cool the smoked pork belly, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight
8: Slice & Cook: Slice to desired thickness and cook on a skillet, plancha, or grill until crispy.
Recipe Tips
Notes:
- Use curing salt (Prague powder) carefully for safety and flavor.
- Pellet smokers offer consistent results, but other smokers or grills work with close monitoring.
- Drying the pork belly helps smoke adhere, but time can be adjusted if necessary.
