Applewood Bacon Recipe

Prepare cure and pork belly

Trim the pork belly to a uniform thickness (about 1 to 1.25 inches). Pat dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine kosher salt, pink curing salt, brown sugar, granulated sugar, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Mix thoroughly so the sugars and salts are evenly distributed.

Apply cure

Place the pork belly in a non-reactive container or resealable heavy-duty plastic bag. Rub the cure mixture evenly and thoroughly over all sides of the pork belly, pressing to ensure good contact. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of cure mix for later.

Refrigerate and cure

Seal the container or bag tightly, removing as much air as possible. Place in the refrigerator and cure for 7 days. Every 24 hours, flip the belly and massage it, redistributing the cure and any juices to ensure even curing. After 7 days the meat will feel firmer and slightly salty.

Rinse and dry

After curing, remove the belly from the bag and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess cure. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack set over a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, for 12–24 hours to develop a tacky pellicle (this helps smoke adhere).

Prepare smoker

If using a charcoal or gas smoker, preheat to 200–225°F (93–107°C). If using a home pellet or electric smoker, set to the same range. Soak applewood chips for 30 minutes if your smoker requires it, then drain. For an oven finish (no smoker), preheat to 200°F and skip the wood chips—use liquid smoke sparingly if desired (not included in ingredients).

Smoke the bacon

Place the cured pork belly fat-side up on the smoker rack. Add applewood chips to the smoker according to manufacturer instructions. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C), about 2 to 3 hours at 200–225°F, depending on thickness and smoker efficiency. Monitor temperature with a probe thermometer.

Optional glaze

If you want a lightly sweet glazed finish, brush the top of the belly with maple syrup mixed with apple cider vinegar during the last 15 minutes of smoking, repeating once more 5 minutes before removal.

Cool and refrigerate

Remove the smoked belly from the smoker and allow it to cool to room temperature on a rack. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to firm up for easier slicing.

Slice the bacon

Using a sharp knife or a slicer, trim any uneven edges and slice the chilled belly into bacon slices of desired thickness (usually 1/16"–1/8" for classic bacon). For thicker 'streaky' cuts, slice up to 1/4". Keep slices refrigerated if not cooking immediately.

Pan-fry or bake

Pan-fry: Place slices in a cold skillet in a single layer and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisped to your liking, about 6–10 minutes depending on thickness. Drain on paper towels. Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place slices on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and bake 12–18 minutes, flipping once, until crisp.

Serve

Serve applewood bacon hot as part of breakfast, in sandwiches, salads, or crumbled onto dishes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze slices for up to 3 months.