Dutch Cured Smoked Bacon Recipe

Prepare spice sachet

Crush the black peppercorns, juniper berries, allspice and coriander lightly with a mortar and pestle or the flat of a knife. Place the crushed spices and bay leaves in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie into a sachet (or use a small tea infuser).

Make the brine

In a large pot, combine 2 liters cold water, kosher salt, Prague powder #1, brown sugar and white sugar. Heat gently over medium heat, stirring, just until the salts and sugars dissolve (do not boil). Remove from heat and add the spice sachet and crushed garlic cloves. Cool the brine completely to refrigerator temperature (about 1–2 hours). To speed cooling, place pot into an ice bath.

Check cure amounts

Ensure correct Prague powder amount for the weight of pork: recipe uses 12.5 g for 2 kg pork (this is ~0.625% of meat weight). Do not substitute or increase. If uncertain, recalculate based on 2.2 g Prague powder per kg meat (follow manufacturer guidelines).

Trim and prepare pork belly

Trim any excessively thick hard fat or ragged edges from the pork belly so it will sit flat in the brining container. Leave an even layer of fat and the muscle intact. Rinse the pork briefly and pat dry with paper towels.

Submerge in brine

Place the pork belly in a non-reactive container (plastic, glass, or stainless steel) or a heavy-duty resealable bag. Pour the cooled brine over the pork until completely submerged. If necessary, weigh the pork down with a plate so it stays underwater. Refrigerate at 3–5°C (37–41°F).

Cure time

Cure for 5–7 days for this thickness (about 2–3 cm thick). Flip the belly once daily to ensure even curing. The meat should feel uniformly firm when pressed and take on a slightly pink hue from the cure. For larger pieces increase time proportionally (about 2.5 days per 500 g).

Rinse and rest

After curing, remove the pork belly from the brine. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess surface salt and spices. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack in the refrigerator uncovered for 12–24 hours to develop a tacky pellicle surface that helps smoke adhesion.

Season surface

Combine the 30 g dark brown sugar with 2 tsp cracked black pepper and the optional ground nutmeg and mace (if using). Lightly press the mixture onto the surface of the rested pork belly to create a thin coating. Do not overcoat; you want a balanced sweet-spicy finish typical of Dutch-style bacon.

Preheat smoker

Preheat your smoker to a low temperature of 95–110°C (200–225°F). Use fruitwoods like apple or traditional beech/oak for a subtly sweet, Dutch-like smoke. Ensure wood chips or chunks are ready and the smoker is producing a clean, thin smoke (not heavy or sooty).

Cold vs hot smoke note

This recipe describes a hot-smoked bacon (ready to eat after cooking). If you prefer a cold-smoked product (firmer, longer shelf life), first chill the pork and cold-smoke at under 30°C (86°F) for several hours, then cook to an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) before slicing. For food-safety simplicity the following steps are hot-smoking.

Smoke the belly

Place the belly directly on the smoker rack, fat-side up. Insert a probe thermometer into the center. Smoke at 95–110°C (200–225°F) until the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F) — expect 2.5–4 hours depending on thickness and smoker. Target a mild smoke flavor; avoid overpowering. For a firmer texture and deeper color, continue to 68°C (155°F).

Cool and rest

Remove the smoked bacon and let it rest at room temperature 30–45 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator until fully chilled (at least 4 hours, preferably overnight). Cooling makes clean slicing easier.

Slice and store

Slice the chilled bacon to desired thickness on a sharp knife or slicer. Package in airtight containers or vacuum-seal. Refrigerate up to 7 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat slices in a pan or oven before serving.