Applewood Smoked Bacon Recipe

Prepare pork belly

Trim the pork belly into an even rectangular slab about 1/2"–3/4" thick on one side if one edge is much thicker than the rest. Leave some fat cap; remove skin if still attached. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

Mix cure

In a bowl, combine kosher salt, pink curing salt (Prague #1), brown sugar, granulated sugar, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir thoroughly to break up any clumps so the cure is homogeneous.

Apply cure

Rub the cure evenly over all surfaces of the pork belly. Make sure every part is coated — especially the fattier pockets. Place the belly in a large zip-top bag or nonreactive container. Pour the apple cider and 2 cups cold water into the bag/container to distribute moisture and help dissolve residual cure; this is a light wetting step (not a full wet brine).

Cure time

Seal the bag/container and refrigerate for 5–7 days, turning the package at least once daily and massaging it to redistribute the cure. The meat will firm and a light brine may collect. For thicker slabs up to 6 lbs, cure toward the longer end (7 days).

Rinse and dry

After curing, remove the pork belly and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess cure and surface salt. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 8–24 hours to form a tacky pellicle — this helps smoke adhere and develop flavor.

Prepare smoker

Set up a smoker for low, indirect smoking and preheat to 180–200°F (82–93°C). If using a charcoal/gas smoker, add a smoke box or foil pouch of soaked applewood chips/chunks. If using an electric/propane smoker, follow manufacturer instructions to generate a steady mild smoke. Maintain target temperature throughout the smoke.

Smoke the belly

Place the cured, dried pork belly skin-side down (or flat) on the smoker rack. Smoke at 180–200°F until the internal temperature reaches 145–150°F; this typically takes 2.5–4 hours depending on slab size and smoker. Monitor the temp with a probe thermometer and add applewood chips/chunks as needed to maintain a light, steady smoke. Aim for a gentle, not overpowering, smoke intensity — applewood should be the dominant flavor.

Optional glaze

If desired during the last 30 minutes of smoking, brush a light glaze made of 2 tbsp maple syrup mixed with 2 tbsp brown sugar (warmed until sugar dissolves) on the top of the belly. Continue smoking to set the glaze and develop a shiny exterior.

Rest and chill

Remove the smoked belly from the smoker and let it cool on a rack at room temperature for 20–30 minutes. For easier slicing, refrigerate the whole belly (unwrapped or lightly tented) until fully cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling firms the fat and makes clean slices.

Slice and store

Using a sharp slicing knife, cut the chilled belly into thick-cut slices (1/8"–1/4" for normal bacon, or 1/4"–3/8" for thick-cut). Press coarse black pepper onto the edges of the slices if desired. Cook slices as desired — pan-fry, bake, or grill — until crisped to taste. Uncooked smoked bacon will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months; cook from frozen or thaw in the refrigerator before slicing.