House Bacon Recipe

Prepare the cure

In a bowl, thoroughly combine kosher salt, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and pink curing salt. Stir in cracked black pepper and chopped fresh thyme (if using).

Cure the pork belly

Place the pork belly on a rimmed tray or in a nonreactive container. Rub the cure mixture all over the surface of the pork belly, ensuring even coverage. Place the pork belly in a sealed plastic bag or cover the container tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 5–7 days, turning the pork belly and redistributing the cure once a day to ensure even curing.

Rinse and dry

After curing, remove the pork belly from the cure and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess surface salt and sugar. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack set over a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 8 hours or overnight to form a pellicle (a tacky surface that helps smoke adhere).

Smoke the belly

Preheat a smoker to 200–225°F (93–107°C). Use a mild hardwood such as apple, cherry, or maple. Place the belly on the smoker rack and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C), about 2–3 hours depending on thickness. Remove from smoker and allow to cool to room temperature. At this stage you can chill and slice later or continue to finish now.

Slice and maple-glaze

Slice the cooled smoked belly into thick-cut bacon slices (about 1/3–1/2 inch thick). In a small saucepan, warm 3/4 cup maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over low heat until butter melts and syrup is slightly reduced, about 3–5 minutes. Brush both sides of each bacon slice lightly with the maple glaze.

Pan-fry to finish

Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add maple-glazed bacon slices in a single layer without crowding and fry until edges caramelize and center is cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer cooked bacon to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to rest and keep warm. Reserve 1–2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat in the pan for the Brussels sprouts (optional).

Prep and heat

Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts and halve them. Pat dry thoroughly. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and let it shimmer.

Fry sprouts

Place the cut-side of the Brussels sprouts down in the hot skillet in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Let them sear undisturbed until deeply browned and crisp on the cut side, about 4–5 minutes. Stir or flip and continue to cook until tender-crisp and lightly caramelized all over, about another 3–4 minutes.

Season and finish

Season the sprouts with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon maple syrup to the pan, stirring to deglaze and coat the sprouts. Cook 30–60 seconds more until the vinegar has reduced and glazed the sprouts. If you reserved rendered bacon fat, you may use 1 tablespoon in place of part of the olive oil for extra bacon flavor.

Plate

Transfer the fried Brussels sprouts to a serving dish alongside the thick-cut maple-glazed house bacon. Spoon any remaining glaze from the bacon pan over the bacon if desired and serve immediately.