Making your own homemade Smoked Bacon is a bit of a process, but it’s 100% worth the effort. I will show you how to make smoked bacon from scratch that is much better than store-bought bacon.
I don’t think I’ve ever cooked anything that made me as excited as this homemade smoked bacon. I mean, it’s bacon. Which is awesome enough. But the fact that I bought a huge piece of pork belly and made homemade bacon with great seasoning and smoke made me almost dizzy. I can’t wait to show you how to do it and see how proud you look as you make your own bacon.
I’m not going to say I’m the first person to try to make bacon. I read a lot about the right cure times, how much curing salt to use, how thick the bacon should be, etc. I did, however, make these two great cure recipes using what I learned from people who had made bacon before me. I hope you give them a try!.
Making homemade bacon is a several day process, but it is totally worth it. The steps I took are written out below so you can follow along and make your own delicious smoked bacon.
First, you need to pick up a piece of pork belly. Thickness will vary, but lately Costco has been stocking beautiful, already skinned slabs of pork belly. Ask the butcher if they can take the skin off the belly for you if you buy it from them. It can be pretty gross to take off this skin yourself, and since it’s usually not taken off until after the cure is over, it makes the cure take longer.
If you have a big piece of meat, I suggest cutting the pork belly into smaller pieces so it is easier to work with in the cure. I usually portion mine off so they can easily fit in a gallon sized zip top bag.
Smoked bacon is one of life’s greatest pleasures The smoky, salty flavor takes breakfast sandwiches, burgers, and BLTs to the next level While store-bought bacon is convenient, making your own smoked bacon at home results in a far superior product.
The most important factor when smoking your own bacon is maintaining a low temperature, around 180 degrees Fahrenheit, for an extended period of time. This allows the bacon to absorb maximum smoke flavor while slowly and gently reaching the ideal finished temperature.
In this comprehensive guide we will cover everything you need to know about how long to smoke bacon at 180 degrees from curing times to determining doneness.
Why Smoke Bacon at 180 Degrees?
Smoking bacon at a low temperature, around 180 degrees F, accomplishes two important things:
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Allows the bacon to absorb more smoke flavor over a longer period of time. Smoking at a higher temperature results in less smoke absorption.
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Cooks the bacon gently without rendering the fat. Temperatures above 225 degrees will cause the fat to liquefy and drip out of the bacon as it cooks.
Smoking the bacon low and slow results in tender, smoky bacon with the fat intact, preserving moisture and flavor.
Curing the Bacon
Before smoking, the pork belly must be cured. This chemically cooks the meat while adding flavor, color, and preserving qualities.
There are two main methods of curing bacon:
Dry Curing
- Involves rubbing the cure directly onto the meat.
- Cure ingredients typically include salt, sugar, and sodium nitrite (curing salt).
- Curing time ranges from 3-10 days depending on thickness. Meat is flipped and rubbed daily.
Wet Curing
- Meat is submerged in a brine (saltwater solution).
- Brine contains the curing ingredients and water.
- Curing time is approximately 7 days per inch of thickness.
- Meat is rotated daily and the brine fully covers the meat.
Both methods produce excellent results Wet curing is often easier for beginners as it involves less measuring and rubbing time
Preparing the Bacon for Smoking
After curing comes the all-important drying and pellicle formation:
- Pat bacon dry and allow to air dry in the refrigerator, uncovered on a wire rack over a sheet pan.
- Drying time is 12-24 hours.
- This allows a tacky protein film called the pellicle to form.
- The pellicle helps the smoke adhere to the meat.
Determining Doneness When Smoking Bacon at 180°F
When smoking bacon at 180 degrees F, you want to cook it low and slow until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Use a good quality instant read thermometer to monitor temperature.
- Insert the probe into the thickest part of the bacon, avoiding bone if using a pork belly.
- Expect smoking time to be in the range of 6-8 hours.
- Actual time will vary depending on thickness and external conditions.
The bacon should have a nice reddish-pink color all the way through when sliced. There should be no gray color remaining.
Smoking Bacon Step-By-Step
Follow these steps for perfect smoked bacon every time:
- Prepare cure and submerge pork belly. Cure for approximately 7 days.
- Remove pork from cure, rinse, pat dry. Allow to dry uncovered in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
- Set up smoker or grill for smoking at 180°F, adding your choice of wood for flavor.
- Place bacon on the smoking grate. Maintain a temperature of 180°F.
- Smoke the bacon until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, approximately 6-8 hours.
- Remove bacon from smoker and allow to cool. Chill in refrigerator before slicing.
- Slice bacon to desired thickness. Enjoy!
Tips for Smoking Bacon at 180°F
Follow these tips for the best results when smoking bacon at 180 degrees:
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Use a true smoking wood like hickory, apple, pecan, or maple. Avoid woods like mesquite that can overpower.
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Add a smoke tube if your smoker isn’t producing enough smoke flavor.
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Use a water pan or spritz to keep the bacon from drying out during the long, low cooking time.
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Let the bacon rest after smoking before chilling and slicing. This allows juices to redistribute.
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Chill the bacon thoroughly before slicing. It’s much easier to slice when cold.
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Slice with a long, thin slicing knife for clean cuts. Cut across the grain.
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Fry up a test slice to check for saltiness before enjoying. Soak in water if needed.
Troubleshooting Smoked Bacon
Here are some common issues and how to avoid them:
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Bacon is too salty – soak in fresh water after curing and before smoking.
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Smoker temperature is too high – keep it around 180°F, don’t let it go over 225°F.
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Bacon is dry – use a water pan and spritz to increase humidity during smoking.
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Bacon is tough – allow to rest after smoking before chilling. Slice across the grain.
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Bacon has white spots – soak in fresh water after curing if over-salted.
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Bacon tastes bitter – avoid very heavy smoke. Use milder wood like apple or maple.
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Bacon doesn’t have enough smoke – add a smoke tube or smoke for a longer time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time does smoking add to the total process?
Smoking the bacon at 180°F will take 6-8 hours depending on thickness. Total time will be the curing time (about 7 days) plus 1 day of drying plus the smoking time.
Can I speed up the smoking time?
It’s not recommended. Higher temperatures will render fat, decrease smoke absorption, and increase drying. Low and slow is best for smoked bacon.
Should I soak the bacon after curing and before smoking?
A brief soak in fresh water can help draw out excess salt if needed. Pat dry thoroughly before smoking.
What woods are best for smoking bacon?
Apple, pecan, maple and hickory are excellent wood choices for bacon. Avoid very strong woods like mesquite.
Is it safe to eat bacon smoked at 180°F?
Yes, as long as the internal temperature reaches 145°F and the bacon is not cured with excessive amounts of sodium nitrite. Follow safety guidelines.
Conclusion
Smoking your own artisan bacon at home is very rewarding and much tastier than store-bought. For the best results, smoke the bacon low and slow at around 180°F until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. This will produce tender, smoke-infused bacon with the fat intact. With the right techniques, you can enjoy incredible homemade smoked bacon anytime!
How to Cure Bacon
Next, it is time to make the cure. There are two cures in the recipe card below. The peppered cure is a little more sophisticated with some added spice. It is amazing on BLTs and cheeseburgers. The recipe notes contain the ingredients for the maple cure. It is the perfect mixture of sweet and salty and it just screams breakfast.
When you’re ready to make bacon, put the pork belly and cure in a plastic bag and seal it up tight. You can also vacuum seal the bag to remove all the air if you have this available. Place the bag in the refrigerator and allow it to cure.
Allow the pork belly to cure for approximately 7 days. A general rule is to cure your bacon 7 days for every inch of thickness. Make sure you flip your pork belly over in the cure and massage once a day. When the seventh day is up, cut the bacon down the middle to make sure the pork belly is pink all the way through and there is no gray left. If it isn’t pink through, put it back in the cure for another day and test again. The texture should also feel like a well done steak when it is done curing.
How to Smoke Bacon
The pork belly needs to be rinsed and put back in the fridge to get a pellicle, which is a sticky skin. First, I like to put my pork belly on a wire cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet. Then I put it back in the fridge. You need to leave your bacon in the fridge for 12-24 hours; I usually leave mine overnight. This time in the fridge to dry out will help the smoke stick to the meat by giving it a sticky outside.
Now it’s smoke time! I like to use apple wood to smoke my bacon, but maple and hickory are also awesome choices. Fire up your favorite pellet grill and keep the temperature as low as possible (I was smoking around 165 degrees F).
Place the cured pork belly on the grill grates of the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for about 6 hours or until the internal temperature is up to 155 degrees F. Invest in a GOOD quality thermometer! It will make all the difference in the finished product if you have an accurate temperature reading. I always recommend ThermoWorks thermometers because they are insanely accurate and very durable.
Once the pork is smoked, you are ready to slice and fry it up! Finally after all of that waiting, it is time to eat that glorious, salty sweet piece of meat heaven. It is hard to resist slicing pieces off right away, so definitely cut off a few pieces and fry them up. If you’ve got the patience, chill the bacon completely before slicing. It’ll make the job much easier when the meat is cold. You can use a meat slicer if you’ve got one, but I just used a really sharp knife and went to work! If you feel intimidated, come try a piece of my homemade bacon. It’ll pluck up your courage. Venture out of your comfort zone and try something new. You got this!