Instead of pork bacon, you can make beef bacon, which is cured and smoked beef belly. It’s fun and easy to make if you have a smoker. If youre imagining thin crispy slices on a plate for breakfast though, think again. I’ll tell you how to make beef bacon at home and how to get the most out of it in the kitchen.
Over the course of my career, I’ve cured thousands of pounds of bacon, but until recently, I hadn’t made my own beef bacon. The only problem is now I want to make veal bacon to see the differences.
This piece of charcuterie is interesting because about 40% of the world doesn’t eat pork, mostly because of religious rules, but some people are allergic to it too. Some people don’t like pork, like my high school girlfriend, who stopped eating it after I brought home Daisy, our pet potbellied pig, during summer break from college.
Demystifying Beef Bacon: The Lesser Known Cut It Comes From
If you’re a bacon lover, you likely think of those smoky, salty cured pork strips sizzling in the pan. But did you know that beef can be transformed into bacon as well? Beef bacon offers meaty depth reminiscent of burgers, steaks and prime rib. But what cut of the cow does this tasty treat come from? Let’s explore the origins of beef bacon.
The Unsung Beef Cut Navel
While regular pork bacon hails from the belly, beef bacon comes from a less widely known section of the cow: the navel. Despite its name, the navel is not the underside of the animal. It is actually located in the upper chest region.
Specifically the navel is an extension of the brisket that runs along the underside of the animal. It is a thick well-marbled cut taken from the plate primal. This is the area right below the ribcage where belly meets brisket.
Like pork belly, the navel contains streaks of fat interlaced with meaty areas. When cured and smoked, these marbled layers transform into irresistible bronzed bacon strips.
Why Navel Makes Great Bacon
With its ample fat marbling, the navel is perfectly suited to become beef bacon. Here’s why this cut yields exceptionally tasty ‘baconized’ results:
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Marbling – Fat woven throughout the meat cures, crisps and caramelizes beautifully.
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Rich flavor – The navel comes from an active part of the cow, imparting deep beefy taste.
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Tenderness – Connective tissue in the navel breaks down into supple texture during curing and smoking.
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Uniform shape – The navel’s defined edges yield consistent bacon slice shapes.
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Available size – The substantial navel can be cured whole or portioned into smaller bacon slabs.
Though less widely known than brisket or ribeye, the navel’s marbling, flavor and borders make it ideal for transforming into outstanding beef bacon.
Procuring the Precious Navel Cut
Because it is less common than other cuts, the navel may take some effort to source. Here are tips for getting your hands on this amazing beef bacon starting block:
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Ask your local butcher – Develop a relationship with a butcher to request specialty cuts like navel.
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Look for plate primal – Some butchers label navels as “beef plate” or “short plate.”
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Order online – Several online meat purveyors offer navels ready for baconizing.
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Buy from a farm – Check with local ranchers, as they often have less common cuts.
Once you track down a quality navel, you’ll be rewarded with the most delectable homemade beef bacon. The navel was made to be turned into smoky, meaty goodness!
Transforming Navel into Beef Bacon
Curing and cooking transforms the navel into glorious beef bacon. Here is an overview of the process:
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Cure the navel with a rub of salt, sugar and spices. Let it penetrate the meat 2-5 days.
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Rinse the navel, then let it dry uncovered in the fridge overnight.
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Hot smoke the navel at 200°F until it reaches an internal temp of 150°F.
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Chill it well so it can be sliced cleanly.
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Slice the navel as thinly as possible. Cook the slices like regular bacon until crispy!
Once you get your hands on the perfect navel cut, it just takes a few steps to create irresistible beef bacon from this lesser known gem.
Tasting Notes: Flavor and Texture
If you’re new to beef bacon, you’ll be amazed at its incredible flavor and texture:
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Taste – Deeply beefy and umami, with hints of smoke and spice rub.
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Texture – Very lean yet tender, with delicate meaty chew instead of pork bacon’s fatty crunch.
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Color – Deep burgundy red meat striated with ribbons of bronzed fat.
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Shape – Tends to be slightly irregular, not laser-cut perfect like pork bacon.
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Preparation – Cooks up thinner and more delicate than pork bacon.
Fans describe the taste as a cross between smoky prosciutto and sizzling beef. The flavor profile is familiar yet unique – a must-try bacony adventure!
Incorporating Beef Bacon Into Meals
Beef bacon’s adaptable flavor and hearty meatiness make it easy to incorporate into all sorts of dishes:
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Breakfast – Swap in beef bacon for classic egg dishes, sandwiches, etc.
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Burgers – Top beef patties with crispy beef bacon for over-the-top umami.
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Pizza – Sprinkle smoky beef bacon over pizza alongside pork pepperoni.
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Salads – Toss crispy navel bits into any salad for a protein punch.
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Pasta – Garnish rich Bolognese, carbonara, ragu and lasagna with extra beefy bacon.
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Potatoes – Top baked potatoes, potato skins or hash with crunchy beef bacon.
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Wraps – Add strips to sandwiches, tacos, flatbreads and lettuce wraps.
With endless savory applications, beef bacon’s the ultimate way to give meals a boost of meaty richness and addictive crunch.
Health Benefits of Beef Bacon
While certainly an indulgent treat, beef bacon has some advantages over pork:
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Lower in fat than pork bacon – Roughly half the fat content.
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Higher in iron and zinc than pork – Double the iron and zinc.
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Contains more protein than pork – Nearly 30% more than pork bacon.
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Made from grass-fed beef – Rich in omega-3s when grass-fed navel is used.
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No risk of parasites like pork – Beef carries no risk of trichinosis.
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Easier to digest than pork – Less fatty; may be better tolerated.
So while no bacon is truly a “health food”, beef bacon offers more nutrition than its pork counterpart.
The Takeaway: Try This Unique Treat!
Beef bacon offers incredible flavor complexity and meaty satisfaction. Sourcing the navel cut may take some effort, but the payoff of creating your own smoky, bronze-striped bacon is well worth it. With its steakhouse essence and textural magic, beef bacon is a must-try adventurous treat!
Cuts to Use for Beef Bacon
You want a marbled cut of beef with intramuscular fat as well intermuscular fat. Cuts on a cow that can work are shortrib, brisket, or beef belly (navel). Grass fed beef can work but can be low on fat. Wagyu is prohibitively expensive and best eaten uncured.
Brisket or breast will work, but the fat inside the muscles isn’t spread out evenly, so you’ll end up with bacon that is both very lean and very fatty. Short ribs are are expensive, too small, and better off braised.
What is Beef Navel?
This is the same part of the pig that is used to make traditional pork bacon. It is also known as navel brisket and beef plate. It can be used instead of brisket to make beef navel pastrami and other salumi because the fat content is the same. Its an alternative cut, and if you like things like that, youll also like the teres major steak.
The best cut of beef for making bacon at home is the belly, which has a fat ribbon running through it. I called my butcher to special order one and 5 pounds cost me $40.
Whether Im making lamb, goat, beef or venison bacon, the process is always the same. First I mix my secret spice blend, brown sugar, kosher salt, and pink curing salt no#1.
Use a gram scale for the curing salt because the weight of salts can vary a lot (up to 3 grams for a tablespoon of table salt and kosher salt). Also, I don’t use 20% of the meat’s weight for seasoning with the cure; instead, I use volume measurements.
For the sweetener, I prefer brown sugar. Ill use light or dark brown, just not white sugar as its too dry. Brown sugar’s molasses flavor goes well with smoked meat, and the extra water it has helps make a brine in the vacuum bag. Maple syrup or molasses work great too.
For the smoking process, just grab your favorite wood. I like the mild taste of shagbark hickory bark. Smoking with fruit woods is always good too. Sometimes I grab thick chokecherry and wild plum branches after a storm. If you can find some, dried grape vines also make great smoke for cooking.
