Homecured bacon. Do or die. Do and die. Whatever.

Time to try some freshly cured bacon. Took the pork belly out from under the covers on day 4. I had to rub in some new cure (sea salt, light muscavado, and fresh bay leaves) on Saturday morning and on Sunday, and drained the runoff liquid every morning. Otherwise, I just left it covered in a ceramic dish untouched until this evening, washed the excess cure off under the tap, and patted dry.

This should keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge - the 10 day cure, though salty as hell, apparently, will keep for a couple of months.

I guess I could dry air curing it as well....

Still. Time will tell. If I suddenly stop posting, I guess I'm dead.

Served up four thick cut slices on some of that pasta dura bread, with butter 9click on the pic for a larger shot). Its quite salty - too salty to eat often, (apparently a quick soak would sort that out ) but as is, it would be excellent as a flavouring for sauces and soups. That said, the taste is excellent. The bay comes through just strongly enough to add an extra dimension to the taste. Looking forward to mixing in some junipers, or smoking some. The texture is fantastic - it just falls apart. On the pan, it cooks without the hissyfit spitting of commercial cures, and holds it shape very well.

The odd thing is that, without the saltpetre, the meats cooks to an odd grey colour. But a minute or so more on the pan sears some colour into it.

Well worth the effort. Damned easy to do. And cheaper than a packet of Dennys. Wonder how my cholesterol test next week will work out.

Homemade bacon

Largely because I had a fever, dizziness and some sort of viral infection. I came back from my shopping run with some belly of pork, some milk, a pot of jam and a loaf of bread.

And a quarter pound of beef.

As I said. I had a fever.

So, I googled an old recipe I'd read a couple of months ago in the Guardian, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. For home cured bacon. The picture to the right is of the prepared belly of pork, rubbed in coarse sea-salt, light muscavado sugar and fresh bay leaves (once again, thanks to the gorgeous C). I think I'll try a three day cure, and then adjust the measures as necessary. I've also used a coarse French sea salt, and, depending on how well it cures, I might try a fine salt next.

Still. I like the idea of home-curing bacon. I like the idea of home-curing an organic pork belly even more. So I guess this project will run and run.

I'll post a photo and taste test of the finished product. By taste test I mean bacon buttie. We'll see how the bugger tastes in some batch, swimming with butter. Or, more seriously, an amatriciana. Should be on Sunday night.

And to extend the activity, I've picked up a couple of American style cures, involving cold and hot smoking. So building a smoker is a definite summer project. Any ideas, oe links to dustbin smokers are welcome.