Bacon — 8-Day Cure, “Three Salts,” Maple-Apple Smoke

The Meat Hook

Bacon is patience you can fry. Start with good belly and measure carefully. The “Three Salts” cure is simple on purpose: kosher and sea salt for structure, sugar for balance, and pink curing salt #1 for safety and color. Work by weight, not scoops; the math buys you consistency. Eight days is the sweet spot for a typical slab—long enough for an even cure, short enough to stay clean and bright. After the cure, give it air: a chilled, uncovered rest builds a tacky pellicle that welcomes smoke instead of wearing it like a wet coat. Keep the fire calm and slightly sweet—apple with a touch of maple—and bring the belly to a gentle finish so fat stays silky, not sweaty. Slice after a full chill and listen for the quiet crisp when it hits the pan. That sound is the promise you kept: measured, steady, and just smoky enough to make breakfast feel like a small celebration. No drama—just salt, time, and a fire that minds its manners.

 

Quick Facts

• Cut: Skinless pork belly, 3–5 lb (1.4–2.3 kg), ~1½–2” thick

• Cure: Equilibrium dry cure (by weight) for 8 days, flipped daily

• Smoke: Apple (primary) + a little maple or cherry

• Finish: Hot-smoked to 145°F internal (cold-smoke option noted)

• Rest: Chill overnight before slicing; partial freeze for paper-thin cuts

 

Step-by-Step

1) Weigh, Mix, Bag (Day 0)

Calculate cure by meat weight:

• 2.0% total kosher and sea salt (20 g per kg meat)

• 1.0% sugar (10 g per kg; white, brown, or maple)

• 0.25% Prague Powder #1 (6.25% sodium nitrite) → 2.5 g per kg

Optional: black pepper 0.3% (3 g/kg). Mix thoroughly. Coat all sides of belly; get everything into a 2-gal zip bag or vacuum bag and press out the air.

Technique: Equilibrium cure means the belly can’t over-salt; the salt level stabilizes across the slab.

Quick example (5 lb / 2268 g belly): ~45.4 g kosher salt, 22.7 g sugar, 5.7 g Cure #1.

2) Cure & Flip (Days 1–8)

Refrigerate 36–38°F. Flip the bag daily and massage lightly to redistribute brine. Expect natural brine to form by Day 2—don’t drain it.

Tip: Lay the bag on a wire rack over a tray so both faces stay cold and contact is even.

3) Rinse, Dry, Pellicle (Night 8)

Rinse quickly, pat very dry. Set on a rack uncovered in the fridge 12–24 hours to form a tacky pellicle. Edges should feel slightly sticky, not wet.

Trick: Aim a small fan across the fridge door opening for 10–15 minutes to jump-start surface drying before the overnight rest.

4) Smoke & Finish (Day 9)

• Hot-smoke (House path): 180–195°F pit, clean mild smoke, to 145°F internal.

• Cold-smoke (alt): ≤90°F smoke for 6–12 hours (in sessions if needed). Treat as raw; cook before eating.

Light wood: apple primary; add maple/cherry for round sweetness. Keep exhaust wide open for clean, gentle smoke.

5) Chill, Slice & Fry

Chill fully (overnight). For thin slicing, partially freeze 60–90 minutes. Fry test pieces; adjust future smoke time or sugar level to taste.

— ✦ — ✦ —

Rookie ✦ Backyard Pro ✦ Pit Legend

✦ Rookie: Weigh the meat and the cure—percentages beat tablespoons every time.

✦ Backyard Pro: Run a probe; pull hot-smoked bacon at 145°Ffor silky fat.

✦ Pit Legend: Cold-smoke in two short sessions (e.g., 4 + 4 hours) with an overnight fridge rest between for finer smoke layering.

From the Fire

Salt and nitrite diffuse over time; an equilibrium cure equalizes concentration so the center matches the edges. The pellicle is a protein film that binds smoke compounds more evenly than a wet surface.

Pitmaster’s Tips

✦ Use Cure #1 only for bacon (nitrite). Never use Cure #2 (nitrate) here.

✦ If edges taste saltier, slice and pan-soak those slices in cold water 5 minutes, pat dry, and fry.

✦ Maple sugar reads louder than brown; adjust sugar % to 0.7–1.2% for your sweet spot.

✦ For pepper bacon, crust the slab after the pellicle forms so it adheres.

✦ Save trim for lardons and beans—nothing wasted.

Pitmaster/Grillmaster

Michael McDearman is a PitMaster/Grillmaster, Restaurateur, and Good Ol’ Country Boy with a Passport full of Cook-Offs and a Phone full of Grill Photos — not a backyarder playing PitMaster online. He’s represented 50+ Major BBQ & Grilling Companies, served 3 Years as Grillmaster for Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner., Won Contests Around the World, earned SIX Straight Golden Tickets to the Steak World Championship, and Judges Food Competitions on the World’s Largest Food Sport Stages.

Michael’s the BBQ Buddy who shows up with Tongs, Temps, and a Plan: Honest Temps, Natural Fats, Good Drinks & Good Times! If it’s a fake outfit or accent or just bad info, it’s OUT. Life is too short. Let’s have FUN! If it helps you win Saturday Dinner for your “Judges” — Family, Friends, and Folks — it’s IN. Steak, Brisket, Burgers, or Ribeyes for a Crowd — BBQ, Grilling, Outdoor Living is the Way.

 

The PitMaster’s Toast

“Measure true, give it days, and let the smoke sign its name. Cheers!”

Safety Footer

• Cure math matters: 0.25% Cure #1 equals ~156 ppm nitrite—standard for bacon. Weigh precisely on a gram scale.

• Keep meat ≤40°F during cure; hot-smoked bacon is ready-to-eat at 145°F internal. Cold-smoked bacon is raw—cook before serving.

• As always: live fire, hot metal. Keep a proper fire extinguisher handy, manage airflow, glove up, long tongs, never leave the pit unattended.