In the past we’ve written recipes for Mexican bacon, Turkish bacon and New Mexico Hatch Chile bacon but while we were penning these recipes, smoking these exotic pork bellies and daydreaming of evermore outré takes on bacon we were secretly making super-plain bacon cured with nothing more than sodium and smoked over Hickory wood.

A Pork Belly Moments After It’s Been Butchered From A Freshly Slaughtered Hog

At the end of last month we scored two big pork bellies from a Jefferson Parish hog farmer who was also kind enough to give us a batch of Pecan wood so we resolved to finally publish the most simple bacon recipe you will ever read.

Our Two Pork Bellies Immediately After Being Washed

It is also the most delicious

1 pork belly, 12lb, Duroc or other good breed

1/2 c. Salt, Kosher

4 t. Salt, pink, curing

Method

* Combine Kosher salt and sodium nitrite mixing well

* Sprinkle ingredients thoroughly over both sides of belly

* Put belly in fridge in large pan

* Every 24 hours flip belly over

* Do this for 10 days

* Rinse seasonings off belly with cold water

* Let dry for 24 hours, flipping every few hours

* Build fire in smoker, smoke belly with pecan or other favorite wood for two hours

This Is What Your Belly Should Look Like After Being Smoked

* Remember, you’re not cooking the belly, merely flavoring it with smoke

* Return belly to fridge

* Let sit overnight

* At this point it’s time to slice your belly, this is a crucial stage in your project. We used our electric slicer at work so the bacon looks professional. If you don’t have an electric slicer use your sharpest knife, take your time and make your cuts as even as possible

* A belly that’s been in the freezer for an hour or two slices much more evenly

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