Dry Cured Side Bacon

One 5lb slab of pork side bacon

¼ cup of salt

1 tblspn pink salt (Insta-cure #2)

½ cup of brown sugar

½ cup maple syrup

Rub the mixture all over both sides of the being sure to get all exposed surfaces coated. vacuum seal the pork and keep it in the fridge for a week, turning every day. 

There will be some liquid accumulating in the bag.  After a week, take the bacon out of the bag, wash off any mixture that remains and soak in luke warm water for 1 hour, pat it dry it and place it in the fridge over night. Do not dry in the morning. There will be small droplets on the meat known as pellicle. They hold the smoke. Place it into a smoker, skin side down, and smoke with hickory at 170° for 8 hours. Enjoy!!

If you can find it, you can also use the same process using Morton Sugar Cure in place of the above ingredients.  Follow the recipe on the package for times based on the thickness of the meat.  You won't need the additional smoke seasoning packet.