Applewood Bacon
Photo: Hallsville3, CC BY-SA 4.0
Homemade applewood bacon starts with a sweet cider brine and ends in a cold smoker. The brine combines apple cider, salt and sugar, so the belly takes on a gentle fruit sweetness over three days in the refrigerator. A short spell in front of a box fan dries the surface so smoke clings to it. Freezing briefly before slicing lets you cut rashers as thick or thin as you want.
Instructions
Bring the apple cider to a boil in a large pot. Stir in the salt and sugar until both have fully dissolved.
Pour the hot cider mixture into a very large container and add the iced water. Wait until the ice has melted and the brine is cool enough to handle safely.
Submerge the pork belly in the brine and refrigerate it for 3 days.
Lift the belly out of the brine and set it on top of a running box fan for 30 minutes per side, so the surface dries out.
Put dry applewood chunks in the firebox of a cold smoker. Place the pork belly inside and smoke it for 3 to 4 hours.
Take the belly out of the smoker and put it in the freezer for up to 2 hours, which firms it up for slicing.
Slice the bacon as thick or as thin as you like. Cook it right away, or keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
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