Zero-Sugar Pitmaster Bacon

Bold, savory, and entirely sugar-free. This heavy-hitter bacon cure leans on garlic, coarse black pepper, and a slow, low smoke to deliver pure, unadulterated meat flavor.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Pat your 1-pound pork belly dry. Weigh out all of your dry ingredients, mix them thoroughly in a small bowl, and massage the entire mixture into all sides of the meat.

Step 2

Place the rubbed pork belly into a zip-top bag, scraping in every last bit of the cure from your work surface. Squeeze out the air, seal it, and place it in the fridge for 7 days. Flip the bag once a day to ensure an even cure.

Step 3

After 7 days, rinse the pork belly thoroughly under cold water to remove the surface salt and spices. Pat it completely dry. Set it on a wire rack over a baking sheet and place it back in the fridge, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours to form a tacky surface (the pellicle).

Step 4

Smoke the belly at 170°F to maximize smoke penetration without rendering the fat. Once it takes on enough smoke, you can bump the heat to 225°F to push it through the stall until it reaches a final internal temperature of 150°F.

Step 5

Chill it completely in the fridge overnight before slicing up your homemade, zero-sugar bacon!