Omari Gates
Bacon is a breakfast staple for many, but curing your own bacon is a lengthy but rewarding process. Making your own bacon gives you control over the flavouring, thickness of the slices, and quality of the pork. To make Australian bacon, you'll need a cut of loin and belly. For beginners, a ready-made cure such as Misty Gully's Maple Bacon Cure is recommended, which gives bacon its signature pink hue and ensures it is safe to eat. Bacon can be cooked in an oven, smoker, air fryer, or gas barbecue.
How to make Australian bacon
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of bacon | Streaky bacon, short cut bacon, back bacon, collar bacon, cottage bacon, jowl bacon, Italian speck, beef bacon |
| Cut of pork | Pork belly, pork loin, pork shoulder, pork leg, brisket, navel cut |
| Curing | Wet curing (injecting or soaking in brine), dry curing (rubbing with salt), curing salt (Prague powder), curing mix (salt, sugar, nitrates, maple syrup, paprika, pepper, thyme, mustard seeds, juniper berries, ground coffee |
| Smoking | Hickory wood smoke, mesquite wood, maple wood, corn cobs, peat |
| Cooking | Electric or gas oven, pellet smoker, air fryer, gas barbecue |
| Storage | Fridge (up to 3 weeks), freezer (up to 3 months) |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right pork cut
The two most common types of bacon in Australia are streaky bacon and short-cut bacon. Streaky bacon, also known as side bacon or American bacon, is made from pork belly and is characterised by its high fat content and the distinct streaks of fat that run through it. For streaky bacon, you can cut down the pork belly to around 1kg of pork, or do a larger cut or multiple bellies for a bigger batch.
On the other hand, short-cut bacon, also known as British bacon, is made from the pork loin. It has a lower fat content and a chewier texture compared to streaky bacon. To make short-cut bacon, trim away excess fat and cut the pork into a neater square shape.
Other types of bacon cuts include back bacon, which contains meat from both the loin and belly; collar bacon, taken from the back of the pig near the head; and cottage bacon, made from lean meat from a boneless pork shoulder.
If you're looking for a leaner cut of bacon, Canadian bacon is made from the eye of the pork loin with minimal surrounding fat.
Ultimately, the choice of pork cut depends on your preference for fat content, texture, and flavour, as well as the type of bacon you wish to create.
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Preparing the meat
Once you have selected the appropriate cut of pork, trim away any excess fat and cut the meat into a neater square shape. You can choose to keep or remove the skin, or rind. The rind will shrink during the curing process, but removing it will allow the cure to penetrate the meat more easily.
Next, you will need to cure the meat. Curing is the process of preserving meat using salt, sugar, and nitrates. You can purchase a pre-made cure or make your own. If you are making your own cure, you will need curing salt, also known as Prague powder, which can be purchased at specialty food stores or online. You will also need sugar or maple crystals, and nitrites. For every kilogram of pork, use 40-50 grams of cure. Mix the cure with herbs and spices of your choice, such as black pepper, thyme, mustard seeds, juniper berries, or ground coffee. Thoroughly rub the dry cure mix into the pork, making sure to cover all folds and crevices.
Place the cured pork into a ziplock bag, remove the air, and seal the bag. Store the bag in the fridge for at least four days or up to eight days. Turning the bag over every 24 hours will help ensure even curing. After curing, rinse the bacon under cold water to remove excess salt.
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Creating the cure
Curing your own bacon is a lengthy but satisfying process that gives you control over the quality of the pork, the flavouring, the level of smoke, and the thickness of the slices.
Firstly, you'll need curing salt, also known as Prague powder or Pink Salt, which can be bought at specialty food stores or online. This curing salt is essential, as it ensures the bacon is cured properly, is safe to eat, and lasts well in the fridge. It also helps the bacon develop its signature pink hue.
Next, you'll need to choose your cut of pork. For traditional English/Australian bacon, you'll need a cut of loin and belly. For Canadian bacon, use loin, and for American-style streaky bacon, pork belly is ideal. Trim away excess fat and cut the pork into a neater square shape. You can choose to keep or remove the skin (rind).
Now it's time to mix your cure. If it's your first time, it's recommended to use a ready-made cure such as Misty Gully Maple Bacon Cure, which takes the worry out of measuring nitrite to salt levels and ensures a lovely maple flavour. Mix 40-50g of the maple bacon cure for every kilogram of pork, along with herbs and spices of your choice. If you're not using a ready-made cure, you'll need to be precise with your measurements. For every kilogram of meat, use 2g of Cure #1 (6.25% nitrite), 1/4 cup of Kosher salt, and 1/4 cup of sugar or maple crystals.
Once your cure is mixed, thoroughly rub it into your pork, making sure to get into all the folds and crevices. Place your pork into a ziplock bag, push out all the air, and seal the bag. Store it in the fridge for at least 4 days or up to 8 days, turning the bag over every 24 hours to allow the cure to work on both sides. The liquid that accumulates in the bag is a good thing, so don't drain it out.
After curing, give the bacon a thorough rinse under cold water to remove the excess salt. If you cured for longer than 5 days, you may need to soak the bacon for up to an hour in room-temperature water to remove some more of the salt.
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$34.95
Applying the cure
Firstly, prepare your curing mixture. If it is your first time, it is recommended to use a ready-made cure such as Misty Gully Maple Bacon Cure, which simplifies the process by providing a pre-mixed cure with precise measurements. This cure also imparts a lovely maple flavour to the bacon. For every kilogram of pork, use 40-50 grams of the maple bacon cure. You can also add herbs and spices of your choice to enhance the flavour. For example, black pepper, thyme, mustard seeds, juniper berries, or ground coffee can be used.
If you are more experienced and choose to create your own curing mixture, you will need curing salt, also known as Prague Powder or Pink Salt. This curing salt contains nitrites or nitrates, which are essential for food safety, developing the signature pink hue, and ensuring proper curing. Mix 2 grams of Cure #1 (6.25% nitrite) with 1/4 cup of Kosher salt and 1/4 cup of sugar or maple crystals per kilogram of meat. Be sure to follow precise measurements for food safety and the desired cure.
Once you have prepared your curing mixture, it's time to apply it to the pork. Start by trimming away any excess fat and shaping the pork into a neater square. You can choose to keep or remove the rind (skin). Removing the rind allows the cure to penetrate more easily, but the rind can be left on for a crunchy texture after cooking. Thoroughly rub the curing mixture into the pork, ensuring it reaches all folds and crevices.
After applying the cure, place the pork into a ziplock bag or airtight container. Remove as much air as possible and seal the bag or container. Store it in the fridge, and remember to turn the pork over every 24 hours to ensure even curing. The curing time can vary depending on the size of your meat and your desired saltiness. A good guideline is approximately one day per 500 grams of meat, with a minimum of four days and a maximum of eight days. The longer you cure, the saltier the bacon will become.
During the curing process, liquid will accumulate in the bag, which is expected and necessary for effective curing. Do not drain this liquid. After the curing time has elapsed, remove the pork from the bag and thoroughly rinse it under cold water to remove excess salt. If you cured for longer, you may need to soak the bacon in room-temperature water for up to an hour to reduce saltiness.
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Smoking the bacon
If using a smoker, preheat it to between 82°C and 110°C. On the higher setting, the bacon will cook a little faster but will not have as much smoky flavour. Put your bacon in your smoker once it has come up to temperature and let it cook until the internal bacon temperature reaches 65°C. Depending on the thickness of the cut and your temperature setting, this could take 2-3 hours.
Use hardwood that is free from any resins, glues, or processing. Do not use softwoods, such as pine, as these have a high resin content. Shavings or chips are best as they produce a higher smoke content. Fruit woods like apple or cherry pair well with pork, but you can also use something stronger like hickory.
Once the bacon is at temperature, take it off the smoker and let it cool to room temperature. Then wrap it or put it in an airtight container and place it in the fridge overnight. This will help it firm up. When you're ready to eat it, slice the cooked ends of the meat off (with the grain), and then slice the bacon into long strips.
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