Homemade Bacon

• 5 lb Raw Pork Belly
• 6 cup Water
• 2 cup BBQ Seasoning
• 1/2 cup Morton's Curing Salt
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp Cracked Peppercorns
• 2 cup Apple Juice
• 1 1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1. Start by bringing the water to a boil.
2. Then add the curing salt, brown sugar, black peppercorns & BBQ seasoning to the water for a few minutes while maintaining the boil.
3. Add the apple juice & maple syrup in with the rest of the ingredients & keep on the boil for a few minutes longer.
4. After the brine is done cooking make sure to add ice to allow it to cool.
5. The brine must be completely cooled or you will boil the meat in the brine which takes flavor out of the meat & affects the outcome of the bacon.
6. Place the belly in the brine and add it to the fridge for 7-14 days.
7. Take out of the brine & pat it dry then let sit in the fridge for 4-10 hours.
8. Then I place the bacon into my smoker at 125 for 1 1/2 hours.
9. This step is key because without adding smoke to the meat it's not considered bacon.
10. The traditionally used woods are hickory & apple wood.

pork belly, water, bbq seasoning, salt, brown sugar, apple juice, maple syrup

Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/341256-homemade-bacon (may not work)