Decided to make some home cured maple bacon this weekend.
I went to the local butcher and purchased 11 kg of fresh pork belly and then went to the sugarbush near our home to buy a litre of amber maple syrup for the cure.
The bellies are currently in the fridge for about a 7 day cure...then I plan on smoking them with apple wood next weekend. Can't wait to try the first few slices...Mmmm.
I'm sure they'll make a nice present for family/friends/neighbors :)
I admit that I did use nitrites for the curing process....it prevents botulism!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there is a way to cure without nitrites but I have to research a bit more for the next time. I have made homemade sausages a few times and did not use nitrites...didn't have any food safety issues at all.
Botulism = bad. Bacon = good!
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