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Smoked Maple Syrup Bacon
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Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
500 minutes
Total Time:
7790 minutes
My mouthwatering maple syrup bacon brine and smoking technique for a single pork belly.
Ingredients:
  • 1.5 gallons water
  • 2 tablespoons sodium nitrate (saltpeter)
  • 1 cup sugar-based curing mixture (such as Morton® Tender Quick®)
  • 2 cups coarse salt
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 0.5 cup maple syrup
  • 1 (14 pound) whole pork belly
  • maple, apple, or cherry wood chips for smoking
Instructions:
  • In a large kettle, combine water, sodium nitrate, curing salt, coarse salt, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until fully dissolved. Transfer the brine to a 5-gallon plastic bucket and let it cool to room temperature for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Cut the pork belly into 4 to 6 slabs, leaving the skin on, for it to fit in the bucket and smoker. Submerge pork in brine in the bucket and use a glass or ceramic dish to keep it weighed down. Refrigerate covered for 5 to 7 days, stirring pork daily in the brine.
  • After brining, rinse the pork thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry. Place the pieces on smoker racks to air dry for 1 to 3 hours until the surface appears glossy and slightly dry. You can speed up this process by placing the racks under a fan.
  • Smoke pork belly slabs with your favorite wood at 90-110°F (32-43°C) for 8-12 hours. Remember to remove the rind before slicing.

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