Project Bacon

Ok, the time has come. I have started a bacon project. Over the next 10 days I will hopefully create a sweetcure streaky bacon.

I started with about a kilo of belly pork. Actually, I started a little before that…

So now we have our required pre-requisite beer (in my case. It could be wine, Pimm’s or anything else you fancy. Martini may be a little kitsch for this) we can start.

I took 250g of decent coarse sea salt and mixed it up with around 180g of caster sugar. Then, I dried the pork with a kitchen towel. I found one sheet did plenty.

Next I got stuck in.

I rubbed a good quantity of the salt/sugar mix into the skin and meat. I gave the skin a good rub to soften it up a bit.

Then I popped the meat in a large zippy type bag, and poured in the rest of the salt/sugar mixture.

You can add things to this mix, but for a first attempt I am going basic. You can also add Sulphites to this, which make the bacon go the usual pink colour you would buy from any supermarket for example. I am not using sulphites for this experiment.

There are a few things to consider here; kids may find the grey colour of my bacon a little odd. Also there is a small risk of botulism which sulphites can eliminate. I have faith that my meat is fresh and good quality, so am taking a chance and not worrying.

If I survive this experiment, I may use sulphites next time.

Now all I have to do is pop the meat into the fridge, turn daily and massage in the mix for 5 days and then the next phase is ready.

Day zero

Day 7