Hello, I'm an addict

Homemade bacon addict that is!! Just bought a case of pork belly at HEB FOR $2.79 a pound. Packaged from packer in 4-5 pound sections with skin removed. Currently have a little more than 9 pounds curing with another 4.5. pounds marinating in a home grown pepper purée for the next could of days.

I have to try making my own bacon. I've been curing my own hams and bacon is on the list to do.

Also addicted to homemade bacon. I'm going to need to get another batch started soon.

It's not hard at all! Wish I'd have done this years ago and not wasted my money on all of that junk that wears the name BACON.

I aged my steak up to 100 days but never try cure my own bacon. Will do that this weekend.

What are the cost savings on curing your own bacon, or how much more a lb does it cost?

I just picked up a 9.5 lb slab of pork belly from Costco the other day for $3.49/lb. I believe the store bought bacon I was buying before I got into making my own was $8-10/lb. Cost of the cure is not much. A simple but great cure for 5 lb of belly is 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup maple syrup or brown sugar, and a teaspoon of pink salt. It is definitely worth it.

I also already had a Vacmaster chamber vacuum sealer and a Berkel meat slicer and those two pieces of equipment really help in the process. I can perfectly slice 10 lbs of bacon in about 5 minutes. It takes longer to clean the dang slicer than it does to do the slicing, lol.

Once you start making your own you'll never want to buy the "bacon" they sell in stores.

I'll have to look deeper into this curing my own bacon.

You are so right!! I love the bacon and truly love the faces of friends when I give them a package.

Leave it uncured, slice, add garlic and onion powder, black pepper, and just a little salt. Better than cured.

I've made some from wild hogs. I just use salt, pepper, maple syrup. Let cure in that for 4-5 days then lightly smoke it. Put in freezer and slice it when frozen. You will never want to buy the store variety again.

Just finished making some home grown jalapeño and chili pepper marinated bacon with brown sugar... WOW! I had to wait 2 days for it marinate then cure for 5 days. GAME CHANGER!!!!

Addicting, making it and eating it.

I will be buying a pork belly this weekend and begin the curing process!