Uncured Fresh Homemade Bacon

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 09/1/21
Uncured bacon
Matthew O'Shea/Photodisc/Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 hrs
Chill: 12 hrs
Total: 17 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 16 slices

If you want to make fresh bacon at home, this method is easy and relatively quick. The recipe transforms whole pork belly into slices of seasoned bacon, and there's no curing or smoking required. The best part is that you can avoid bacon that's too salty because you have complete control over the ingredients.

Curing and smoking bacon takes a long time—as much as two weeks—and requires knowledge to ensure it's done safely. Uncured and unsmoked bacon is simple to make in your oven and ready to fry up the next day. The recipe seasons fresh pork belly with a mixture of smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, roasting it in foil for a few hours. After letting it cool, refrigerate it overnight, and your bacon is ready to fry and eat. It's a great introduction to homemade bacon and a recipe you can use to explore custom seasonings without waiting weeks to taste the results.

Whether for a BLT or to serve next to eggs for breakfast, making your own fresh bacon is a fun and delicious project. Uncured bacon is definitely best when enjoyed soon after making it, so keep the batches small and make it often.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds pork belly, tough rind/skin trimmed

  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika

  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 200 F.

  2. Combine the spices and coat the pork belly thoroughly all over. Wrap snugly in 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place in a roasting pan and cook for 3 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven and leave the pork inside to cool for 1 1/2 hours. Remove and refrigerate overnight.

  3. Unwrap the pork belly and scrape off any gelatinous juices. Cut into thick slices and brown in a pan just as if you were cooking bacon. A little extra fat from the foil can be added to the pan to help get things going.

  4. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with more salt if needed.

How to Store and Freeze Uncured Bacon

  • Refrigerate extra slices of bacon for two to three days, then fry as normal.
  • Rather than freeze the bacon, freeze the whole pork belly for the best results. Fresh pork belly will keep well in the freezer for three to six months when sealed in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw the pork in the refrigerator before making bacon.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
671 Calories
49g Fat
2g Carbs
53g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 671
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 49g 63%
Saturated Fat 18g 89%
Cholesterol 191mg 64%
Sodium 1158mg 50%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 53g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 116mg 9%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 604mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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