A box cured method was a well known procedure for curing many slabs of bacon at the same time. A watertight box which can be thought of as a bacon press, was constructed from hardwood and lined up with galvanized steel. The weighted lid applied pressure to the bacon.
The slabs are placed skin down, except the last one which is placed skin up. During overhaul, the order is reversed. The top pieces are placed on the bottom and the bottom ones on top. The width and the length of the box would approximate the size of the bacon slab. The box would be high enough to accommodate 5-6 slabs, usually 24” high. If it were higher it did not matter much as the weighted lid was placed on top. Rub bacon with ½ of the mix and place skin down in the container. After 7 days apply the second half of the mixture and overhaul the slabs. Leave the liquid in. If there are any significant gaps between slabs of bacon and the walls of the container, they can be filled with smaller cuts of trimmed meats. A natural brine will be created and the liquid will rise up to the surface. After curing is completed, soak bacon for one hour, brush the surface clean and hang until dry. Then smoke it, preferably with cold smoke.
