Pork Belly 1st Time Dry or Wet? Suggestions?

[bamabob]

Picked up some pork belly at Costco, it was sliced thick, never had pork belly before wasn't sure what to do with it.  So I marinated half of it overnight in an oriental sweet chili sauce and put a BBQ rub on the other half and let hang out in the fridge overnight to dry.  Got it on the keg, indirect, starting low & slow with a gradual rise in temp to try and get some crispness.  Any suggestions?

[KyNola]

I would have cured it and then smoked it to make extra thick cut bacon!

[bamabob]

I would have cured it and then smoked it to make extra thick cut bacon!

I may try that next time.  Never made bacon before.

[bamabob]

two hours in at around 325*  smells good but probably won't be able to crisp in the keg, lots of steam when I open the lid right now.

[Smokin Don]

If you don't get the crisp like you want throw it on a gas grill a while or in a cast iron skillet. I used to fry it up a lot just like bacon, makes a great sandwich. And I liked it cold too. Don

[bamabob]

If you don't get the crisp like you want throw it on a gas grill a while or in a cast iron skillet. I used to fry it up a lot just like bacon, makes a great sandwich. And I liked it cold too. Don

Thanks Don, that's probably what I'll do.  Since most of this will be vac-sealed in smaller portions and frozen for later, heating it on the gasser sounds like a good idea.

[bamabob]

Here it is after 3 hours with the temp rise to 400*.   Got some crisp to it, ready to come off.



This is really good, better than I thought it would be.  I like the hot chili sauce flavor best, the rubbed is good also, but could've used some smoke.

[Smokin Don]

Looks great!!!! Now you got me hungry!!! Don

[RAD]

Now that looks great

[RG]

Looks great Bama! I need to make some bacon soon, you're post just made me realize that, lol. To answer your question about wet vs. dry, I like the results about the same I think. I have not done bacon on the Keg, I always do it on the Traeger and it comes out really nice.

For a dry cured bacon, I've followed THIS recipe and really liked it.

And for the wet cure, I use THIS recipe. I just don't use his method to smoke it obviously. This was the very first method I used when I made bacon a couple three years ago and I was happy with it. I also add maple syrup to this wet cure.

I think I will order some pork belly from Publix, the only issue is Stephanie (Mrs. RG to the rest of y'all) likes to cook it as just plain old pork belly (and it's delicious, lol). I'll have to designate some of it for cured bacon ONLY!

[teesquare]

Don't forget... We have some great recipes here on LTBBQ. My favorite this far is the Cider Mill Bacon.

[tailfeathers]

I would have cured it and then smoked it to make extra thick cut bacon!

I may try that next time.  Never made bacon before.

I buy unsliced bellies at Costco, cure them and make my own bacon. Do it once and I promise you will never want store bought bacon again! It is very easy and pretty much foolproof. I like the maple bacon recipe from 10.5 and it is GOOD!!!

[bamabob]

I think I will order some pork belly from Publix, the only issue is Stephanie (Mrs. RG to the rest of y'all) likes to cook it as just plain old pork belly (and it's delicious, lol). I'll have to designate some of it for cured bacon ONLY!

Get two pork bellies.  Never having pork belly before I find I really liked it cooked as "plain old pork belly"  LOL
A different taste, kind of somewhere between bacon & ribs.