CURING BACON PART 2

What mental picture hoves into view when the word 'sequel' is mentioned: The Godfather or Jaws? This is not a flippant question because therein lies your attitude to having another crack of the whip, as in 'why bother?' or 'why not?' Anyone who read my first try at bacon curing may wonder why I would once more get back in the water; oh yes I mean this literally - and I'm talking the pork-flavoured variety. Well combining the steeliness of Al Pacino with the unhinged insouciance of Robert Shaw I make another attempt - with a dry-cure this time (I'm unhinged but not stupid). Here's how it went...

1. I go to Gog Magog Shop, buy 1kg rare breed pork belly and receive some good curing tips. The butcher there also removes the skin and scores the flesh (not doing this was one of the many mistakes I made last time).

2   At home, I pierce the flesh with a wooden skewer.

3. I rub the curing mixture into the flesh:

 37-40 g curing salt (bought from e-bay or www.sausagemaking.org )

2 tbsps crushed juniper berries

1/3 grated nutmeg

1 tsp cracked black pepper
(you can experiment with spices)

4. Then put it in a plastic bag and rub it a bit more. 

5. I then add 2 tbsps dark treacle and 1 tbsp maple syrup to the bag...

6 And then squidge it some more before putting it in the fridge for a week, turning and massaging daily (the bacon that is).

7. After a week I wrap it in muslin and hang it in the shed outside like a mummified corpse. I don't think you need to do this - you could keep it in the fridge, but I always do this as it helps dry it out and develop flavour. 

8. After a week I unwrap the bacon. It is fragrant with the spices and syrups and is a very good firm texture (if it has spots of white mould I just rub them off) . It slices well and cooks quickly to a satisfying crisp.

9. It's bloody delicious. The sequel is an Oscar winner.