Home-Cured Bacon

2 cups kosher salt

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

2 pounds pork belly

In a medium bowl, mix together the salt, sugar and pepper. Add any additional seasonings, as desired (see suggestions below).

Find a container that will hold your pork belly comfortably with 1 to 2 inches of space on all sides. A deep baking pan or casserole dish is a good choice. Spoon about half of the salt mixture into the container, spreading it in an even layer. Set the pork belly over the salt, pressing it gently into the salt mixture. Pack the remaining salt mixture over and around the pork.

Refrigerate, uncovered, for 6 to 7 days.

Remove the slab of pork belly (now bacon) from the salt mixture. The bottom will resemble wet sand. Discard the salt mixture. Rinse the bacon under cool running water. Pat the bacon dry with a clean towel. Use a very sharp knife to cut the bacon into slices, then refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Fry or otherwise cook the home-cured bacon as you would purchased bacon.

Makes 2 pounds.

Flavor variations: Maple: Substitute granulated maple sugar for the brown sugar. Hunter: Add 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon dried savory, 1 tablespoon crushed mustard seeds, 5 crumbled bay leaves and 2 tablespoons crushed juniper berries. Smoked pepper: Add ¼ cup smoked paprika and 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes.

Alison Ladman