How to Cure and Cold Smoke Bacon

To cold smoke a meat such as bacon is to smoke it at temperatures below 90 F. Before the smoking can take place, the bacon must be cured with salt to prevent bacteria from thriving. Cold smoking meat at low temperatures does not cook it and you should thoroughly cook cold smoked bacon before eating. The cold smoking process is designed to preserve and add flavor to the bacon.

Things You'll Need

  • Fresh pork belly
  • Salt
  • Wood smoker with firebox
  • Charcoal
  • Wood dust or chips

Curing Bacon

  1. Cut the pork belly into slices.

  2. Rub salt into the meat, making sure to cover the whole surface, then place the pieces of bacon on top of one another in a plastic container.

  3. Store the container in a dry, cool place for 24 hours.

  4. Drain the excess liquid from the container, pat the bacon dry and repeat the curing process as desired for up to 10 days.

  5. Store the bacon in a cool, dry place ready to be smoked.

Cold Smoking

  1. Light four to six pieces of charcoal and put them in the firebox. Leave to burn and then smolder. You can add more charcoal as required to maintain temperature at 80 F.

  2. Add wood chips to smoldering charcoal to create smoke.

  3. Place cured bacon on grill and close lid.

  4. Leave bacon in the smoker for at least four hours and up to four days.

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