Pastrami Bacon: It's like Pastrami and Bacon got together and... you know.

Curing bacon like pastrami, seasoning it like pastrami, cooking it like bacon, eating it like bacon and pastrami. If that's wrong, I don't want to be right. Video instruction below.

If nothing else use this as the base for a good bacon recipe. Add it to a breakfast sandwich, make a burger, use it in pasta, or add to a grilled cheese for an amazing fusion of classic pastrami flavor with addicting chewy crunch of bacon (if that's a thing):

"Probably could have used more salt" –Michael

Thank you Ryan Green for sharing this with me! Original recipe can be found at https://barbecuebible.com/recipe/pastrami-bacon/

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Pastrami Bacon - Instructions Below

Prep 30 min

Down time 5-8 days

Cook 4 hours

Total 6-9 days

Brine Ingredients

• 1x 5lb pork belly

• 2 Quarts Water

• 2 Quarts Ice (to cool brine. Alternatively use 4 quarts water and wait for it to cool)

• 3/4 Cup Sea Salt

• 2/3 Cup sugar

• 1/4 Cup Razzle Dazzle - https://www.hlmbbq.com/product-page/razzle-dazzle

• 1 Tablespoon Anthony’s Premium Pink Curing Salt

• 2 Teaspoon Coriander (Course Ground)

• 1 Teaspoon Celery Seed

Brine Equipment:

• Brine Bucket or Large plastic bag for brining belly - https://amzn.to/3D2plBF

• Injector - https://amzn.to/3D5Z4lG

• Gloves - https://amzn.to/3tyVxcQ

• Measuring Cup - https://amzn.to/3IClDjc

• Measuring Spoons - https://amzn.to/3IClDjc

• Mortar and Pestle - https://amzn.to/3iAbuZD

• Whisk - https://amzn.to/352EZjK

• Pouring Spoon

• Bowl

• Sieve to strain brine chunks for injecting - https://amzn.to/3itHyhX

Rub Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Black Peppercorns

• 2 Tablespoons Brown Mustard Seeds

• 2 Tablespoons Coriander

• 2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar

• 9 Garlic cloves minced

• 1/2 Cup Razzle Dazzle

• Yellow Mustard - Enough to coat pork belly.

Cooking equipment:

• Lodge Cast Iron Pan - https://amzn.to/36iXaCt

• Cutting Board - https://amzn.to/3tvNzAY

• Boning Knife - https://amzn.to/36espPb

• Mortar and Pestle - https://amzn.to/3iAbuZD

• Gloves - https://amzn.to/3tyVxcQ

• Rack big enough for pork belly (make sure it fits your smoker)

• Disposable metal tray filled with ice to “Cold Smoke” pork belly.

• Wireless Thermometer - https://amzn.to/3iswguf

• Smoker - https://amzn.to/3qsryBd

• Wood of your flavor

• Cling Wrap - https://amzn.to/3wtJgbj

Brine Instructions:

1. Bring water to boil. While waiting mix dry brine ingredients (salt, sugar, Razzle Dazzle, curing salt, coriander and celery seed).

2. Add dry brine ingredients to boiling water, mix until dissolved. Wait until cooled, then pour 4 cups of brine over sieve to string out chunks into bowl.

3. Open pork belly, pay dry. Draw brine into injector, inject pork belly all over until it can’t hold anymore.

4. Place injected pork belly into bag or brine bucket, store in fridge for 5-8 days rotating the pork belly every 2 days. Note - longer brine = greater salt retention. Be careful it doesn’t turn out too salty.

…5 to 8 days later…

Rub and Smoking Instructions:

1. Over medium heat, toast pepper corns, brown mustard seeds and coriander until fragrant and toasty. About 5 minutes stirring frequently. Once toasted, course grind in mortar/pestle or grinder. In medium mixing bowl combine toasted ingredients with 2x TBSP Brown Sugar, 1/2 Cup Razzle Dazzle and ALL of the minced garlic. Set aside to let the flavors blend.

2. Trim pork belly of weird pieces, extra fat etc. Set on tray that you can easily move from house to smoker etc.

3. Lather once side in yellow mustard, evenly spread 1/2 of the rub on the top and sides of the pork belly. Flip and repeat with remaining rub.

4. Prepare smoker to 180F, place ice in disposable aluminum container, set rack with pork belly on ice tray, and smoke until internal temp of 145F. It’s not recommended you eat the pork belly at this point. It still needs to be pan/oven fried.

5. Let cool, wrap in clear clingy food wrap and place in the fridge overnight. Note - this will allow the pork belly to firm up and make it easy to cut.

Bacon(ing) instructions:

1. Remove pork belly from wrap, cut in half and either slice through a meat slicer or cut bacon strips (you choose the thickness by hand).

2. We bake our bacon. Foil a rimmed baking sheet, set over to 375F and bake for 12-20 min depending on your over and depending on how crispy you like your bacon.

Ideas - Pastrami bacon grilled cheese, burgers, bacon and egg sandwich, BLT and???

It's a long process but well worth the wait. Please let us know if you're crazy enough to make this. Honestly, we'd be surprised if you even read this far down. Thanks for stopping by! The End.

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