Smoked Bacon

1 3- to 4-pound pork belly, skinned (rind removed)

For the cure:

1/3 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper or cracked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons pink curing salt, such as Prague Powder #1
1/3 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple sugar, freeze-dried sugar cane juice (Sucanat), or a mixture of these sweeteners
Step 1: Place the salt, pepper, and pink salt in a mixing bowl and mix well with your fingers. Mix in the sugar, breaking up any lumps in brown sugar with your fingers.

Step 2: Place the pork belly on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle half of the cure on top and rub it into the belly. Invert and sprinkle the remaining cure on the bottom and rub it in. Place the belly (plus any excess cure) in a large sturdy resealable plastic bag in a foil pan or roasting pan on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. (Try not to get any cure in the tracks of the plastic bag as it won’t close properly.)

Step 3: Cure the belly for 5 to 7 days, turning it over each day to redistribute the liquid that will accumulate.

Step 4: Drain the pork belly in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Blot it dry with paper towels. Place the belly on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet in the refrigerator or in a cool place in front of a fan (the goal is to create good airflow) and let it dry until the surface feels papery and tacky, at least 4 hours, or as long as overnight. (This last step is optional.)

Step 5: Set up your smoker following the manufacturer’s instructions and preheat it to a temperature of not less than 160 degrees and not more than 175. Add wood according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the pork belly skin (fat) side up on the grate. Smoke the belly until bronzed with wood smoke and firm. The internal temperature should be between 150 and 160 degrees. (Insert an instant-read thermometer probe through the side of the bacon at one end.) This will take 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Step 6: Transfer the bacon to a wire rack over a baking sheet and let it cool to room temperature. Tightly wrap it in butchers’ paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

Step 7: Slice and cook (grill, panfry, or bake in the oven) and serve. You’ll rock the hood with this one.