• Note: The recipe works on ratios, so you can easily adapt it to the size of your pork belly. This example uses one single piece of pork belly of 2kg. Important is that each individual piece of pork belly gets 2% in weight of salt added to it. Everythinng else can be adjusted to personal taste.

  Cook time is approximate and only a guide. The internal temperature of the pork will be your true guide as to when it is cooked.

Preparation

• Clean your hands, the sink and work station.
• Cut your pork belly to a size that you can work with if it is too big. We like to work with pieces no larger than approximately 4lbs or 2kg.
• Rinse the pork belly and pat dry with paper towel.
• Weigh each piece of pork belly. For each piece of belly, measure out 2% in weight of salt. Table salt or himalayan salt.
• Measure out your maple syrup and set aside. Approximately 1/2 cup per 2lbs or 1kg.
• If you tolerate black pepper, measure out 1/2 tablespoon per pound or 500g of pork belly. If following the core AIP diet, skip the pepper. It will still be delicious without.

Curing the Portk Belly

• Place the pork belly on a baking sheet and sprinkle the salt evenly across the belly, on both sides and all the edges.
• If you are adding black pepper or other spices and herbs, add them now.
• Place the pork belly in the freezer bag or ziploc bag. Scrape all the remainder of the salt and other spices into the bag. You need the full 2% of salt!
• Pour the maple syrup into the bag.
• Gently massage the pork belly so that the spices and maple syrup cover the meat.
• Fold the ziploc bag over, gently squeeze out as much air as possible, seal and place on a tray/baking sheet in the fridge.
• Each day, if possible twice a day, turn the meat over and massage it so the juices cover the entire meat.
• We like to place the bag with the pork belly on a rack, over a tray in te fridge. This way the liquid can gather underneath the belly and allows for better coverage over the enitre piece of meat.

What to expect

• The salt will draw moisture from the meat, you will notice quite a lot of liquid in your bag. The salt is then drawn back into the meat cells via osmosis, penetrating deeper and deeper with time.
• After a few days the meat will change color becoming more grey and will become firmer.

Getting ready to cook

• After about 7 or 8 days, your pork belly is cured and ready to be cooked.
• Remove from the ziploc bag and rinse off under fresh water.
• If you used other spices, most will likely wash off. But try to keep some on.
• Pat dry with paper towel and place it on its rack, ready for cooking. If you are cooking several pieces at the same time, a rib rack works well. Don't let the pieces touch.

Cooking the AIP Bacon in the oven

• Set the oven to 250°F (120°C) and let it come up to temperature.
• Place the meat on the rack over a tray into the middle of the oven with a temperature probe if you have one.
• Let the bacon come up to an internal temperature of 150-155°F (65-70°C).
• Remove from oven and allow to rest and cool.

Smoking the AIP bacon on a kettle grill

• If you want to smkoe the belly, it helps to leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for a night, after washing and patting it dry. This helps with smoke absorption.
• Set up your grill for indirect heat at a temperature of 250°F (120°C). The BBQ snake method is a great way to cook for longer time periods at a consistent temperature.
• Add some wood chips or chunks and let it come up to temperature.
• Once your fire is burning clean and has come up to temperature, add the pork belly. Preferrably over a tray that catches all the drippings.
• The meat can lay down flat if you have enough space on the grid, we use a rib rack to stand it up as 3 pieces will not fit any other way.
• Allow the meat to come up to temperature (150-155°F or 65-70°C) then remove from the grill and let it rest and cool down.

Storage

• Slice the bacon as thick as you would like it.
• For best storage, we vacuum seal and freeze the bacon in portions. Date the bags and enjoy your AIP bacon for weeks to come!

Serving

• Fry up and serve as you would any other bacon!