British Expats - Home cold curing bacon.

To start off make a curing mix of 3 parts salt and 1 part brown sugar, add some black pepper to taste, this can be stored in a plastic container. Google ‘cold cure’ they will recommend a curing agent, Mortons quick cure is one, i`ve used it but never seen it in PI, it has slightly better preserving properties and gives a pink appearance, but barely any difference in flavour.
As ours is in the ref i`m not concerned, it barely lasts 5 minutes as it`s eaten pretty quick in our house! This for belly pork, (streaky), buy a belly, around 21/2kg of pork, back bacon use loin, the cut pork chops come from.
You will need a large plastic bowl, cleanliness at all times so wash it and your hands, work surfaces. Thoroughly wash the meat, leave bones and straggly bits, they can be trimmed and used for bacon bone soup.
Pat the belly dry and massage in your already prepared cure mixture, get in all the nooks and crannies, it`s not necessary to pack it in the mix, Place in the clean bowl, cut in half if needed to fit, place in cold part of fridge, around 40---43 deg f is fine, leave 24 hours. Remove and drain the fluid that has leached from the meat, repeat the process. On the third day remove the meat and clean and dry the bowl, by this time the meat will be lighter and firmer.
Massage more cure mix in and leave a final 24 hours, so after 72 hours remove and wash meat thoroughly, hang and air dry in front of a fan till it`s firm and dry. Trim ends and de bone it, don`t waste these tasty bits, you have a slab of bacon.
If it`s on the salty side either shorten the cure time or wash and pat dry the rashers after slicing. Some people like it sweeter, simple adjust the ratio of the cure mixture, and store in the ref, makes great lardons for the base of beef stew or a pan of scouse!