This is a pancetta / dry cure bacon which is really very good.
In this version I have split half an Old Spot Belly (skin removed). Each bag has a 630g slice which has two versions of the cure.
Method
1) Weight pork first 630g for each piece
2) Ratio for dry cure mix is 30g/kg. So for this we need 18.9g. I round up to 20g.
3) In this case I use three identical ceramic bowls of same mass and check and recheck my dry cure. You can buy it here https://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/Traditional_dry_cure_bacon_.html
4) Then I take the following mix and add to my cure bowls, Dried Sage, Pinch salt, Pinch Brown Sugar, Large Pinch Pepper or Several Crushed Juniper Berries.
5) Make up a vaccum bag and make sure you do a double seal on one end.
6) Add the cure to the bag, then add the meat, give a shake to distribute and quickly seal the end. If you are not quick fluids will come out of the meat and make it impossible to seal the bag.
7) Double heat the seal to ensure it is firm or make a second seal.
8) Rub all over but not to generously.
9) Leave in fridge (very cold one) for 1 day for every ½ inch + two days. In this case It was 2.5” so that is 5 days + 2 days is 1 week. I turn every day to get fluids evenly spread.
10) Gently rise in cold water discarding fluids and washing away thoroughly.
11) Place bacon on metal rack in tray to dry for a while then cut in to chunks.
12) Either vacuum pack or simply bag up for freezer or use within a week or so.
You will find that you might want to add extra salt as I do as I have found that the bacon is not salty enough. Also I think if you leave a little longer than a week it is also ok. Don’t worry about going over on cure time.
