Unnecessary Project #1327

I got inspired by this site and have decided to try to make my own bacon. If folks could do it back in the 1600s without refrigeration or modern equipment, how hard can it be? According to the websites I've read, all you do is soak pork bellies in a sugar/salt solution for a couple days and then smoke them. Plus, I already have a deli slicer (thanks to Rachel's blind grandmother).

Turns out the hardest part so far was finding the pork bellies, which I got at Gartner's Meats yesterday along with some smoked dog bones for Kinley (happy puppy) and steaks for us (no more turkey, happy us). I bought 6 lbs of pork bellies (imagine what raw, unsliced bacon looks like). They only had them frozen -- apparently nobody buys pork bellies, even at a butcher shop. (Is this a sign?) I'm letting them thaw now in the fridge and will start the brine today or tomorrow. Brian is lending me his smoker since I don't have one of my own yet (hint, hint craigslist sellers that don't live in Hillsboro, Beaverton or Vancouver).

So far, the cost savings is not even worth it. Pork bellies cost $3.20/lb. And that's before the cost of the sugar/salt solution, the wood chips and my time (4 days intermittently + 1 smoking day). Especially since thick cut bacon is $2.50/lb, on sale. Hmmm. At least I'm saving money by making my own kahlua and infusing my own vanilla vodka, both started yesterday and are significantly cheaper than buying them in the store. Chalk up another use for toddy coffee.