If you want to make bacon out of pork belly without taking the time to actually cure and smoke the meat, this post is for you. Learn how to take large cuts of pork belly and make mock bacon in a matter of minutes. Whether you put it on burgers, sandwiches, or a simple breakfast plate, its going to taste fantastic.
Why Learn How to Make “Bacon” From Pork Belly?
- It’s cheaper than store-bought bacon. Currently at Costco, bacon is 26% more expensive than pork belly by the pound. The difference in cost is paying for the curing, seasoning, and slicing. You can save a lot of money when you forego those steps or do them yourself.
- It’s faster than curing and smoking your own bacon. We are not against curing your own bacon. We do that too. This is just for when you don’t have the capacity to do so, but still want something similar to bacon.
- It’s delicious. This is the best thing to put on a BLT or add to a stir fry.
The Difference Between This and True Bacon
Bacon is a cured meat typically made from pork belly. Curing is the key difference between “true bacon” and our “mock bacon.” To dry cure meat, it must be rubbed in a mixture of white and pink curing salt and left to sit for a week or more, occasionally being rotated. The salt works to create an environment in which deadly bacteria cannot live, thus protecting the meat from spoiling.
This post is about “mock bacon” which is what we call the process of taking pork belly and making it as much like bacon as possible without the time-consuming curing and smoking processes. The two essentials in doing this well are in the slicing and the seasoning of the pork belly.
1. Slicing the Pork Belly
The key is to cut the pork belly thinly and evenly. Whatever method you choose, first stick the pork belly in the freezer for 10-20 minutes. Having the meat slightly frozen makes it so much easier to slice well.
There are two methods you can use to slice the pork belly:
1. Sharp Chef’s Knife
Most likely, the best tool you own for slicing your pork belly is a standard chef’s knife. If you are slicing through pork belly that has the skin on, you can also use a serrated knife instead. Just make sure that whatever knife you use, it is very sharp.
To cut the pork belly with a knife, place the meat fat (or skin) side down. This will allow for easier and more even slicing. Slice the meat with the knife as thinly as possible. Likely, you will still end up with rather thick bacon if you try to get it as thin as possible with a knife, so just do your best.
Go slowly to make sure the slices are even. You don’t want a piece of bacon that is much thicker on one side than the other. Though if that is what you end up with, it will still be delicious, just less bacon-y.
2. Deli Meat Slicer
My go-to method for slicing pork belly is my deli meat slicer. My husband and I were fortunate enough to find one at a thrift store one day, and while I try hard to not fill my kitchen with appliances, this one was totally worth it. Here’s why:
A great way to save a lot of money on meat is buying larger cuts. Having a meat slicer allows you to do this, but still have beautifully sliced meats for things such as sandwiches, bacon, and pho. But our slicer doesn’t just slice meat. It also can slice cheese, vegetables, and bread.
If you really want consistent, thin bacon, consider investing in a meat slicer. I will say that there are a few downsides to it as compared to a knife. It is slightly clunky, takes time to clean, and of course, is an extra cost. But like I said, we still use it a lot and love it.
If you’re interested, I recommend finding a vintage Rival meat slicer secondhand on Etsy or Ebay. You want a model that was made back when they were manufactured in the USA. The ones made today are manufactured overseas and it shows in the drop of quality.
2. Seasoning the “Bacon”
Once your pork belly is sliced, it’s time for the magic: seasoning. Since we’re skipping the curing and smoking, the flavor comes from a good blend of spices and sweetness. Below are a few easy ways to season your bacon strips—some you’ll find right here, and others are linked to full recipes I’ve tested and love.
- Smoky Korean Bacon – A great blend of smoky and sweet
- Cajun Bacon – Use this Cajun seasoning with a bit of brown sugar or maple syrup.
- Garlic Maple Bacon
- To make this bacon, sprinkle sea salt, black pepper and minced garlic over both sides of the strips. Pour maple syrup over the bacon and let it sit covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
- Traditional Bacon
- Sprinkle sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, and a little bit of soy sauce or coconut aminos on each side of the strips. Let them sit covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
3. Cooking the “Bacon”
- Add your seasoned pork belly to a cast iron skillet in a single layer and turn the heat on to medium low. As the skillet heats, it will release fat, so there’s no need to grease the pan.
- The cooking time depends on how thick your slices are. A good rule of thumb is to flip the “bacon” when the edges are golden and browning. Cook the second side and remove the slices from the pan.
Tip: The pork belly goes from cooked to burnt rather fast. It’s a bit harder to get that perfect crisp without burning than it is with cured and smoked bacon. Watch it closely to prevent burning.
If you liked this tutorial for making mock “bacon” from pork belly, please consider giving it a 5-star rating below! This helps others find it and supports our family business.
Leave a Reply