How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe
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Cabelas90 Jonathan Thank you both for the reply and all the information, I appreciate it. Not sure what EQ is, but I know after this learning experience I will never be doing bacon or ham again. Like you said Jon in the video it is overwhelming and it truly has been a learning experience. Jon, the ham that I smoked yesterday turned out perfect. A little too smoky but still good, today I will be smoking the other ham, which goes to my friend who paid me for half the hog. Jon I did like you said I bought another item from Waltons a slicing knife from Victorinox instead of a tip jar… Thanks for the help, take care.
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So I’ve done at least 300lbs of bacon with the dry rub. 2 things I got from your post. 1 if the meat is thin 1 1/2 inches or less you only need to cure about 3-4 days. When you rinse let them sit in the water for 20 minutes rinse and repeat. I do mine 4 times that way. Then in the fridge uncovered for a day to dry out. When smoking, you don’t have to give smoke the whole time. I only run smoke for about 2-3 hours the rest of the time is just heating to temp. Also if you have a water pan that helps get it up to temp better. I’m just using a masterbuilt 30 inch.
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AaronSilves That is a lot of bacon for sure, you’ve done more than I have! With rinsing it 4 times, you still feel like a decent amount of salt comes through? Also, do you coat the fat side? I’ve done it both ways and I don’t think the seasoning penetrates the fat at all.
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AaronSilves That is a lot of bacon for sure, you’ve done more than I have! With rinsing it 4 times, you still feel like a decent amount of salt comes through? Also, do you coat the fat side? I’ve done it both ways and I don’t think the seasoning penetrates the fat at all.
Jonathon yah I think it all is your personal preference on the saltiness. I would start at 3 or 4 rinses and see. As far as the fat side, yeah I rub it also. I’ve never tried it any other way so I can’t really tell you one way or another. I’ve also done a bunch of buck board bacon, pork shoulder turned into bacon. That I let sit with the rub 5 days. Rinse 4 also. Hope that helps. Once you get it dialed to your liking, it’s easy peasy.
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Wanted to add I just did a side by side with pork bellies from the same pig one with dry rub and one with dry rub + bacon booster and there is a difference the booster is a bit more salty and “bacony”. Extra rinses are needed if you add booster.
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When storing in a meat lug in the fridge, do you put a lid on the lug or keep it open to the air?
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When storing in a meat lug in the fridge, do you put a lid on the lug or keep it open to the air?
GWG8541 said in How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe:
When storing in a meat lug in the fridge, do you put a lid on the lug or keep it open to the air?
Dry rub bacon process is similar to the EQ method since both are a dry method, but differs in that it would appear you are adding more salt to the meat at the front end of the dry rub process, but then doing an extended soak and rinse to pull the excess salt out.
With the EQ method you are adding the exact amount of salt, sugar and cure to the belly, per lb of weight and make no effort to remove any of it after curing.
To the question of whether to cover or uncover the meat, with the EQ method, I wrap the belly in film after applying the rub, because I want as much of the rub to absorb into the meat as possible and not lose any as the natural juices sweat out of the meat.
To your question about covering or leaving the lug uncovered for the dry rub method, my concern about leaving it uncovered would be that the belly would lose more moisture due to being uncovered and also absorb undesirable odors from my refrigerator.
Moisture loss might not be that much, and the belly is going to dry even more in the smoker so maybe it doesn’t make any difference. In my refrigerator, I tend to keep things covered though, just so they don’t absorb odors from all the non-meat items I also store in there. -
GWG8541 said in How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe:
When storing in a meat lug in the fridge, do you put a lid on the lug or keep it open to the air?
Dry rub bacon process is similar to the EQ method since both are a dry method, but differs in that it would appear you are adding more salt to the meat at the front end of the dry rub process, but then doing an extended soak and rinse to pull the excess salt out.
With the EQ method you are adding the exact amount of salt, sugar and cure to the belly, per lb of weight and make no effort to remove any of it after curing.
To the question of whether to cover or uncover the meat, with the EQ method, I wrap the belly in film after applying the rub, because I want as much of the rub to absorb into the meat as possible and not lose any as the natural juices sweat out of the meat.
To your question about covering or leaving the lug uncovered for the dry rub method, my concern about leaving it uncovered would be that the belly would lose more moisture due to being uncovered and also absorb undesirable odors from my refrigerator.
Moisture loss might not be that much, and the belly is going to dry even more in the smoker so maybe it doesn’t make any difference. In my refrigerator, I tend to keep things covered though, just so they don’t absorb odors from all the non-meat items I also store in there.processhead Thanks Paul, I covered mine in the lug for the same reasons you mentioned.
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GWG8541 said in How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe:
When storing in a meat lug in the fridge, do you put a lid on the lug or keep it open to the air?
Dry rub bacon process is similar to the EQ method since both are a dry method, but differs in that it would appear you are adding more salt to the meat at the front end of the dry rub process, but then doing an extended soak and rinse to pull the excess salt out.
With the EQ method you are adding the exact amount of salt, sugar and cure to the belly, per lb of weight and make no effort to remove any of it after curing.
To the question of whether to cover or uncover the meat, with the EQ method, I wrap the belly in film after applying the rub, because I want as much of the rub to absorb into the meat as possible and not lose any as the natural juices sweat out of the meat.
To your question about covering or leaving the lug uncovered for the dry rub method, my concern about leaving it uncovered would be that the belly would lose more moisture due to being uncovered and also absorb undesirable odors from my refrigerator.
Moisture loss might not be that much, and the belly is going to dry even more in the smoker so maybe it doesn’t make any difference. In my refrigerator, I tend to keep things covered though, just so they don’t absorb odors from all the non-meat items I also store in there.processhead said in How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe:
To the question of whether to cover or uncover the meat, with the EQ method, I wrap the belly in film after applying the rub, because I want as much of the rub to absorb into the meat as possible and not lose any as the natural juices sweat out of the meat.
Paul, to be clear you are referring to cling wrap film and NOT |22-in-x-24-in-Collagen-Sheets used in dry aging right? The collagen sheets would allow it to breathe, but the cling wrap would not.
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processhead said in How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe:
To the question of whether to cover or uncover the meat, with the EQ method, I wrap the belly in film after applying the rub, because I want as much of the rub to absorb into the meat as possible and not lose any as the natural juices sweat out of the meat.
Paul, to be clear you are referring to cling wrap film and NOT |22-in-x-24-in-Collagen-Sheets used in dry aging right? The collagen sheets would allow it to breathe, but the cling wrap would not.
Ridley Acres said in How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe:
processhead said in How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe:
To the question of whether to cover or uncover the meat, with the EQ method, I wrap the belly in film after applying the rub, because I want as much of the rub to absorb into the meat as possible and not lose any as the natural juices sweat out of the meat.
Paul, to be clear you are referring to cling wrap film and NOT |22-in-x-24-in-Collagen-Sheets used in dry aging right? The collagen sheets would allow it to breathe, but the cling wrap would not.
Correct. I was referring to plastic film.
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Made my first 6 lbs of dry rub bacon, I only rinsed the bellies after 6 day, rather than the soak, rinse, repeat - boy it was salty. I should have read the instructions more carefully…
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Made my first 6 lbs of dry rub bacon, I only rinsed the bellies after 6 day, rather than the soak, rinse, repeat - boy it was salty. I should have read the instructions more carefully…
alanburkholder did you dry it on your Traeger?
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Made my first 6 lbs of dry rub bacon, I only rinsed the bellies after 6 day, rather than the soak, rinse, repeat - boy it was salty. I should have read the instructions more carefully…
“Made my first 6 lbs of dry rub bacon, I only rinsed the bellies after 6 day, rather than the soak, rinse, repeat - boy it was salty. I should have read the instructions more carefully…”
IMO you could be forgiven for making this mistake alanburkholder.
The web listing for Dry Rub Bacon Cure would have you believe you just need to rinse the pork belly after curing.
Jonathon IMO that could be a source of a lot of customer confusion and probably should be updated to include the soaking instructions. Or just removed from the web listing.

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alanburkholder did you dry it on your Traeger?
GWG8541 said in How to Make Homemade Dry Rub Bacon - Recipe:
alanburkholder did you dry it on your Traeger?
patted dry with paper towels then onto the traeger. Apple wood until internal temp was 137…
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I have the Excalibur products and the pork bellies to make this recipe now but my concern is controlling the temp of my smoker to that degree of accuracy. As far as smoke or no smoke I think I’m ok but those are some pretty tight temperature instructions. Anyone have any advice concerning this?
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I have the Excalibur products and the pork bellies to make this recipe now but my concern is controlling the temp of my smoker to that degree of accuracy. As far as smoke or no smoke I think I’m ok but those are some pretty tight temperature instructions. Anyone have any advice concerning this?
T Jake Not sure what you are asking about, controlling the temperature of your smoker, smoke schedule, …
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Waltons bacon recipe calls for very specific cooking times. 120,135,150, 165 and 180 degrees in one hour increments. I don’t think I can control my temps to that accuracy. I was wondering if others have had this problem. Are the temps they call for that critical?
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Waltons bacon recipe calls for very specific cooking times. 120,135,150, 165 and 180 degrees in one hour increments. I don’t think I can control my temps to that accuracy. I was wondering if others have had this problem. Are the temps they call for that critical?
T Jake Yes and no. What is the lowest that your equipment can go? I have made bacon on a Weber grill offsetting the coals and doing the best I could with the temps. You aren’t going to be able to do a whole belly that way, but you can make a chunk of bacon. I controlled the temp with how much charcoal I used and draft. The better that you can control the process the better the product you can produce. Use what you have, know it’s limitations, how you can overcome some of those and enjoy the experience and learn. Keep good notes.
If you have a smoker that runs hot, crack open the door, put a tray of ice in it. Maybe do your smoking on a cold day. Watch the temp of your product, get a good thermometer for that. The temperature and smoke schedule is set up to help the meat get ready to accept smoke, get the smoke and bring the meat to temperature. There is a lot to learn, but it is like eating an elephant, one bite at a time. Folks here will pass on their knowledge and experience willingly, have fun with the journey.
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I have a Fast Eddy pellet smoker that’s capable of hanging at least three bellies. The smoke setting, it’s lowest setting, usually runs at about 120 degrees. I think you are correct suggesting that I use a good thermometer. In fact, I think I’ll need several to monitor pit temp and belly temps. And I can always open the door to dump heat if I need to as you suggest. I guess I was hoping for a simple answer but as you say, its all about time and temperature.
Thanks YooperDog for your suggestions, I really appreciate it.
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I have a Fast Eddy pellet smoker that’s capable of hanging at least three bellies. The smoke setting, it’s lowest setting, usually runs at about 120 degrees. I think you are correct suggesting that I use a good thermometer. In fact, I think I’ll need several to monitor pit temp and belly temps. And I can always open the door to dump heat if I need to as you suggest. I guess I was hoping for a simple answer but as you say, its all about time and temperature.
Thanks YooperDog for your suggestions, I really appreciate it.
T Jake you can try a smoke tube with the door cracked open or run an offset set-up to keep the initial temperature low enough. Dumping heat isn’t the best solution, but I have done it when I realized I was losing control of my temperature. I have since upgraded over time but learned a lot experimenting with what I had. I have seen folks on here come up with some creative and simple solutions. processhead is turning a fridge into a smoker, passing along pic’s and a step by step tutorial.
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