Costco was selling skinless pork bellies for $3/lb. Picked up a 10-pounder and cut it in half.
Cure was the Basic Dry Cure from Ruhlman's Charcuterie.
Belly on the left got bay leaves, garlic and black pepper. On the right, maple syrup.
Both bellies were cured in the fridge, flipping the bag every other day for 9 days.
On day 9, I took them out of the bags, rinsed the cure off and set them on a rack in the fridge to dry for a day.
Set up a fuse in the WSM, cherry for smoke. All bottom vents closed except the port I use for the BBQ guru. I think it was running at 150F or so.
After 7 hours of smoke:
Pretty happy with the fuse method.
Chilled for a day and beginning to slice:
All ready for the vacuum sealer.
Cure was the Basic Dry Cure from Ruhlman's Charcuterie.
Belly on the left got bay leaves, garlic and black pepper. On the right, maple syrup.
Both bellies were cured in the fridge, flipping the bag every other day for 9 days.
On day 9, I took them out of the bags, rinsed the cure off and set them on a rack in the fridge to dry for a day.

Set up a fuse in the WSM, cherry for smoke. All bottom vents closed except the port I use for the BBQ guru. I think it was running at 150F or so.

After 7 hours of smoke:

Pretty happy with the fuse method.

Chilled for a day and beginning to slice:

All ready for the vacuum sealer.

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