Making a BLT Breakfast Bagel ...But We "Made" the Bacon Too!!!

This bacon version started with a whole pork belly. It was thoroughly rubbed in spices and curing salt...wrapped in plastic and left to cure in the fridge for 7-10 days (the thicker the meat the longer it needs to cure)

So my husband has fully embraced the art of making his own bacon and sausage... it's delicious to start, but have you ever read the ingredients on some store bought varieties? Sounds like it will preserve me as much as it did the bacon! That is why I loved that my husband's new hobby fell completely in line with my desire to eat whole foods in which I new the ingredients of!

This bacon version started with a whole pork belly. It was throughly rubbed in spices and curing salt...wrapped in plastic and left to cure in the fridge for 7-10 days (the thicker the meat the longer it needs to cure)

One of the best things we ever bought was our Traeger smoker. It allows us to add an additional flavour profile and cooking technique into our arsenal. They offer several different wood pellets to naturally smoke flavour into your meats... Wait till I show you our Ribs on the smoker!

I mention the Traeger because once the bacon in this case is cured we stick it on the smoker to lock in all the spices and "crust" the outside of the pork belly. I will say in order to effectively cut the pork belly into relatively thin bacon slices, you need to invest in a good knife. For my husband's 40th I invested in Shun knives for him. #shun is a world class company and consistently rates in the top 10 chef's knives to purchase. Check out http://chefknives.expert

So now that I'm thinking breakfast... how do I incorporate this deliciousness into meal planning? I'm a huge fan of the taste and simplicity of the BLT! It's just the perfect blend of fresh from the crisp lettuce and tomatoes with a creamy addition of butter and mayonnaise and the salty main feature of the bacon! Especially when thick cut as these were . While I know that often bacon is a pan fried meat... I have grown fond of baking bacon with a drip pan to minimize them swimming in the fat that naturally releases during the cooking process. I find the results are a more consistently crispy bacon and limits the need to dry them off prior to use. Into the oven they go! #homemadebacon

I don't think I have to go into details on how to construct the BLT. But I will say in this sandwich I used an organic white bagel, tomatoes and lettuce! I have tried several brands of organic mayo... don't love them so we use Hellman's with olive oil and of course #earthbalance non-dairy spread instead of butter.

Some fresh cracked pepper and pink salt... it was a delicious and filling breakfast full of ingredients I can pronounce and source for myself! Have any of you made bacon or sausages? What was your story about it... some cool tips and tricks? I would love to hear them and subscribers will receive some additional tips and give aways!... please subscribe!

The Recipe:

The bacon:

5 pound Pork Belly

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 tsp tong master curing salt

1/4 cup coconut sugar

2 tbsp. red pepper flakes

2 tbsp. fresh cracked pepper

2 tbsp. paprika

1 tsp cumin seeds

Cure of 7-10 days and then smoke on low for 2 hours then transition to the oven at 200 degrees for an additional 2 hours. If you do not have a smoker you can cook in the oven at 200 degrees for 4 hours as well. It needs to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees

Slice and store in freezer safe bags.

The BLT:

Butter bagel and add mayonnaise

Cook the bacon to order, oven or frying pan to desired crispiness

Dust with salt and pepper and layer with tomato and lettuce

Put in desired amount of Bacon and enjoy!