1st time bacon

My first-ever attempt at smoking and curing my own bacon was a total win. Honestly? It was way more fun than I expected — and miles better than store-bought. The flavor was just… louder. Richer. More bacon-y than bacon has any right to be.

We used a pork belly with the skin still on for this batch, which worked, but next time I’m definitely removing the skin for easier slicing and a cleaner finish. I’m also going to smoke it low and slow at a much lower temp to coax out even more flavor.

Homemade bacon is one of those projects that feels intimidating until you do it — then suddenly you’re like, “Wait… why haven’t I always done this?” And before you know it you’re mentally clearing freezer space for future slabs of pork belly.