Beef ·
Should we be making bacon from beef? Well I did and it was incredible! If you have the time, and want to try something new, check out this recipe to make beef brisket bacon.
Category
Breakfast
Servings
2kg
Prep time
120 hours
Cook time
2-3 hours
Should we be making bacon from beef? Well I did and it was incredible! If you have the time, and want to try something new, check out this recipe to make beef brisket bacon.
Note: The actual prep only takes about 20 minutes but you need 5-7 days to let it cure which is why the prep time is listed at 120 hours.
Ingredients
- 2kg beef brisket (100%)
- 25g brown sugar (1.25%)
- 50g fine sea salt (2.5%)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground pimento
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Directions
Cure the beef
Trim any excess fat from the brisket and place in a large tray.
- Combine the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Rub all over the beef on all sides until well coated.
- Transfer the beef to a vacuum sealer bag or ziplock bag and seal. Refrigerate for 5-7 days, turning and massaging the meat every 24 hours.
Rinse and dry
Rinse the beef well in cold water to remove all of the cure, then pat dry.
- Place on a wire rack over a tray and refrigerate overnight to dry out.
Smoke the bacon
Preheat a smoker to 100°C (210°F). Place the beef directly on the smoker grill.
- Smoke the beef for 2-3 hours, until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the beef reaches 65°C (150°F) (begin checking after 1½ hours smoking).
- Set the bacon aside on a wire rack to cool completely, before refrigerating.
- Slice the bacon thinly, then pan fry or cook in a hot oven until crispy. Serve as you would other bacon.
Recipe notes
Cook support
Turning the beef every 24 hours in the meat will help to evenly distribute the cure and massaging it into the meat will help the process along.
Sourcing
Ask your butcher for a thick piece of beef brisket, or you can use beef belly (navel) to get as close to mimicking pork bacon as possible.
Serving ideas
Slice the beef thinly and fry it to serve as rashes, or you can dice it up and use it as you would a piece of speck, ham or cured sausage in fried rice, pastas etc.
