BACON RIND RECIPES

Steps:

• Hot Water Pastry Put the flour and salt into a bowl and stir to combine. Break the egg into the middle of the flour. Beat the egg, in the bowl, combining it with the flour until it is dispersed through the flour. Measure the water into a saucepan, add the lard and put over a medium heat. As soon as the pan comes to the boil, remove it from the heat. Pour the hot liquid into the flour mixture while stirring. Using your hands gather the mix together to form a soft and smooth ball of dough. Cover and leave for 20 minutes. Pork Pie Filling Measure the sage, salt, mace and ground pepper into a small bowl and stir to combine. Finely grate the lemon rind into the bowl and stir to make the seasoning mix. Put the pork mince, sausage meat and chopped bacon into a mixing bowl and mix together well. Stir in the seasoning mix. Raised Pork Pie Pre heat the oven. Rub butter generously around the base and sides of a 15cm/6” round, loose bottom, deep cake tin or insert a baking liner. Take two thirds of the pastry and press it into the bottom and sides of the dish. Tip the pie filling into the pastry lined tin and smooth the top. Moisten the pastry rim with water. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, put the remaining dough in the middle and sprinkle it with more flour. Roll the pastry into a 15cm/6” circle. Brush a little water around the circumference of the pastry circle. Press a 3cm/1¼” cookie cutter or egg cup into the centre of the pastry and remove the small pastry circle. This will allow steam to escape during cooking. Transfer the pastry circle over the filled pie, inverting it so the moistened side is down. Press, pinch or crimp together the outside edges using your fingers or the flat prongs of a fork. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the top of the pie. Place the pie on an oven tray and bake for 70-80 minutes until golden. Allow the pie to cool completely in the tin. Carefully push and lift the cold pie out of the tin. Wrap the pie and refrigerate. Best eaten within 3-4 days.

Steps:

• Rinse the pork belly and pat dry. Transfer to a resealable 2-gallon plastic bag. To make the spice rub, mix the kosher salt, pink salt, brown sugar, honey, red pepper flakes, paprika and cumin in a bowl. Coat the pork belly all over with the mixture.
• Close the bag and refrigerate 7 to 10 days, flipping once a day, until the pork belly feels firm. It should take 7 days for a thin belly that is about 11/2 inches thick, longer for a belly that's 2 to 3 inches thick.
• Remove the pork belly from the bag, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Refrigerate the belly on a rack, uncovered, 48 hours.
• Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions using applewood chips, and set to 200 degrees F. Smoke the pork belly 3 hours, or until the bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F.
• Remove the rind (optional), then slice and cook as desired. To store, wrap the bacon in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 2 months.
• Pink curing salt is a mix of salt and sodium nitrite. It keeps the meat pink and protects it from bacteria. You can find it at specialty food stores or online.