EQ Bacon

Maple Bourbon Reserve

Maple Bourbon Style EQ Bacon

Maple Bourbon Reserve is an equilibrium-cured bacon made from pork belly. Smoke at 180-200°F (82-93°C) and finish at an internal 150°F (66°C). Exact amounts scale to any batch weight in the DeepWoodz Smokehouse app for iPhone and Android.

Maple sugar rather than syrup, because syrup thins the cure and runs off the belly instead of staying on it. The bourbon goes in for the vanilla and oak that survive the smoke. Cherry and maple wood carry the same idea through to the finish.

• Sweet
• Maple
• Bourbon
• Smoky

Internal temp

150°F (66°C)

Smoker temp

180-200°F (82-93°C)

Bloom

12-24 hours (pellicle)

What goes in it

• Kosher Salt
• Cure #1
• Maple Sugar Powder
• Coarse Black Pepper
• Bourbon

Amounts are calculated for your batch weight in the app — including the cure, which is held at a fixed, food-safe rate.

The meat

Pork Belly

How it's made

1. Weigh the pork belly on a digital scale. Calculate all cure amounts as percentages of this weight.
2. Mix salt, Cure #1, maple sugar, and black pepper together.
3. Drizzle bourbon over the belly, then rub the dry cure mix evenly over all surfaces.
4. Vacuum seal or place in a zip-lock bag with air removed.
5. Cure in the refrigerator for 7-14 days, flipping every other day.
6. Remove from bag — do NOT rinse. Pat dry with paper towels.
7. Place uncovered on a rack in the fridge for 12-24 hours to form a pellicle.
8. Hot smoke at 180-200°F with cherry or maple wood until internal temperature reaches 150°F.
9. Refrigerate overnight before slicing.

Wood

Cherry · Maple

Before you start

• How much Cure #1 per pound
• Venison to pork fat ratio