A historical meat preservation from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). The sweetest flavor when smoking is derived from black birch chips, but if these are not available, hickory is the next best wood. It requires three weeks or a month to smoke this bacon properly.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Select a hog that is not too large or too fat, weighing not over two hundred pounds
After the hog is dressed and cooled, cut it up into proper pieces
Mix the salt, saltpetre, and sugar in the proportions given for every hundred pounds of meat
Rub this preparation thoroughly over and into each piece
Place the pieces into a tight tub or suitable cask
A brine will form from the juices of the meat - baste the meat with this brine two or three times a week
Turn each piece every time you baste
For smoking: use black birch chips for the sweetest flavor, or hickory as the next best wood
Avoid corn-cobs as they impart a rank flavor
Smoke for three weeks or a month properly
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
The combination of salt, saltpeter (sodium nitrate), and sugar creates a multi-layered preservation system. Salt draws moisture from the meat through osmosis, creating an inhospitable environment for bacteria while concentrating flavor. Saltpeter prevents botulism and contributes to the characteristic pink color and cured flavor by converting to nitric oxide. Sugar balances the harshness of salt, feeds beneficial lactobacillus bacteria, and aids in forming a protective pellicle during smoking. The extended cold-smoking process further dehydrates the meat and deposits antimicrobial compounds from wood smoke, creating shelf-stable bacon.
This entire recipe is a make-ahead preservation method. The curing process takes 3-4 weeks in the brine, followed by 3-4 weeks of cold smoking. Once fully cured and smoked, the bacon was historically stored in cool cellars wrapped in cheesecloth or hung in muslin bags for 6-12 months.
After completing the full cure and smoke, wrap individual pieces tightly in cheesecloth or butcher paper and store in a cool (below 60°F), dry, dark location with good air circulation. Properly cured and smoked bacon will keep for several months. Modern practitioners should refrigerate or freeze the finished product: refrigerate wrapped portions for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months. Slice as needed and cook thoroughly before consumption.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
This entire recipe is a make-ahead preservation method. The curing process takes 3-4 weeks in the brine, followed by 3-4 weeks of cold smoking. Once fully cured and smoked, the bacon was historically stored in cool cellars wrapped in cheesecloth or hung in muslin bags for 6-12 months.
After completing the full cure and smoke, wrap individual pieces tightly in cheesecloth or butcher paper and store in a cool (below 60°F), dry, dark location with good air circulation. Properly cured and smoked bacon will keep for several months. Modern practitioners should refrigerate or freeze the finished product: refrigerate wrapped portions for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months. Slice as needed and cook thoroughly before consumption.
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