Adapted from Jodie Kozloff, Palmer, Alaska
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | October 2025
There’s something deeply satisfying about making your own bacon, especially when it comes from your own kitchen in beautiful Palmer, Alaska. Think of this as the kind of project you’d start on a quiet Sunday, knowing that a week later, you’ll have smoky, perfectly seasoned slices ready to make your house smell like heaven.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds skinless, boneless pork belly (the best-quality you can find)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- ⅓ cup brown or white sugar
- 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper (optional, but wonderful)
- 1 teaspoon pink curing salt (Prague Powder #1)*
- Applewood chips, for smoking
Directions
To begin, cure the pork belly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, sugar, curing salt, and pepper (if using). Place the pork belly on a foil-lined tray and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Then, using half the mixture, generously rub the cure over every surface of the belly. Flip it over and repeat with the rest. Don’t forget the sides—every bit matters.
Slip the belly into a large resealable plastic bag, pour in any leftover cure, and press out the extra air before sealing. Place it on a tray (to catch any brine that forms) in the refrigerator for 7 days. Each day, flip the bag over and gently massage to redistribute the cure. By day seven, the salt and sugar will have transformed into a deliciously fragrant liquid brine.
After curing, let it rest.
Rinse the belly under cold running water to remove the extra cure, then pat dry again. Set it on a rack over a tray in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 24 hours. This helps dry the surface and prepares it for smoking, just like a good piece of salmon benefits from pellicle formation.
Now, the Delicious Part: Smoking.
Prepare your smoker with applewood chips and heat to 200°F. Smoke the pork belly for about 3 hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F. The aroma at this point will make you want to move into your smokehouse permanently.
Once done, let it cool slightly, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight. Slice as needed, or vacuum-seal portions for later. It keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up to a week; or freeze it for months of happy breakfasts.
Culinary Note
This recipe scales beautifully: if your belly is on the larger side, simply increase your cure ingredients proportionally. Weighing your meat before curing ensures precision and safety … something Ina 👩🏻🍳 would absolutely endorse.
Safety Notes (verified 2024–2025 guidelines)
- Curing salt precision: Prague Powder #1 must be used at 0.25% of meat weight, about ¼ teaspoon (approximately 4.5g) per 5 pounds of meat, to stay within USDA’s 120–200 ppm safe nitrite range.
- Temperature control: Always cure and rest at or below 40°F to prevent Clostridium botulinum growth.
- Do not alter curing salt ratios or extend the cure time unnecessarily, as excessive nitrite levels can be toxic.
- Avoid overcooking: Bacon browned or charred at overly high temperatures can form nitrosamines; medium doneness is safest.
- Label for freezing: Vacuum-sealed bacon should be clearly dated and frozen promptly if not consumed within 7 days.
Jodie’s original Alaskan bacon recipe is an excellent foundation: precise in timing, method, and proportions. With a touch of thoughtful attention to detail, it becomes something beautifully simple, gracefully executed, and deeply comforting.
