Sorghum Cured Smoked Bacon

1.   Prepare the Cure. Combine the salt, pink salt and sugar in a bowl and mix so the ingredients are evenly distributed. Add the sorghum syrup and stir to combine.

2.   Cure the Meat. Rub the cure mixture over the entire surface of the sidemeat. Place skin side down in a ziploc bag slightly bigger than the meat slab.

3. Refrigerate the meat for 7 days.   Flip the ziploc bag every other day so that the sidemeat is cured evenly and firm to the touch.

4.   Prepare the meat for smoking Remove the sidemeat from the refrigerator and ziploc bag.  Rinse throughly and pat it dry.  Place on a rack set over a baking sheet try and dry in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours.

5.   Smoke the sidemeat  Smoke the meat for about 2 or 3 hours by hot smoking at 200 degrees. The internal temperature should reach 150 degrees. If after smoking, the internal temperature hasn't reached 150 degrees then finish in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees.