Smoked

As I usually do with the bacon that I make, I divided each piece in half and smoked one half and baked the other. Since I began making bacon I have been interested in the taste difference between the smoked version of the cure spices and a "fresh" version. This being my first batch made with the Mangalitsa belly I especially wanted to taste the fresh bacon, unhindered by the flavor of the smoke.

The two bottom pieces are the "straight", smoked on the left, fresh on the right; 

the top pieces are pickled, again smoked on the left, fresh on the right.

There's not much to this post since I can't send actual pieces of bacon through the computer, but this is the best bacon that I've had yet. I was certainly correct in wanting to keep things simple so that the flavor of the pig can shine through. There is a sizable layer of fat on one end of the bacon, which I'm sure to some is off-putting, but on the fresh slices this almost becomes a lardo. Quite excellent!