As soon as you learn how to make Beef Bacon Strips, you’ll be on a flavor-packed adventure. You can sprinkle crispy bits on salads or donuts, eat it in long strips with your eggs, or wrap it around turkey, chicken breasts, or meatloaf for an extra burst of goodness. The trick to making it taste rich and slightly sweet is to cook it over low heat, letting the fat gently render without burning the yummy meaty bits.
Beef bacon has become popular all over the world because it tastes great and is a great alternative to pork bacon, winning over foodies one bite at a time.
Beef Bacon Strips
Even though not everyone likes the classic taste of bacon, some people also can’t cook pork bacon because of cultural or social reasons. For these people, beef bacon is a great alternative. Beef bacon that is cooked well has a more delicious flavor and crispier texture than pork bacon. Finding beef bacon in stores can be hard, though.
Since it’s not mass-produced like regular bacon, people who want a beefy snack might feel alone. No worries! I’m here to ensure that all of my readers get a chance to enjoy the delicious flavor and texture of beef bacon. I usually keep both beef and pork bacon at home, and I switch between them for breakfast, lunch, and other meals.
Also, beef bacon can be used in a lot of delicious recipes, and I’ll be giving you some of them soon. So keep on reading and get ready to learn more about beef bacon.
Why is bacon so different from other meat forms?
This is because thin pieces are usually cut from a pork belly with a lot of fat. In Canada and Australia, pork loin is sometimes also used to make bacon. This fat content is what makes bacon fat when you cook it, giving you enough grease to cook beef bacon without needing to add more oil. For beef bacon, slices are cut from the belly, and when they are cooked, the fats make a beautiful golden stripe on each piece.
Beef brisket bacon has also grown in popularity recently. You don’t always have to use belly meat for bacon; beef brisket can do the job just as well. In fact, it gives a nice, fatty cut of meat that’s ideal for bacon.
Cutting bacon from the brisket can be difficult, so I always recommend leaving this job to the experts. Before curing, you can cut away any extra fat or meat you want. Just wrap it in plastic until you’re ready for the curing process.
Beef belly bacon has become a popular alternative to traditional pork bacon, not only because it tastes different but also because it allows people to try new ways to make classic dishes. With beef bacon, you can add flavor to a lot of different dishes, like scrambled eggs, quiches, lasagna, sandwiches, bacon cups, and muffins. There are a lot of things you can do with beef bacon, so get creative and enjoy the tasty world of beef bacon!
How to Make Beef Bacon Strips?
Get ready to make beef bacon before your next meal and surprise your family and friends with a beefy treat. There are four important steps to making delicious bacon. We’ll start with raw meat, then cure it, smoke it, and cook it. At each step, we’ll talk about how important it is to transform beef.
As I’ve already said, belly or navel beef is best for this task, but you can also use brisket if you want to try something new. Make sure to pay close attention to the timing of each step, as one mistake can throw off the whole recipe. I know this from personal experience!
If you’re on a health-conscious diet, you might want to cut back on sugar or use an alternative like low-carb sweeteners. Brown sugar can also be used instead of white sugar. If you like milder flavors, skip the paprika and use ground black pepper to season the bacon.
A dry spice rub helps cure and dry the beef, so don’t use wet ingredients like lemon juice. Remember, we are making bacon, not grilled beef! The four steps of making bacon are curing the meat, drying it, smoking it, and finally, cooking it. Let’s dig deeper into these steps and get you closer to that delicious beef bacon.
Ingredients
These amounts are for a 5 lb piece of beef belly. You can change them based on your taste preferences and the spices you choose.
- 5 lb beef of belly
- 1/4 cup of dry spices (choose your preferred mixes, such as paprika, black pepper, and garlic powder)
- 1/4 cup of sugar (or an alternative low-carb sweetener)
- 1/4 cup of kosher salt (or fine sea salt)
Curing Beef Bacon
- Curing is like marination, as it infuses flavor into the meat while tenderizing it.
- Choose the portion of the beef belly you want to use for your bacon.
- Slice the belly so that the fat extends longitudinally in the rectangular beef piece.
- Gently rub the beef with dry spices and sugar.
- For even flavor, mix spices, sugar, and salt together before rubbing on both sides of the bacon.
- Place the belly in a Ziplock bag and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
- Shake and flip the bag once a day to ensure even curing.
- Maximum of 5 days for optimal results.
Drying Beef Bacon
- Rinse the cured meat thoroughly under cold tap water, making sure every part is washed and rinsed.
- Place the meat on layers of paper towels to absorb excess water and pat dry.
- Ideally, refrigerate the meat overnight for better drying.
- If short on time, refrigerate for a few hours, uncovered, before proceeding.
Smoking Beef Bacon
- Prepare the smoker (gas, electric, etc.) and set the temperature to 200-215°F.
- Prepare the smoker grill or baking sheet to smoke the dried beef.
- Remove the smoker lid, place the beef inside, and cover the lid.
- Check the internal temperature using a kitchen thermometer.
Cooking Beef Bacon
Like pork bacon, beef bacon can be cooked in different ways, with searing being one of the most popular.
- Slice the smoked beef bacon into thin slices, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, before you cook it. Most of the time, thicker cuts of pork bacon are used, while thin slices are preferred for beef bacon.
- Follow the golden fat ribbons extending through the meat to guide your slicing of the bacon strips.
- In a pan over medium-low heat, sear the slices until they become crispy.
Storing Beef Bacon
Cooked beef bacon can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 14 days, allowing you to enjoy it for nearly half a month.
Want more beef bacon awesomeness? Share the tempting image below on your Pinterest board and invite your friends to join in the beef bacon fun! Let’s make a delicious stir and enjoy this delightful treat together.
