Overview

Make beef navel bacon with an equilibrium dry cure and a clean post oak smoke. This guide covers cure math, pellicle, hot-smoking to 150°F (66°C), and pro slicing and storage.

Ingredients

• Beef navel (plate), 5 lb (2.27 kg)
• Kosher salt 57 g (2.5% of meat; ~3 tbsp Morton, ~5 tbsp Diamond Crystal—go by weight)
• White or light brown sugar 23 g (1.0% of meat; ~1 tbsp + 2 tsp)
• Prague Powder #1 (6.25% sodium nitrite) 5.7 g (0.25% of meat; ~1 level tsp per 5 lb/2.27 kg)
• Coarse black pepper 6 g (~2 tsp)
• Smoked paprika 6 g (~2 tsp)
• Garlic powder 4 g (~1 tsp)
• Ground coriander 4 g (~1.5 tsp)
• Crushed red pepper, optional 2 g (~1 tsp)
• Maple syrup, optional 30 ml (2 tbsp) as a binder

Equipment

• Accurate digital scale (0.1 g resolution)
• Vacuum sealer or heavy zip‑top bags
• Wire rack and rimmed sheet pan
• Offset, kettle, pellet, or cabinet smoker (steady at 200–225°F / 93–107°C)
• Leave‑in probe and instant‑read thermometer
• Sharp slicing knife or meat slicer
• Cut‑resistant glove and nitrile gloves
• Butcher paper or foil
• Nonreactive tub or tray for curing

Wood

Post oak (Texas standard), optionally a small split of cherry for color

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 215 °F (102 °C)
Target internal: 150 °F (66 °C)
Approx duration: 4 hours

What You’re Making

Beef navel bacon is cured and smoked beef plate (navel) that eats like pork bacon but with deep, beefy richness. We’ll use an equilibrium dry cure for precision, then hot-smoke to 150°F (66°C) so the slab is fully cooked, easy to slice, and ready to pan‑crisp.

Sourcing and Trim

Ask your butcher for beef navel or plate, ideally a uniform 4–6 lb (1.8–2.7 kg) slab about 1.5–2 in (4–5 cm) thick. Square the edges for even slices, remove ragged fat and surface silverskin, and leave a thin, even fat cap. Pat dry. Weigh the slab accurately; all cure amounts are based on this weight.

Cure Math (Equilibrium Method)

Equilibrium curing avoids guessing and over‑salting. Weigh the meat in grams, then calculate: salt 2.5% of meat weight; sugar 1.0%; Prague Powder #1 (6.25% sodium nitrite) 0.25%—that’s 2.5 g per kg of meat, or about 1 level tsp per 5 lb (2.27 kg). Spices are to taste; keep them modest so beef leads. Example for 5 lb (2.27 kg): salt 57 g, sugar 23 g, Cure #1 5.7 g.

Mix the Cure

Combine the measured salt, sugar, Cure #1, and spices until uniform so the nitrite disperses evenly. Handle Cure #1 carefully; measure by weight when possible and keep it separate from table salt. Optional: a small drizzle of maple syrup (about 2 tbsp/30 ml) helps adhesion without shifting cure math.

Curing: Step by Step

Rub the cure evenly over all surfaces, paying attention to edges. Bag the slab in a vacuum bag or heavy zip bag, pressing out air. Label with date and weight. Cure under refrigeration at 34–38°F (1–3°C) for 6–8 days for a 1.5–2 in (4–5 cm) thick slab, flipping and massaging once daily to redistribute brine. Thicker pieces may need up to 10 days; equilibrium cure prevents over‑salting even with extra time.

Rinse, Desalt Check, and Pellicle

Remove from the bag, rinse briefly under cold water, and pat very dry. Fry a small trimming to check salt. If too salty, soak the slab in cold water 30–45 minutes, then dry and test again. Place on a wire rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered 12–24 hours to form a tacky, dry pellicle—this layer grabs smoke cleanly. The surface should feel dry‑tacky, not wet.

Smoke: Fire, Wood, Temps, Doneness

Run your smoker steady at 200–225°F (93–107°C). Burn clean, thin blue smoke—post oak is the Texas standard and pairs beautifully with beef; a touch of cherry adds color. Rack the slab fat‑side up and insert a probe in the thickest section. Plan roughly 3–5 hours to reach 150°F (66°C) internal. Doneness check: internal 150°F (66°C), fat turns translucent, and the surface is bronze without oily pooling. If the cooker runs dry, a small water pan helps stabilize heat. Avoid pushing past 155°F (68°C) or texture can toughen.

Rapid Chill, Rest, and Slice

When the slab hits 150°F (66°C), move it to a clean rack and chill quickly. For minimal purge and clean slices, bag the hot slab and submerge in an ice bath until the center drops below 40°F (4°C), then refrigerate 8–12 hours to firm. Slice across the grain: for classic bacon, about 1/8 in (3 mm); for lardons, 1/2 in (12 mm). A partially frozen slab slices clean on a slicer.

Cook and Serve

Although fully cooked, beef bacon shines when crisped. Pan‑fry over medium heat 2–4 minutes a side until edges crackle, or bake on a rack at 400°F (205°C) for 12–18 minutes, rotating the pan once. Expect quicker browning if you used sugar or maple. Serve on BLTs, burgers, breakfast plates, or dice into beans and greens.

Storage and Yield

Vacuum‑sealed slabs keep 2–3 weeks refrigerated; slices 1–2 weeks. Freeze slabs or portioned packs up to 6 months for best quality. Label with cure and smoke dates. Expect 10–15% weight loss during cure and smoke combined, depending on trim and dryness.

Troubleshooting

Too salty: soak 30–60 minutes in cold water, dry, and re‑test fry. Patchy color: pellicle wasn’t set; next time dry longer before smoke. Bland smoke: your fire was white and billowy; clean up the combustion and use seasoned wood. Rubbery: you pulled early; ensure 150°F (66°C) internal. Crumbly or dry slices: overcooked above 155–160°F (68–71°C) or sliced warm; chill hard before slicing.

Food‑Safety Essentials

Use Prague Powder #1 only (not Cure #2), measured accurately: 0.25% of meat weight. Keep meat at 34–38°F (1–3°C) during curing and drying; wash hands and sanitize surfaces after handling raw beef. Prevent cross‑contamination in the fridge. After smoking, chill the slab through 40°F (4°C) quickly—ice bath or blast chiller—then refrigerate. Reheat or pan‑fry slices from cold; do not hold between 40–140°F (4–60°C) for more than 4 hours total.

Notes

• Equilibrium cure formula: salt 2.25–2.75%, sugar 0.5–1.5%, Cure #1 at 0.25% of meat weight; weigh the meat and cures in grams.
• Flip and massage the bag daily during the cure to redistribute brine and ensure even penetration.
• Form a proper pellicle by drying 12–24 hours at 34–38°F (1–3°C); the surface should feel tacky, not wet.
• Target clean, thin blue smoke; avoid heavy white smoke which tastes bitter on cured meats.
• For ultra‑clean slices, chill the smoked slab overnight or briefly firm in the freezer before slicing.
• Cold‑smoke variation: you can cold‑smoke 2–4 sessions below 90°F (32°C) after curing and pellicle, then cook slices to 145°F (63°C) when serving; this guide uses hot‑smoke to 150°F (66°C) for ready‑to‑eat convenience.