Homemade Applewood-Smoked Maple Bacon

Making bacon has been on my to-do list for a while now. I was able to find some nice pork belly in the butcher case, so I grabbed a few pounds and set off on making this homemade applewood-smoked maple bacon.

The end result was absolutely great. This is easily the best bacon I’ve ever had. There’s a hint of maple, a hint of smoke, and great texture and flavor. Outstandingly good and so easy that I will always make bacon from here on any time that I have my smoker going.

Homemade Applewood-Smoked Maple Bacon

Price-wise, this homemade applewood-smoked maple bacon is also cheaper than store bought, and you can slice it any way that you like, from super thick to wafer thin. I think I paid about $1.99/pound for the pork. I did have to remove the skin (which I saved for making cracklins at a later time). That took a little effort. If you get your pork belly from a butcher you might want to ask to have the skin removed for you.

I prefer to use fruit or nut woods when I smoke unless I want a heavier smoke flavor. Pecan, apple or cherry are my favorites. I used apple for this bacon.

Also try my Sriracha and chipotle bacon.

Homemade Applewood-Smoked Maple Bacon
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Applewood-Smoked Maple Bacon

Making bacon has been on my to-do list for a while now. I was able to find some nice pork belly in the butcher case, so I grabbed a few pounds and set off on making this homemade applewood-smoked maple bacon.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon, homemade, smoked
Prep Time 7 days
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 7 days 2 hours
Servings 1 pound
Calories 5129kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pound pork belly skin removed (save for making cracklins). Choose a belly that is consistent in thickness so that it cooks evenly.
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon Pink Curing Salt
  • 3 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons maple syrup Grade B if you can find it, otherwise Grade A will work do
  • ½ cup cold water

Instructions

  • Put the belly into a large resealable bag.
  • Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add to the baggie.
  • Seal the bag, trying to remove as much air as possible. Place in to a deep flat pan (in case the bag leaks) in the fridge for 7 days, flipping over twice a day.
  • The day you are ready to smoke, fire up your smoker for 225 F cooking over a light wood such as apple.
  • Remove belly from the bag and rinse well with cold water.
  • Place belly onto smoker and smoke for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the meat reaches 150 F.
  • Remove belly from smoker and let cool slightly before placing in the fridge for an hour.
  • Slice bacon as desired. Bake, pan fry, or use however you wish!
  • Store smoked bacon in a plastic bag or container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 5129kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 85g | Fat: 481g | Saturated Fat: 175g | Cholesterol: 653mg | Sodium: 7285mg | Potassium: 2061mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 95g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Maple Bacon Milkshake

Well, there are good milkshakes and then there are great milkshakes. And you know that a maple bacon milkshake is great. It has to be. Quality vanilla ice cream, whole milk (no point in using lowfat milk in this milkshake), real maple syrup, and of course, bacon. A few seconds in the blender and into a glass, topped with whipped cream and a little bacon garnish. Absolutely fantastic!

Maple Bacon Milkshake

I love making and drinking milkshakes. They remind me of my days as a kid when I could drink as many of them as I could find. I have to exercise a bit more control now, but I still enjoy them. Try my cola, chocolate with Nutella and old fashioned malted milkshakes.

Maple Bacon Milkshake
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4.50 from 2 votes

Maple Bacon Milkshake

Well, there are good milkshakes and then there are great milkshakes. And you know that a maple bacon milkshake is great. It has to be.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon, maple, milkshake
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 356kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon cooked
  • ¼ cup milk or more
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 8 scoops vanilla Ice cream
  • whipped cream

Instructions

  • Crumble 5 of the pieces of bacon into a blender.
  • Add the milk, syrup, salt, and ice cream.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Pour into chilled glasses and top with whipped cream and additional bacon piece.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Maple Bacon Donuts

You have the grill fired up (for me that’s usually my Weber). You just finished off a great dinner consisting of burgers, grilled corn-on-the-cob, a wedge salad, and some ice cold watermelon. It’s time for some grilled maple bacon donuts! Just toss a few donuts on a hot grill for 1 or so minutes per side, just long enough to get them warm and get some pretty grill marks, and you’re ready to eat!

Grilled Maple Bacon Donuts

I used maple syrup oh my grilled maple bacon donuts, but you know these treats would be just as great with chocolate or fudge syrup and chopped toasted nuts. Or anything, really. NOTHING is as good as a grilled glazed donut. Nothing. Well, maybe you could use a bear claw. Or an eclair. Oh man, an elcair! Ok, that’s what I’m making next!

Also try my pineapple donuts.

Grilled Maple Bacon Donuts
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Maple Bacon Donuts

Just toss a few donuts on a hot grill for 1 or so minutes per side, just long enough to get them warm and get some pretty grill marks, and you’re ready to eat!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon, donuts, grilled, maple
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 46kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 4 glazed donuts
  • maple syrup the real stuff
  • 2-3 pieces bacon cooked (you have the grill going so might as well cook the bacon on the grill!), crumbled

Instructions

  • Grill the donuts for about 1 minute on each side.
  • Serve drizzled with syrup and sprinkled with the bacon.

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the donuts.

Nutrition

Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 22mg | Vitamin A: 4IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoked Bone-In Maple Turkey Breast

Smoking a turkey breast isn’t like smoking ribs or pulled pork, which I usually cook at temperatures around 225 F. For a turkey skin to get good and crisp you need a higher temperature. I smoked this turkey breast at 350 F. I also basted it with a wonderful maple butter sauce at the end. This smoked bone-in maple turkey breast was fantastic. It’s easier than it might seem and incredibly tasty and moist. The breast meat is amazing.

Smoked Bone-In Maple Turkey Breast

If you are using a natural turkey breast you will want to brine it before cooking it. If you are using a self-basting breast (like I did), no brining is required. Most frozen breasts are already brined, so read the package first. Either way you’ll enjoy this great smoked bone-in maple turkey breast for dinner. Or lunch.

I smoked this turkey using my Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker but I did not put any water in the water pan so I could reach 350 F.

I prefer to use fruit or nut woods when I smoke unless I want a heavier smoke flavor. Pecan, apple or cherry are my favorites. I used apple for this turkey.

Also try my smoked boneless turkey breast.

Smoked Bone-In Maple Turkey Breast
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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Bone-In Maple Turkey Breast

If you are using a natural turkey breast you will want to brine it before cooking it. If you are using a self-basting breast (like I did), no brining is required. Either way you’ll enjoy this great smoked bone-in maple turkey breast for dinner.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword breast, smoked, turkey
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 176kcal
Author MIke

Ingredients

For the maple butter glaze

Instructions

  • Start up your smoker and get the cooking temperature to 350 F. Add only 1 or 2 small chunks of smoking wood.
  • Rinse and dry the turkey.
  • Sprinkle the breast with rub and massage into the meat.
  • Put turkey onto smoker and cook until meat temperature approaches 155 F.
  • Baste the turkey with the glaze and continue cooking until turkey reaches 165 F, glazing a few times as it cooks.
  • Remove turkey and let rest 20 minutes before carving.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 260mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce

Do you always put ketchup on your fries? Or maybe mayonnaise? Well, try this great maple mustard dipping sauce for a change. It has the kick of yellow, Dijon and stone ground mustards, with the sweetness of real maple syrup. This is a totally different, great change from all those countless fries that have met their demise in a pool of ketchup. Put that ketchup away, you don’t need it any more!

Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce

This maple mustard dipping sauce also makes for yummy chicken finger dipping! Oh, and corn dogs? They abolulely scream for this sauce!

Also try my Sriracha mustard sauce.

Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce
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4 from 1 vote

Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce

Do you always put ketchup on your fries? Or maybe mayonnaise? Well, try this great maple mustard dipping sauce for a change. It has the kick of yellow, Dijon and stone ground mustards, with the sweetness of real maple syrup.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword dipping sauce, maple, mustard
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Calories 254kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2464mg | Potassium: 389mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.