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French Method of Making Bacon

A method of curing bacon with salt, sugar, and optional saltpetre, then drying and hanging.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 5 ingredients
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French Method of Making Bacon

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare the bacon

  1. Cut the bacon as far from the lean as possible.

  2. Dry the bacon.

  3. Pound and heat fine salt, then rub it well into the bacon.

Press and store

  1. Place two pieces of bacon together, face to face, on a table or plank, cover with another plank, and add heavy weights on top.

  2. Store the bacon in a cool, not damp cellar for one month.

  3. Skewer the bacon open and leave it in an airy place to dry until firm.

  4. For a quicker method, rub the bacon with salt and leave for 24 hours.

Dry cure

  1. Mix three pounds each of sugar, coarse sea salt, and ¼ cup of saltpetre, then pound together.

  2. Drain and wipe the bacon.

  3. Rub the bacon well with the mixture.

  4. Rub the bacon daily for five to six days.

  5. Turn the bacon daily in the liquid for 14 to 20 days.

  6. Wipe the bacon.

  7. Dry the bacon.

Hang and protect

  1. Hang the bacon in a well-aired place.

  2. Wash the bacon with strong vinegar or wine to prevent flies.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Fine salt
Draws out moisture and slows spoilage, preserving the meat.
Sugar
Balances the saltiness and mellows the flavour of the cured meat.
Coarse sea salt
Draws out moisture and helps preserve the bacon during the long cure.
Saltpetre
Acts as a curing agent that helps preserve the meat and keep its colour.

The step that matters

Rub the salt in thoroughly. Salt draws water out of the meat and slows bacterial growth. Any area left without salt can stay moist and spoil, so the coverage needs to be even and complete.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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