Make your own bacon - and it's so easy!

I never liked the taste of Japanese bacon as it isn't so different from ham. And even more dislike the fact that it contains so many ingredients that I have no idea what they are. So if you are keen on eating healthy make your own bacon. Not only is it healthier, it tastes much better and it is so much cheaper!

All you need is a block of pork belly, salt, tea leaves and an oven! (If you don't like the smoked flavor, you can omit the tea leaves. )

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This is what it looks like out of the oven.

Ingredients

• Pork Belly          750g (approx. 1&1/2 lbs)  
• Kosher Salt        1&1/2  Tablespoons
• Pepper
• Tea Leaves         1-2 Tablespoons

           
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Directions

1. Rub Kosher Salt (and some ground black pepper if you wish) into a block of pork belly, put it in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for 48 hours. I had some Maldon's smoked sea salt to I used them for the smoked flavor. 
2. Preheat oven to 120 C (250 F). Place wax paper on the baking, sheet and sprinkle 1 or 2 Tablespoons tea leaves (you can use English Tea or Chinese Tea, but I used Roasted Japanese Tea "Hojicha") and lay the pork belly fat side down.
3. Bake in the oven for 90 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it stand 20 minutes in the oven. Take it out, cool and brush off the tea leaves. Refrigerate and slice to the desired thickness.

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