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1
Take the pork belly and cut the skin off if it is still on
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2
Salt is important in this cured meat.
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3
You need 5% salt to weight ratio.
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4
Weigh your meat and calculate how much salt you will need for that weight.
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5
Lightly bruise the juniper berries in a mortar and pestle with the black pepper and thyme.
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6
Add all dry ingredients to create a dry rub.
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7
Use a plastic bag or tupperware to cure this meat in the dry rub.
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8
Add equal parts of rub on both sides.
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9
Do not use a metal container as it does have acidic properties when reacting to meat.
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10
Let this mixture cure over time.
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11
For every 500 grams of meat you will let it cure for 3 days.
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12
If your meat is 2687 grams you will be waiting quite a while.
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13
After it has cured, you will need to wash the excess spices it cured in off.
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14
At this point you may reseason with the same spice mixture.
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15
Dry off the meat.
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16
You will now take your meat and roll it tight and secure it in butcher's twine.
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17
Tie it as tight possible so it maintains the rolled shape.
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18
You can wrap this in cheese cloth to ensure it has a protective barrier but I don't do this.
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19
This meat will hang in your refrigerator for three weeks to allow the enzymes to metabolize.
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20
Make sure to hang it length wise and not side ways.
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21
Temperature should not be 60 degrees to 71 degrees Fahrenheit if you decide to hang it in your basement in the winter.
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22
After three weeks you can now eat this.
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23
If you did it right you will see white mold on the outside area.
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24
This mold is good and has protected your meat.
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25
If you have black or green mold that is dripping liquid you have contaminated your meat by not letting it sit in the right temperature.
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26
Slice it thin and serve or use it as bacon to add to pastas and several other dishes.
