READER LETTER OF THE WEEK

Dear Wendyl,

A few years ago, you gave out a recipe for making your own bacon.

I’d really like to try this, but have had no luck finding your recipe online. Could you give it to us again please? John

Hi John, I gave out that recipe years ago when all that was offered in the way of bacon was slimy, bright pink stuff which never got crispy when you cooked it. Now there are some much better offerings for us to try but nothing beats homemade.

HOMEMADE BACON

1 free-range pork loin

(this is often rolled and tied with string, so cut it off and roll the loin out)

Sea salt

Take the pork and slit the fat on the top with several deep gashes. Get the salt and pat it all over the meat so all sides are well covered. Place it in a plastic container with an upturned saucer in the bottom so that the meat doesn’t sit in the juice that will drain out of it. ( We found a great Tupperware container with a grid in the bottom of the container.)

Put the lid on and place in the fridge. Check each day and drain any fluid that is sitting in the bottom. By day four, it should be quite dry and ready to be sliced and fried. If you want, you can smoke it at this stage for even tastier bacon.