What You’ll Need
- 2 lbs beef belly brisket, or round (ask your butcher to trim it evenly)
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp curing salt Prague Powder #1, measured precisely on a gram scale
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika optional, for extra depth
Key Takeaways
- Beef bacon is cured and smoked beef — usually from the belly, brisket, or round — not pork.
- It’s a common halal and kosher-friendly alternative when made from properly sourced and cured beef.
- Leaner cuts like round make for a lower-fat bacon; belly cuts give you that classic marbled richness.
- You can make it at home with a simple dry cure, or find it at butcher counters and specialty grocers.
- It cooks just like pork bacon — same pan, same sizzle, different depth of flavor.
