Pork Collar BLT Sandwich

The recipe requires at least 4 days of inactive prep, so plan ahead!

First, combine all of the ingredients in the curing list (except the pork) in a large bowl or container. This is the curing brine liquid. Add the pork. Weigh it down so it is submerged (e.g. with a clean large river rock). Soak the pork for 48 hours in the curing brine, in a 40 F degree (or colder) refrigerator.

Discard brine. To remove excess salt, soak pork in clean cold water and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Pat pork dry and place it back in the refrigerator uncovered on a rack for one day to form a nice pellicle.

Heat your BBQ pit up to 200 F with charcoal and a few (pre-soaked) wood chunks. Once it’s to temperature, add the pork. Smoke pork over indirect heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 140-145 F. Remove it from the pit.

Let it cool down until safe to wrap up then return it to the refrigerator. Chill the bacon in the refrigerator overnight.

Now you can assemble your BLT sandwiches. Slice the bacon thinly and fry in a skillet with the cooking oil. (We need the extra fat of the cooking oil since this bacon doesn’t have as much fat as pork belly bacon.) When it’s nice and crisp, remove it from the skillet to a paper towel lined plate.

Toast your bread if you like.

Assemble your BLT sandwiches with the bacon, lettuce leaves, tomato slices, bread, and mayonnaise (optional if you don’t care for mayonnaise—substitute dressing to your liking).