If the sound, smell and thought of bacon makes you drool, you’re not alone. The juicy appetizing scent, the crisp crunch and the enhancement of flavor when added to just about anything, makes me excited.

Scientists have an explanation as to why people love bacon so much. According to the Republic of Bacon website, scientists blame the Maillard reaction as the source of our bacon obsession. Apparently, Maillard reaction occurs when reduced sugars react with amino acids under heat. It is one of the reactions that produces the flavor of toasted bread, roasted coffee, chocolate, and caramel. Amazing!

Nevertheless, this food favorite comes with a hefty price tag. With this video, you can make your own by following kitchen genius Bryan Roof. To follow along, you will need an inexpensive slab of pork belly and dry cure, one cup of maple sugar, ½ kosher salt, one tablespoon of cracked black peppercorn, two teaspoons of minced fresh thyme, ¾ teaspoon of pink salt, and one crumbled bay leaf.

Roof explains that pork belly comes with the skin still attached. He suggests carefully getting rid of that skin. You want the fat to remain so that it can absorb the flavor.

He then places the pork belly in a dish and handsomely applies the dry cure. He emphasizes that the entire pork belly should be covered with the rub thoroughly. He then covers the pork belly with plastic wrap and into the refrigerator for seven to ten days, flipping the pork every other day.

After the allotted time, he rinses off the rub to get rid of excess salt and dries it off.

Now the bacon is ready for smoking. Smoke the bacon for one hour and a half. The internal temperature should reach 150 degrees. The result could be fried or served cold. It can stay in the fridge for a month or frozen for two months.

Are you drooling yet? SHARE the love and pass it on.