Cold-Smoked Pork Belly (German Speck)
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- Ham
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I’ll show you how to cold smoke bacon in the style of German Speck: a delicious cured pork belly made in the Tyrolean style. Cold smoking gives it an intense, savory aroma you won’t find quite like this at the supermarket.
My recipe follows the South Tyrolean tradition. Authentic Tyrolean Speck is geographically protected, so I call this “Tyrolean-style.” Unlike my bacon recipe, which is hot smoked, we use cold smoke here. The result is firm, flavorful pork belly with a lovely smoky note.
You can use a meatier belly for a more ham-like result or a fattier piece. I prefer a little more meat. The recipe comes from my ham-making book.
For more ham and bacon recipes, see my recipe collection. You’ll also find baked ham, pancetta and juniper ham there.
Here you’ll find the complete smoked Speck recipe to read through.
Have fun and good luck making it!
Smoked Speck – What do you need to make it?
Ingredients per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| pork belly with rind | 1,000 g |
Spices per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams |
|---|---|
| salt | 29.5 g |
| sugar mixture (50/50 dextrose and table sugar) | 3 g |
| Cure #1 | 2.5 g |
| black pepper | 2 g |
| juniper berries | 2 g |
| fresh rosemary | 2 g |
| garlic powder | 2 g |
| bay leaves | 1 g |
| thyme | 1 g |
| fennel seeds | 1 g |
Equipment
- Smoking cabinet or smoking barrel
- Cold smoke generator
- Fine beech smoking dust
- Vacuum sealer
- Mortar
- Meat hook or kitchen twine
- Kitchen scale
Want to know which other equipment I recommend? You’ll find my complete sausage-making equipment here.
Make smoked Speck – Step-By-Step Instructions
Trim the meat
Remove all tendons, cartilage, fibers and silverskin from the pork belly. Make sure there are no cuts or pockets where mold could develop later. Leave the rind on.
Rub the meat
Rub the pork belly thoroughly on all sides with the seasoning mixture. Cover every part, including the sides and edges.
Put it in a vacuum bag
Put the meat in a vacuum bag with all the remaining salt and spices. Important: Tip everything from the mortar into the bag. Every gram of salt counts for even curing.
Vacuum seal and label
Vacuum seal the bag. I always write the contents and curing date on it. That helps me keep track, especially when making several pieces at once.
Cure in the refrigerator
Put the bag in the refrigerator. The minimum curing time is 1.5 days per centimeter of meat thickness. For a typical pork belly about 5 cm thick, that’s at least 7 to 8 days. Longer is no problem. I cured this piece for 3 weeks and it worked beautifully. Turn the bag every few days.
Rinse and dry
After curing, take the meat out of the bag. You’ll notice its structure has changed: it has lost moisture and become firmer. Rinse off the spices thoroughly under cold water.
Then dry the belly thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel.
Hang and dry
Hang the belly from a meat hook or kitchen twine in a dark, cool place. About 12 °C (54 °F) and 75 % humidity is ideal, for example in a cellar or garage. Let it dry for half the calculated curing time, rounded up to whole days. Important: The outside must be completely dry before smoking. Damp meat takes up smoke poorly and can develop a sour taste.
Cold smoke
Hang the belly in the smoking cabinet and start the cold smoke generator with beech smoking dust. Keep the temperature between 15 and 20 °C (59 and 68 °F), never above 25 °C (77 °F). I use 5 cycles: 12 hours of smoke followed by 12 hours of rest each time. That’s about 60 hours of cold smoke in total. You can use more or fewer cycles depending on how strong you like the smoke flavor.
Let it mature
After smoking, let the Speck continue to mature in a cool, dark place. The time depends on how firm you want it. I let it mature for 4 weeks, then vacuum-sealed it in the refrigerator for another 4 weeks. Vacuum sealing is particularly useful if you don’t have a curing chamber with ideal humidity. It prevents excessive dry edges.
Slice and enjoy
Your Tyrolean-style smoked pork belly is ready. The 5 smoking cycles have given it a beautiful color. Inside, it’s evenly cured with a lovely pink-red color. Serve thick slices as part of a cold supper or enjoy wafer-thin slices on bread. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
How long does smoked Speck keep?
How long does smoked Speck keep?
Kept whole in a cool place, your smoked Speck lasts about 4 months. Vacuum-sealed in the refrigerator, it keeps even longer. Once sliced, use it within 1 to 2 weeks. As always, look, smell and taste.
How long should I smoke the Speck?
How long should I smoke the Speck?
I recommend 3 to 5 cycles, each with 12 hours of smoke and 12 hours of rest. With 5 cycles, the Speck develops an intense, savory aroma. Fewer cycles give a milder flavor. It’s a matter of taste.
Which wood is best for smoking Speck?
Which wood is best for smoking Speck?
Beech is the classic choice and my recommendation. It gives a mild, balanced smoke flavor. You can also experiment with alder, cherry or oak. Use fine smoking dust (grade 500/1000), not coarse chips. Pack the dust firmly into the cold smoke generator so it smolders evenly.
Can I make Speck without salt and Cure #1?
Can I make Speck without salt and Cure #1?
In principle, yes: use the same total amount of ordinary sea salt instead. Important: Without Cure #1, the Speck won’t develop its typical cured color and will be gray instead of pink. The flavor is different too. For beginners, I recommend the version with salt and Cure #1 because it’s safer and tastes better.
What's the best season for smoking Speck?
What's the best season for smoking Speck?
The cold season from October to March is ideal because outdoor temperatures need to stay below 20 °C (68 °F). Cold smoking doesn’t work in summer. In spring and fall, you can smoke at night if it’s too warm during the day.
