Preheat your smoker or oven. For a smoker, set it between 200-225°F, and for an oven, set it at 200°F for convection or 225°F for a non-convection oven. If you're using a smoker, assume you know how to manage smoke, wood, and charcoal to maintain temperature. Longer heating to an internal temperature of 150°F results in more tender bacon, but prolonged heating risks drying it out. Typically, it takes about 3 hours at these temperatures to reach an internal temperature of 150°F.

Remove the cured pork belly from the fridge and discard the curing bag along with any contents in the container. No need to save them.

Wash the cured pork belly under running potable water to remove excess salt and cure. Leaving them may result in overly salty bacon.

Dry off the cured belly.

Once your smoker/oven reaches the desired temperature, begin cooking. For smokers, lay the belly across the cooking surface or hang it on bacon hooks. In the oven, place the bacon on a sheet pan with a cooling rack on top to allow fat to render and promote air circulation.

If you have a thermometer for monitoring meat temperature throughout cooking, insert it into the belly as close to the center as possible from the side.

Once the belly reaches an internal temperature of 150°F, remove it from the oven/smoker. Let it cool on the counter for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until internal temperatures reach 32-35°F. For immediate enjoyment, slice off a couple of warm slices right after cooking.