Is the thickness of the belly a problem?

[Armyguy2004]

i found some very cheap, well comparably, pork belly. But it’s a bit thin, about nearly two inch, and a bit more fat. I m wondering if it would work?
And speaking of which, can you fail on making bacon? Are there any common errors you could make?

 

[radio]

i found some very cheap, well comparably, pork belly. But it’s a bit thin, about nearly two inch, and a bit more fat. I m wondering if it would work?
And speaking of which, can you fail on making bacon? Are there any common errors you could make?

The belly I smoked just today was only about an inch and a half thick and fairly lean as bellies go. you should have no trouble making bacon with that one

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

All the bellies I can find around here are around an inch and a half. I actually have some in the smoker as I type. They always turn out great.

 

[chef jimmyj]

A lot of bellies these days are sooo lean, they are not more than 1 to 1.5 inches thick. To find a thicker belly, 2+", is a good thing. As far as Fatty...If you want Lean Bacon, cure and smoke a LOIN! The fat IS the point of eating Belly Bacon!
You have a choice to Brine Cure, or Cure with a Dry Rub. Both a really good, Brine Curing is Easier and gives Bacon, similar to Store Bought but better. The Dry Rub Cure, gives firmer Bacon, more like Country Bacon, but requires a Gram Scale to measure ingredients accurately.
Pitfalls...not keeping the meat submerged in the brine. Not curing long enough. Incorrectly measuring ingredients.

Search Pop's brine or Bacon for a couple of thousand ideas...JJ

 

[Fueling Around]

chef j has great points.
I'll pick the most important tip out the middle (my opinion) .

Pitfalls...not keeping the meat submerged in the brine. Not curing long enough.

I don't use wet brine, but that is from experience. Wet is a better starting point.
I always add time (up to 50%) to the curing calculator. Fat slows the nitrite penetration.

My last belly was close to 2" thick and very meaty.

Borrowed one of the wife's baking cooling racks to air dry the rasher before smoking. BIG MISTAKE.
Something in the cooling rack cross joints reacted with the belly. Not pretty but apparently non toxic. I ate through the black not wanting to give up the prime bacon