Abalt Szalonna (boiled Bacon)

Abalt Szalonna (boiled Bacon)

1 Lb Piece Of Raw Pork Jowl Or Fresh (not Smoked) Bacon (not Store Bought Pre-sliced Bacon)
3 Tsp Salt
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
8 Peppercorns
2 Bay Leaves
Sweet Hungarian Paprika

You Should Be Able To Get Fresh Jowl Or Bacon From A Butcher. Make Sure You Leave The Skin On. Cut Any Hair Off Before You Cook.

Rub Bacon With Salt & Garlic. Place Bacon, Salt & Garlic In A Small Deep Bowl, Cover & Let Stand In The Refrigerator 3 – 4 Days, Turning Daily.

Place Contents From Bowl, In A Small Saucepan, Add Enough Water To Cover, & Add The Rest Of The Ingredients Except For Paprika.

Bring To A Boil & Gently Cook For 30 Minutes.

Remove With Slotted Spoon & Wipe Off Any Seasonings That Sticks. Roll In Paprika Until Completely Covered & Refrigerate.

Take A Slice & Eat As Is Or Place On A Slice Of Fresh Rye Or French Bread. Very Good!! Love This Stuff.

Your recipe is a variation on the old world recipe. There is an easier way to make it:

This is for 1 LB of Bacon, multiply by the actual number of pounds you make.

1 Lb. Jowl Bacon or other skin-on Bacon.
1 + 1/2 to 1 Tbs Garlic Powder or Granules
4 + 1 Tbs salt (I prefer fine sea salt, suit yourself)
10 Black Peppercorns
3-4 crumbled Bay Leaves (This is a Transylvanian option and may be omitted)
1 Tbs Onion Powder or 1 small un-peeled Onion (Also optional, I prefer without)
2 Tbs Paprika
1 Tbs Smoked Paprika
1 Tbs Hot Paprika
(You need 4 Tbs of Paprika all told, mix as you like or use all one kind, it’s a personal choice.)
Water
Oil or Bacon Fat skimmed from pan (optional)

Place the Bacon in a saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1". Add I Tbs of the Garlic Powder, 4 Tbs salt, the Black Peppercorns, also add the Bay Leaves and/or Onion/Onion Powder if using and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for approximately 1 hour or until the rind is softened.

Remove the bacon and dry on paper towels. Allow to cool enough to handle but do not cool to room temperature. You can then take all the Paprika, 1 tbs Salt and 1/2-1Tbs Garlic Powder and mix them together evenly.

There are now two options, depending on how much you like the flavor of Paprika:

Method 1: Add a few drops of oil or skim some of the fat that has floated to the top of the liquid in the saucepan to the Paprika mixture, mix well with your fingers. You need enough oil or fat to make a dry crumbly but spreadable mixture. Spread by hand all over the Bacon, pressing the mixture on well with your fingers and filling in any cracks in the bacon. Results in a very Paprika tasting product.

Method 2: Place Paprika rub into a large plastic bag, perhaps a gallon zip top bag and add the boiled bacon, seal the bag and shake to evenly coat the bacon. This results in a milder taste of Paprika.

Finally, wrap the bacon in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Slice thin and use as a cold cut. Best served with a good hearty Rye bread with various condiments, such as Pickles, Radishes, Green Onions, sliced Tomato, etc.