Bacon

Got the winter blues? Bacon is the cure. Cure and smoke your own nitrate-free Sichuan-style bacon for noodle dishes, fried rice, braised beef, and this spicy cabbage stir-fry.

From Food.Farmer.Earth: Ben Meyer of Grain & Gristle (Portland, Ore.) demonstrates how to cure and smoke pork belly into bacon you can store, and cook up later.

A French style of smoked bacon called ventreche, made with wild boar belly. You can of course use regular pork.

You'll never believe how easy it is to make your own bacon at home. You control the salt, the sugar, and the flavors; and no preservatives or nitrates are needed. You'll never go back to that florescent-pink store bacon after you try this at home.