Homemade cured and smoked bacon with sunny side up eggs

Cut the pork belly to fit the curing vessel and remove the skin, getting the knife under a corner and peeling back.

In a large bowl, whisk kosher salt, black pepper, dark brown sugar, distilled water and Prague powder number one until dissolved.

Put the cure and the pork belly in a gallon zip top bag, squeeze out the air, seal, and set in a high-walled container in the fridge for three to five days, flipping once a day.

Put about two tablespoons each of apple and cherry wood in a stovetop smoker, then the drip plate, rack and pork belly; cover with aluminum foil and set over medium heat, with a probe in the belly.

Smoke 30 to 45 minutes on the stovetop, then finish in a 225F oven for about another hour, to an internal temperature of about 150F.

Unwrap and chill completely, at least four hours, then slice to the thickness wanted with a long, thin knife; keep the scraps.

Cook three or four slices in cast iron over medium-low so the fat renders out without burning.

When the bacon is mostly cooked, add the eggs to the hot pan so the edges brown. If the edges brown too fast before the whites set, kill the heat and cover for one to two minutes.

Serve with bread, cheese, and a little salt and pepper.