1st time makin bacon advice please

[AZRedneck]

I found pork bellies at Costco for $2.45/lb. The butcher said they run from 7-9 lbs each. Meathead's recipe is for 1 pound portions. So if I get an 8 pound slab, and want 2 pounds per zipper bag, would I cut it with or across the grain? Do I want skinny slabs with long strips of bacon, or wide slabs with short slices of bacon? What works for you guys?

[Doc Hazard]

I've done it both ways, but now I cut it into 4 pieces with two perpendicular cuts: the short way and the long way. Long strips of bacon like you get in the store are nice, I guess, but I had to cut those long pieces in half anyway to fit my slicer. And I find the shorter slices more handy, fit in the pan, fit on a sandwich. Be sure to multiply the cure amount by the weight of your pieces; a little extra doesn't hurt. Good Luck & good eating.

[(mr.brisket)]

Just get bigger bags, I buy 5 bellies at a time and cut them in half to make ten slabs, I use the 2.5 gallon freezer bags for curing.

[HorseDoctor]

Me too! Half a belly fits a 2 gallon ziplock like a glove. After curing & smoking, I cut them in half again to fit my slicer (and BLT sandwiches) better.

[Meathead]

Either way works

[AZRedneck]

Thank you all for your speedy responses. I'll study the slab when I get it, then prolly just quarter it and go from there. I'm excited... gonna be fun!