If you're going to start curing, bacon is a great place to start--it's incredibly easy. Basically, just buy a boneless pork belly (I usually get slabs in the 3-to-4-pound range) and rub the thing down with coarse Kosher salt (don't use fine-grain salt or it will get too salty), freshly ground black pepper, and some brown sugar. You can add other ingredients if you'd like (maple sugar, bay leaves, juniper berries, etc.), so long as you have the other three ingredients I just mentioned. Once you've rubbed the cure mixture into the pork belly, place it into an airtight, non-reactive container (glass or plastic would be ideal) and stick it in the refrigerator. After 24 hours, remove the belly from the fridge, pour off any liquid that's accumulated in the bottom of the container, and apply some more of the cure mix. You won't have to use that much the second time around...a few big pinches should do the trick. Put the pork belly back into the fridge for another 24 hours. By the following day, it should be done curing. Give the belly a quick rinse to remove any of the remaining cure mixture. Dry it thoroughly. Then, if you aren't going to be smoking the bacon (I smoke mine, generally, but it's not mandatory), wrap it in either wax paper or cheesecloth and store in the refrigerator. If you are going to be smoking the bacon, leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for at least a day before you put it in the smoker (this will help it develop a pellicle; apparently the smoke will adhere to the meat better this way). In either case, it's a good idea to test the saltiness of the bacon at this point. Cut off a thin slice and fry it up. If it's too salty, don't worry. You can either soak the bacon in cold water for a couple of hours(changing the water frequently) or blanch it in boiling water for a few minutes. In either instance, it will lower the salt content exponentially. As far as smoking is concerned, basically just put the bacon into the smoker and let it sit for 2-4 hours, or until it reaches a temperature of 160 F. Then just pull it out, let it cool, and store as directed above. Bear in mind that this is a lighter cure, and as such, the bacon will only keep for a week or two. Of course, I find that I usually eat it all LONG before then. If you have more questions the next time you try making a batch, message me and I'll try to walk you through the process.