By Request: Making Canadian Bacon

Brett Luna

Member
Messages
230
Location
Peters Creek, Alaska
Ted Calver asked about "the recipe" for my Canadian bacon in the Eggs Alaska thread, so I thought I'd post it in a thread of its own. This isn't so much a recipe as it is a process. It isn't extremely difficult but it is time consuming. Here's how I do it...

Disclaimer: This process entails the handling of raw meat products and storing them unfrozen for long periods. Failing to correctly execute the instructions below and/or follow commonly accepted safe food handling practices may expose you to the risk of serious food-borne illness. Additionally, the curing product used contains nitrites and nitrates. Those with medical conditions rendering them sensitive to such products, may wish to consult a physician prior to consuming them. So, undertake this endeavor at your own risk. The author accepts no liability for your ham-related misfortune, be it by design, negligence, happenstance, or divine providence.

I start with a vac-pac boneless pork loin available at your local grocery, Sam's Club, or Costco. If you have a ready source of reasonably-priced fresh cut pork loins, by all means, grab it. Fresh is always better. My first attempt was actually a tenderloin. It was a smaller and less expensive learning experience.

To prepare your loin, remove all the surface fat and silver skin that you can. Divide it into manageable, equally-sized pieces. Weigh each piece individually and jot it down.

Now, for the cure. The Wife[emoji768] and I tend to like our CB simple so all I normally use is Morton Tender Quick (I'll call it TQ) along with an equal amount of brown sugar. I determine the amount needed for each piece of meat (by weight) using the "dry cure" instructions on the TQ bag. You don’t really have to be so exacting...but that’s my jam. I often also add maple syrup (the real thing, please) during the last third of the curing period...just enough to coat. I've also added various spices and seasonings, like onion and/or garlic powder. But like I said, simply-cured and well-smoked pork stands on it's own very well.

I don't mix the TQ with anything else beforehand. Due to the grain and weight difference between TQ, brown sugar. and other dry goods, using a mix will leave you in the dark about just how much TQ is going where. So, I apply the TQ first, using a fine mesh shaker, taking care to get the TQ evenly onto every surface and into every nook and cranny. I then follow up with an equal amount of brown sugar. Once the cure is applied, I vacuum seal the meat and toss it into the fridge. You can use a zip lock if you don't have a vac but you'll have to turn the bag periodically to redistribute the cure-laden liquid that will be drawn out of the meat. Make sure your fridge keeps the meat at 36-to-38°F. Warmer than 40 °F and you're leaving the safe zone. The closer to 32 °F you are the more you'll slow down the curing process.

Here's where patience comes in. I cure my CB for three weeks. A lot of recipes call for 3, 5, or 6 days or so but on the advice of a fellow smoker, I've gone for the long haul. IMO, the tenderness, texture, and mouth feel are much better with a longer cure.

When it's finally time to remove the CB from the cure, thoroughly (and repeatedly) rinse and soak it in cold water for a total of 45-60 minutes. If you don't take the time here, your CB could turn out too salty. Inspect your meat for off odors and color. It should be an attractive rosy color. Of course, if you use brown sugar and/or maple syrup, some uniform brownness is to be expected. It should have a fresh and/or rich, meaty smell. Foul odors and/or gray/green spots are indications that your cure failed. When in doubt...any doubt...chuck it.

Pat dry and truss your loin to maintain a rounded shape. You can use butcher's twine, tied every 2-3 inches or you can use elastic sausage/ham netting, as I do. Then it's back into the fridge so it can air dry for a bit, to form a skin-like pellicle. I like to leave it overnight but if I'm in a hurry, I'll cheat it down to a couple of hours.

Finally...finally...it's time to smoke your Canadian Bacon. I preheat my smoker to about 200°F and set it up with apple wood most of the time, although I've been known to throw some cherry in there, too. After allowing the loin to come to room temperature, I hang it in the smoker for up to 4 hours of smoke, plus whatever time it needs over heat only, to come to an internal temperature of 145°F. Rest it under foil until cool enough to handle, then wrap in plastic and hold in the fridge for a day or two. This will allow the smoke flavor to mellow a bit and permeate the meat...something that won't happen in the freezer.

When it's ready, I portion the CB, vac-bag it, and freeze whatever isn't on the menu within the next few days. Unfortunately, I can't tell you how long this stuff keeps in the fridge. If it's in the fridge at our house, it doesn't stay around that long!

Sure, this is a long process and buying at the grocery store is more convenient. Lemme tell ya, though, we’ve only had store-bought CB a couple of times in many years.
 
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This looks totally doable! Thanks much for the detailed instructions, Brett. :thumb:

[Edit to ask...]

Roughly how many bags of the TQ cure does it take to cure a whole pork loin?
When you add the maple syrup, I'm assuming you unseal the vac-pack, add the syrup, then re-vac. Is that correct? If so, do you re-use the vacuum bag? (I'm new to this whole vacuum sealing biz.)
Where do you find the neat gold backing cards for your portioned packaging?
 
Thanks for taking the time to share your process Brett!! As Vaughn said, this process looks totally doable and fits right in with our desire to preserve some of our own food. It's nice to know exactly what we are eating and have a method that offers some leeway in tailoring the taste. I'm going to order some TQ and netting and give it a try on a tenderloin. [edit for questions] From the link that Ryan posted on your eggs thread, it looks like peameal is pretty doable too. That recipe uses Prague powder/Instacure for a wet brine and also injects the meat. Is your method considered a dry brine vs wet and do you ever do the injections a part of your method?
 
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I'm going to order some TQ and netting and give it a try on a tenderloin.

You might find TQ at your grocer. It’s pretty widely available. I wouldn’t bother with netting. Pork tenderloins are usually too slender for even #10 netting.

[edit for questions] From the link that Ryan posted on your eggs thread, it looks like peameal is pretty doable too. That recipe uses Prague powder/Instacure for a wet brine and also injects the meat. Is your method considered a dry brine vs wet and do you ever do the injections a part of your method?

My method is a dry brine, in that the curing agent(s) aren’t prepared with water. I’ve never injected or wet brined for CB. That’s a quicker method to be sure but I think my method results in dry aging as well as curing.

I do like brines, though. I use a brine for kippering my smoked salmon and also for turkey, chicken, pork chops. I’ve even brined whole shoulders for pulled pork.

I also keep Instacure #1 and #2 on hand, since I also make sausage. I linked my favorite source in the Eggs thread, SausageMaker.com and another is Butcher-Packer.com.
 
We have never been able to buy Canadian bacon in Canada, although there are rumours that CostCo is stocking it lately. Your recipe sounds delicious. I occasionally buy peameal back bacon, which I told is the same thing. Next time I"m in the US for breakfast maybe I'll ask for some. :p
 
I've been making my own bacon lately and it's a pretty similar process. I've been meaning to do some canadian bacon, I might just have Sharon pick up a pork loin and give it a try.
 
Yes home made Canadian is the best. Make quite a lot. Was going for the bacon smoking but the raw material is just as expensive as the regular stuff. It is my understanding that peameal is same as Canadian bacon just rolled in corn meal. Did it one time and really pleased with texture. Getting close to heavy smoking again. Just got order for smoked turkey today.
As side note my smoker quit this summer and after much gnashing of teeth with Masterbuilt finally ordered heat sensor from Amazon 5 for $8. Any buddy need one l do have avfewextra. Masterbuilt wanted me to buy the whole box. Not.
Happy smoking.
David
 
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