PetersCreek
Codger-in-training
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2005
- Messages
- 753
I've had a couple of requests via PM for "the recipe" for Canadian Bacon, so I thought I'd post it in the open forum. 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® 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. 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-40°F. Warmer, and you're leaving the safe zone. Colder, and 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 an hour. 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 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 2-4 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 150°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 haven't bought a single slice of CB since I got this dialed in.
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® 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. 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-40°F. Warmer, and you're leaving the safe zone. Colder, and 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 an hour. 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 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 2-4 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 150°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 haven't bought a single slice of CB since I got this dialed in.