Canadian Bacon (plus a bit o' kielbasa) Q-View

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couger78

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
May 3, 2011
679
243
Northern California
A little over 8 or 9 days ago, I picked up several pork loins that were on sale. I decided to make some canadian bacon out of it.

For the brine, I used kosher salt, cure#1 and a combination of Splenda & Splenda/Brown sugar blend. I'm using splenda in place of ALL sugar as I'm hoping to lower the glycemic index load a bit. 

After seven days of soaking in the brine—and daily loin rotation— I pulled the pork from the fridge. Several cold-water soaks & rinses, I netted up the loins, gave them a good brushing with beaten egg yolk, and hung them overnight in the fridge to dry.

Almost ready for the smoker:

befaf080_Kiel_hanginBacon_lg.jpg


Sharing the Ride: While waiting for the loins to drip-dry, I went ahead & made a six-pound batch of kielbasa that'll be smoked at the same time as the loins. After an hour of no smoke (at 120°), I then began applying hickory smoke.

One hour in:

109a3506_Kiel_1Hr_lg.jpg


I began applying heavy smoke for the next 90 minutes. By about the 4th hour, I pulled the kielbasa (they'd be finished in a water bath).

3-hours in. Getting good hickory 'red' color...

233ede66_Kiel_3Hr_lg.jpg


I continued to raise the heat gradually over the next 4 hours, topping out at around 180° while still applying light smoke.

When the IT reached 154° (after nearly 12 hours), I pulled the loins & plunged them into an ice-bath & rinse until they cooled.

Next I let them hang for a bit before wrapping them up...

3fdcaefb_CB_hangdry_lg.jpg


I've a new toy coming in a few days that I'd like to use to slice up the bacon. So until it arrives, my plan is to wrap up the loins in plastic wrap & refrigerate until it shows up on my doorstep.

20e95bd1_300F.jpg


Meanwhile, though, I decided it was only fair for the chef to sample the goods before I put them away for a few days.

The bacon is very nicely balanced between sweet & salty, with a very not-so-subtle hickory taste. This will 'mellow' a bit as it sits.

My son gave it a big thumbs up! 

6d6578f9_CB_slice_lg.jpg


Slicing & food-saver bagging still to come....

Kevin
 
Last edited:
The Canadian Bacon looks great !!!!!

I did some over the weekend . Been eating it for lunch all week.

won't be long before I will have to make more .

the kielbasa looks good. I will have to smoke some soon.
 
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