Curing loin question for canadian bacon question

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smokitifugotit

Newbie
Original poster
Jul 14, 2011
8
10
The last few months I have been getting a LOT of useful info from all you people here on the forum and for that I give you a big  - .

 THANK YOU. I usually just do some smoking around deer season. but with winter here the smoker has been running every chance I could get a free day. I have been curing buckboard bacon and pork loin with great success (don't know why I didn't do that earlier).

My first pork loin I brined I just did a couple pounds off the small end of the loin. Turned out great and lasted maybe three days till all ate up. Now on my second and I have a question. This loin at the thickest part is about 5-6 inches thick. should I think about injecting cure into this or would a dry cure be fine for alloted days?

Thanks Again,

Kayle
 
Up to 4 inches, I think you would be good with just a dry cure if you allow enough time.  Beyond that, you might think about an injection?

I will leave this to others here? 

Have you thought about a brine cure?

Good luck and good smoking.
 
The easiest way to do a big piece of meat like that is with a brine cure and injecting the meat with the brine. 
 
Smokit,

Can you be a bit more detailed in the amount and types of cure you are using?  Also how long are you planning on going with it?  I have been close to starting some Canadian Bacon for a couple of weeks and I am trying to decide between a brine and a dry cure.  I dry cure bacon but have never dry cured a pork loin.  What made you decide on the cure and method you are using?

I see you have the loin in a zip lock so I imagine you are pulling moisture from the meat, basically making a brine anyway or are you draining the accumulated moisture?  Are you dusting once and then just letting it go in the fridge?

Thanks
 
Well after trimming fat, the thickest part was a little over 4.5 inches. Sliced into 3Rd's, each weighed just shy of 3 lbs. I used 3 tbs of Morton tender quick and 3 tbs of dark brown sugar + Mad Hunky. Plan on one slab for bacon, one for chops and the one w/ sugar and mad hunky for a little of both ( just experimenting). I've never done a wet brine so being that thick I thought I would be fine w/ a dry cure. I just measured each one into a small bowl, mixed everything, rubbed onto meat and into ziplocks making sure all rub (cure) went into bags. I have to thank Bear for that one. They do set in their own juices for 10 days. Flipped and rubbed each day.

The bag w/ the MH and cure I measured 3tbls of each. The bag with the cure, MH and dark brown sugar I measured 3tbls cure, 3tbls sugar and 2tbls Mad Hunky - next time on both I think I will lighten up on the mad hunky (seems like a waste of seasoning). I'll know better when I taste it. But by the time you wash it off, I will reapply and smoke. I will keep you posted - Thanks.
 
same as i have done. dry cure w/ seasoning. i always add a few days just for S & G
 
I agree.  You would be safe with a dry cure and a little extra time.

Anything much thicker you might want to think about a brine and an injection.

Good luck and good smoking.
 
Well I'm giving it a try.  I used the amounts of TQ and sugar discussed and put them in the fridge today.  I figure this time next week I'll run them with a bit of cold smoke for a couple of hours and then put them in the Lang to get them to temperature.  Maybe I'll have some Canadian bacon for breakfast next weekend!  Thanks for the info,  this is Kayle's thread so if I have any Qview I'll start a different thread.
 
I'll be starting 13-15lbs or so of some canadian bacon this weekend.

My plan is to do a submerged brine as well as inject (10% of meat weight) into the loin(s). The loins are approximately 3x4.5 in diameter, so I could just do the submerge & skip the injection,but I figure its best to be thorough with cure time & coverage.

Key is keeping the fridge at a consistent 38° for the duration—which in this case will be 5-6 days.

good luck, Kayle & Al

Kevin
 
Last edited:
Thanks all, While doing the flip and rub this morning I noticed one of the bags were leaking. Good thing I put them in a glass pan! Last time I made CB I didn't but had no problems. Just dropped the leaker into another bag. Good to go!
 
I wouldn't drop the leaking bag into another bag.  I would empty it into a new bag and be sure to get all the goodness from the old bag in the process?

Gotta keep the cure and those liquids in touch with the meat.

Having said that, I don't get a whole lot of liquid out during the curing process. Guess it depends on what you are curing?

Good luck and good smoking.
 
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