First Canadian Bacon - Success!

[bluto]

After seeing Woodcutter's success I decided to go ahead and pulled the trigger.

Started out with an 11 pound whole pork loin, cut into chops, etc..., and left this piece in tact for a 3.5 lbs loin.
I trimmed pretty much all the fat off of it.

1.jpg

• bluto
• Aug 19, 2013

It sat in Pop's Brine (mostly) for 12 days, I did not inject at all.

Recipe:
1 gallon of water
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup of Kosher salt (didn't have sea salt on hand)
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs cure #1 (Prague Powder #1)
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs onion powder
1 Tbs Vermont Maple Syrup (didn't have molasses on hand)

Next I cold smoked with the AMNPS using Todd's cherry dust for 4 hours. Here is what it looked like after cold smoking:

2.jpg

• bluto
• Aug 19, 2013

Next I loaded up my pellet pooper with a blend of Hickory, Oak and Cherry pellets, then smoked it at 190 and pulled it when IT reached 145F.

3.jpg

• bluto
• Aug 19, 2013

And the money shot:

4.jpg

• bluto
• Aug 19, 2013

Fried some up for breakfast, yummo! And the kids loved it too!

5.jpg

• bluto
• Aug 19, 2013

Thanks to Pop's and Woodcutter for the inspiration!

 

[themule69]

Bluto

It looks GREAT! It's hard to go wrong with Pop's brine.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[woodcutter]

That looks great! You really got some nice color with the cherry smoke. Sea salt is almost twice as salty as kosher so if you like the salt level you ended up with keep using kosher. I know that your CB is as good or better than any you could buy. If you take out the onion, garlic syrup or molasses you will have some awesome ham.

 

[woodcutter]

I forgot to ask if you could taste the Maple syrup?

 

[disco]

Great looking bacon. Well done.

Disco

 

[foamheart]

Beautiful color! I may have to do another, first one ecaporated.

Congrats on what appears to be an excellent job!

 

[bluto]

Bluto
It looks GREAT! It's hard to go wrong with Pop's brine.
Happy smoken.
David

Thanks David!

That looks great! You really got some nice color with the cherry smoke. Sea salt is almost twice as salty as kosher so if you like the salt level you ended up with keep using kosher. I know that your CB is as good or better than any you could buy. If you take out the onion, garlic syrup or molasses you will have some awesome ham.

Thumbs Up Thumbs Up Thumbs Up Thumbs Up Thumbs Up

I forgot to ask if you could taste the Maple syrup?

Hey Todd, I am doing just that as we speak, I have more loin brining for CB and I did one for a ham, looking forward to that!
As far as tasting the maple syrup, not really, I don't think the 1TB was enough for just syrup, maybe 1/4 cup would do it, otherwise as Pops mentioned, maple extract. I actually added a teaspoon of almond extract to the batch I'm brining now, not sure if 1 tsp will be enough, but I think it should add a great flavor to it.

Great looking bacon. Well done.

Disco

Thanks Disco!

Beautiful color! I may have to do another, first one ecaporated.

Congrats on what appears to be an excellent job!

Thanks Foamheart, it did turn out very well, and went super quick.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

The CB turned out great! Fantastic color. I haven't had much success adding flavors to Pop's brine. I've found its better to apply rubs and syrups and such after the brining process.

Just saw that the market has loins on sale. Pulling my picnic out of Pop's brine tomorrow, so I will have some space to start some CB!

 

[woodcutter]

Sounds like everyone has the right idea. Keep your brine buckets full!

 

[foamheart]

LOL... my niece told my Pop this weekend when he used a clean brining bucket to put the empty beer cans in, that was Pooh-Pa's (thats me) bucket that the bacon comes out of. He had to talk quick to to get away with it.

 

[steel hat]

once the family taste what real Canadian bacon. you will never have enough in the house.

 

[paul catt]

isn't it crazy how C Bacon will disappear like magic