Ham and Canadian Bacon with Pop's Brine and Pork Loin

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Originally Posted by c farmer  

WOW.  AWESOME.    

I need a pork loin sale.
Thanks!
 
Awesome Job, Todd!!!

What a load !!!

Last time I did a big batch, I got three 9 pounders @ $1.59.  I couldn't believe it.

It's usually about $3 around here!!

Looks super!!!

Bear
Thanks Bear! I was having fun with my slicer until it was time to clean it.
 
Wow How did I miss this! Thats amazin looking ham and Canadian Bacon. We started ours close to the same time. I like that Ham?

I have a question though. I always see wveryone here slicing up everything and then freezing it, I have always left mine whole and allowed it to thaw then sliced. I know it would thaw faster, but is there any other advantage? I assumed leaving it whole you'd retain more moisture when thawed.

Believe I'll go rinse and set in the fridge to dry, maybe a Tuesday smoke? Mine were awfully thick so was giving 'em a little extra time.
 
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Slicing done!


Loin ham!


Canadian bacon yield!


Shaved ham!


Ham yield!

If my dog lab could talk he would say he would rather hang out by the slicer than the smoker. With the long smoke time the pellicle is a just a little tougher but the inside is moist and juicy and delicious.

Thanks for looking!
drool.gif
That's Q-view overload! Great job Todd!!
 
 
Wow How did I miss this! Thats amazin looking ham and Canadian Bacon. We started ours close to the same time. I like that Ham?

I have a question though. I always see wveryone here slicing up everything and then freezing it, I have always left mine whole and allowed it to thaw then sliced. I know it would thaw faster, but is there any other advantage? I assumed leaving it whole you'd retain more moisture when thawed.

Believe I'll go rinse and set in the fridge to dry, maybe a Tuesday smoke? Mine were awfully thick so was giving 'em a little extra time.
I'm sure Todd will give you his reasons, but we freeze ours in small packs. I wouldn't want to use & wash my auto-slicer every time I slice a few slices.

Slice it all at once---clean up once----bag it-----freeze it------get a pack out & eat it.

Bear
 
 
I have a question though. I always see wveryone here slicing up everything and then freezing it, I have always left mine whole and allowed it to thaw then sliced. I know it would thaw faster, but is there any other advantage? I assumed leaving it whole you'd retain more moisture when thawed.

Believe I'll go rinse and set in the fridge to dry, maybe a Tuesday smoke? Mine were awfully thick so was giving 'em a little extra time.
Like Bear said clean everything only once. When it is pulled at 145 it is so juicy. I have not had any dry out because of freezing but it is normally used within 60 days. Most times I have been freezing the Canadian bacon whole because I was experimenting with how thick I like it when heating it in the pan for breakfast. I'm thinking of giving some of these little loin hams out to family for Christmas and those will be whole and unfrozen.
 
 
Like Bear said clean everything only once. When it is pulled at 145 it is so juicy. I have not had any dry out because of freezing but it is normally used within 60 days. Most times I have been freezing the Canadian bacon whole because I was experimenting with how thick I like it when heating it in the pan for breakfast. I'm thinking of giving some of these little loin hams out to family for Christmas and those will be whole and unfrozen.
Just to let you guys know, the last time I made this stuff was January, 2012, and I cut 56 slices @ 1/2" thick (Boneless Smoked Pork chops) and the rest into about 1/8" thick CB. I put 2 chops in each freezer pack, with 2 or 3 CB slices between them. That would be one meal of chops each for Me & Mrs Bear, and CB for my next day's Breakfast. Due to my Hospital time and the 7 months of loss of properly functioning taste buds, some are still in the freezer. We just consumed a pack night before last & after 20 Months they are exactly like they were when we put them in the freezer---Awesome!!---Not in the least bit Dry.

Bear
 
Ok, I was wondering the advantage, but since I, being a poor country boy still use the old knife to cut with, there really is no advantage one way or the other. Its stays juicy both ways.

The last time (which was my first time), I made it a few slices would have never sufficed, I had to hide some to have for breakfast. I cut some really thin slices put out on a tray with some crackers for folks to taste, you know get their opinions. *POOF* there wasn't any crumbs. Baby sister dug in the Reefer to get the other piece I had saved!

I didn't care for the end result that time because I had rubbed the outside before smoking like I would tasso. It was a bad rub, it was molten lava hot, and it just didn't go at all with the sweet Canadian bacon.

Anyway, sorry I didn't mean to hi-jack the thread. Man that ham/CB looks totally awesome. I am going out now to the kitchen and cut and check good penetration on my loins. Its been long enough and now seeing yours I want some Canadian bacon!!

Man Todd I love the look of those loins. Totally inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing.
 
 
Ok, I was wondering the advantage, but since I, being a poor country boy still use the old knife to cut with, there really is no advantage one way or the other. Its stays juicy both ways.

The last time (which was my first time), I made it a few slices would have never sufficed, I had to hide some to have for breakfast. I cut some really thin slices put out on a tray with some crackers for folks to taste, you know get their opinions. *POOF* there wasn't any crumbs. Baby sister dug in the Reefer to get the other piece I had saved!

I didn't care for the end result that time because I had rubbed the outside before smoking like I would tasso. It was a bad rub, it was molten lava hot, and it just didn't go at all with the sweet Canadian bacon.

Anyway, sorry I didn't mean to hi-jack the thread. Man that ham/CB looks totally awesome. I am going out now to the kitchen and cut and check good penetration on my loins. Its been long enough and now seeing yours I want some Canadian bacon!!

Man Todd I love the look of those loins. Totally inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing.
No highjacking done on this thread. When I'm looking up something new to try I like these kind of discussions.
 
 
Just to let you guys know, the last time I made this stuff was January, 2012, and I cut 56 slices @ 1/2" thick (Boneless Smoked Pork chops) and the rest into about 1/8" thick CB. I put 2 chops in each freezer pack, with 2 or 3 CB slices between them. That would be one meal of chops each for Me & Mrs Bear, and CB for my next day's Breakfast. Due to my Hospital time and the 7 months of loss of properly functioning taste buds, some are still in the freezer. We just consumed a pack night before last & after 20 Months they are exactly like they were when we put them in the freezer---Awesome!!---Not in the least bit Dry.

Bear
That's a awesome amount of time, I read somewhere that frozen slab, chunk or thicker cut will last longer than thin sliced in the freezer.. I guess this info is proving it true... I also will keep in mind that you dry cure..

Anyone have a time frame on Pops brine?

Thanks-Jimbo
 
Aside from the different brine you used for the ham and CB, you just tied two pork loins together for the ham and the CB is just on pork loin?

Once I complete my duck jerky project this weekend  I guarantee ham and CB are next! I might even start the brine/curing process as soon as my shipment of cure #1 gets in Thursday!
 
The loins have a tapered shape so I tied 2 of the small loins together to make a larger piece of meat for slicing. It is not something that you need to do.
 
Can you give me the recipes for the soaking solution and what you inject them with they look awesome Thanks
 
Can you give me the recipes for the soaking solution and what you inject them with they look awesome Thanks
Pop's Brine

1 gallon water

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup kosher salt or 1/2 cup sea salt

1 Tbs cure #1

1 Tbs onion powder

1 Tbs garlic powder

1 Tbs molasses

Just mix it all up in a clean food grade bucket and use the brine to inject the pork. Put pork and all the brine back in the bucket and cover with a ziplock bag of water to keep it submerged. If you omit the onion, garlic and molasses it is a very good ham brine. 10-14 days.
 
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