Canadian Bacon Dry Cured (Step by Step)

[Bearcarver]

 
I took my temperature up gradually, but I was pretty sure the cure had gone all the way through.  Waiting for your next step by step for more ideas.

Vitaliy

Did you go through my whole Index page already??

Bear

 

[piratey]

 
Did you go through my whole Index page already??

Bear

Yes, I have it book marked.  I'm not a fan of bacon, and my wife does ribs in our slow cooker and they come out great.  The double smoked hams caught my eye, but I only saw it after I had started curing the canadian bacon, and I didn't want to do two pork products at the same time.  I think chicken will be my next smoke and the smoked bear logs or smoked bear mini-loaves also caught my eye.  I can always use more ideas.  I smoked cheese a week ago and am waiting for it to mellow out.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Yes, I have it book marked.  I'm not a fan of bacon, and my wife does ribs in our slow cooker and they come out great.  The double smoked hams caught my eye, but I only saw it after I had started curing the canadian bacon, and I didn't want to do two pork products at the same time.  I think chicken will be my next smoke and the smoked bear logs or smoked bear mini-loaves also caught my eye.  I can always use more ideas.  I smoked cheese a week ago and am waiting for it to mellow out.

That's Great !!

Keep up the Good Work!!

Bear

 

[dukeburger]

This is by far the best bacon I have ever had.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
This is by far the best bacon I have ever had.

That's Great !!

That's what I like to hear!!

Bear

 

[townes]

Bear...thank you for the Step by Steps.  Huge help for beginners like me.   One questions for this recipe,  you list CBP as an ingredient sprinkled on the pork.  What is CBP?

thanks

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Bear...thank you for the Step by Steps.  Huge help for beginners like me.   One questions for this recipe,  you list CBP as an ingredient sprinkled on the pork.  What is CBP?

thanks

Thank You Townes!!

That would be Cracked Black Pepper.

Bear

 

[townes]

Thank you!

 

[gary s]

Bears CB is great, I've made three batches so for

gary

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Bears CB is great, I've made three batches so for

gary

Thanks Gary!!

I Appreciate that !!

Bear

 

[backyardboss]

Great step by step and am anxious to give this a  go. Can't find tender quick or cure 1 anywhere around central Va it seems, unless I'm not looking  iin the right places out there. Anyone have an idea? Doesn't seem Bass pro or Cabelas carries it, surprisingly. Also for limiting the salt content, which is the better choice?

trying to watch me girlish figure, doncha' know!

The half pork loins are a buck .79 a Lb at Kroger right now so was going to do a couple, slice and freeze.

Great step by step, can't wait to get my hands on some cure and get going, thanks again for your and all the others great info around here all the time!

 

[dukeburger]

 
Great step by step and am anxious to give this a  go. Can't find tender quick or cure 1 anywhere around central Va it seems, unless I'm not looking  iin the right places out there. Anyone have an idea? Doesn't seem Bass pro or Cabelas carries it, surprisingly. Also for limiting the salt content, which is the better choice?

trying to watch me girlish figure, doncha' know!

The half pork loins are a buck .79 a Lb at Kroger right now so was going to do a couple, slice and freeze.

Great step by step, can't wait to get my hands on some cure and get going, thanks again for your and all the others great info around here all the time!

Whenever you need to do groceries, try a different store each time and check their salt section for TQ or even ask a manager if they can order some in. If I can find it in central Alberta, you will find it, I'm sure of it.

You won't regret it!

 

[pc farmer]

http://www.mortonsalt.com/for-your-home/where-to-buy

Here is a locator.

 

[biscuit32533]

 
Great step by step and am anxious to give this a  go. Can't find tender quick or cure 1 anywhere around central Va it seems, unless I'm not looking  iin the right places out there. Anyone have an idea? Doesn't seem Bass pro or Cabelas carries it, surprisingly. Also for limiting the salt content, which is the better choice?



trying to watch me girlish figure, doncha' know!



The half pork loins are a buck .79 a Lb at Kroger right now so was going to do a couple, slice and freeze.



Great step by step, can't wait to get my hands on some cure and get going, thanks again for your and all the others great info around here all the time!

Whenever you need to do groceries, try a different store each time and check their salt section for TQ or even ask a manager if they can order some in. If I can find it in central Alberta, you will find it, I'm sure of it.


You won't regret it!

You won't regret it found mine at Rouses market if you follow Bears instructions you have the ability to adjust the salt somewhat at the end. I thought it was a salty for me but the Ms. Said it was spot on


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Great step by step and am anxious to give this a  go. Can't find tender quick or cure 1 anywhere around central Va it seems, unless I'm not looking  iin the right places out there. Anyone have an idea? Doesn't seem Bass pro or Cabelas carries it, surprisingly. Also for limiting the salt content, which is the better choice?



trying to watch me girlish figure, doncha' know!



The half pork loins are a buck .79 a Lb at Kroger right now so was going to do a couple, slice and freeze.



Great step by step, can't wait to get my hands on some cure and get going, thanks again for your and all the others great info around here all the time!

Like Duke said---Check the Grocery Stores around you----Should be near the Mortons Salt. There's 4 Big Supermarkets around here, and one of them has TQ.



Also check the Finder Adam (c farmer) gave you.



Some say they use Cure #1 to reduce the salt, but I've been using TQ for 6 years & never had a problem. You have to use it right. You don't want to use too much TQ or cure it to long. Even Mortons says both of those things will make it salty---I agree.



Bear

 

[backyardboss]

http://www.mortonsalt.com/for-your-home/where-to-buy

Here is a locator.

Yea, Thanks Farmer, I've used that a couple of times and even though it maxes out at a 50 mile radius, nothing.

I find that really hard to believe as this is a HUGE hunting area, but no luck. We're pretty much a Kroger/ Food lion/ Martins market and I've checked all three. Nothing.

Looks like mail order it is! 

Bear thanks again for the step by step, could you clarify what is "too long" in your post? Reading your post above you let it cure for an additional couple days (I hope Mrs. Bear is doing well), and I'll follow your guidelines on weight, quantities etc., But would one have to go to real extremes to goof this up or is there a "margin" of error in your estimation?

Thanks again!

BYB

 

[backyardboss]

 
Thank You!!

I'm very glad you're having good success.

7 days was probably a little short on paper, but it sounds like it was cured to center, since it was pink all the way. The thing you look for is if it's pink all the way to center, it's good. If it didn't get all the way to center, there will be a portion in the middle that won't be pink---It will be pale brown-gray in the center instead.

On Edit: I stole this picture from another thread. Below is what it looks like when it's not cured to center:

uncured cured pork.jpeg

• pops6927
• Dec 10, 2012

Bear

Great pic! This gives us all a good idea what to look for, and what to hope NOT to see! haha

And somehow I managed to find only page 1 (!) of this thread last evening (while smoking a brined turkey breast, boars head kielbasa and about 5 lbs of my nuts (ouch!) , so much more here than I first realized. Great thread!

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Great pic! This gives us all a good idea what to look for, and what to hope NOT to see! haha

And somehow I managed to find only page 1 (!) of this thread last evening (while smoking a brined turkey breast, boars head kielbasa and about 5 lbs of my nuts (ouch!) , so much more here than I first realized. Great thread!

I stole that pic from somebody from back awhile, but I remembered it & found it, but I'm sure he doesn't mind----I think it was Pops.

Bear

 
Yea, Thanks Farmer, I've used that a couple of times and even though it maxes out at a 50 mile radius, nothing.

I find that really hard to believe as this is a HUGE hunting area, but no luck. We're pretty much a Kroger/ Food lion/ Martins market and I've checked all three. Nothing.

Looks like mail order it is! 

Bear thanks again for the step by step, could you clarify what is "too long" in your post? Reading your post above you let it cure for an additional couple days (I hope Mrs. Bear is doing well), and I'll follow your guidelines on weight, quantities etc., But would one have to go to real extremes to goof this up or is there a "margin" of error in your estimation?

Thanks again!

BYB

When I have time I'll snoop around, or you can. See if there's a "Group" forum section of states that includes Virginia, and see where any of them get their TQ. I hate to see anybody have to pay the shipping on it from Mortons.

AS for time----A few days longer than my calculations won't hurt, but I wouldn't want to add more than about 5 extra days beyond my calculations. Even Mortons says in their book, that one of the biggest mistakes Newbies make is to Dry cure it too long, and make it salty.

Pulling it too soon can cause it to not get cured to center, but it won't make it too salty like some people think. 

As for Margin of error---I use 1/2 ounce of TQ per Pound of whole meat, which is a little more than a TBS of TQ. Either way is OK, but if it's a little salty to you, go by the TBS instead of the 1/2 ounce. The cure in TQ is a very low percentage of the whole mix, so it's not as dangerous as if you used too much Pink Salt. More Exact is more important with Cure #1.

And I'm glad you like my Step by Steps, and are getting use out of them.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Yea, Thanks Farmer, I've used that a couple of times and even though it maxes out at a 50 mile radius, nothing.

I find that really hard to believe as this is a HUGE hunting area, but no luck. We're pretty much a Kroger/ Food lion/ Martins market and I've checked all three. Nothing.

Looks like mail order it is! 

Bear thanks again for the step by step, could you clarify what is "too long" in your post? Reading your post above you let it cure for an additional couple days (I hope Mrs. Bear is doing well), and I'll follow your guidelines on weight, quantities etc., But would one have to go to real extremes to goof this up or is there a "margin" of error in your estimation?

Thanks again!

BYB

Here ya go, BYB,

Below is a link to the Virginia Smokers' Group. Check with those guys to see which ones use TQ, and where they get it:

Link:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/groups/show/25/virginia-smokers-group

Bear

 

[twoalpha]

BYB

This is where I found the Morton Tender Quick. Less than Amazon.

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=61

Hope this helps.

Larry