# Back (Canadian) Bacon 3 Ways



## disco (Oct 11, 2016)

In some prior posts I advised I was putting a smoked gift package together for my brother and his family. In the last post, I had purchased two full pork loins and made Honey Loin Hams from the large ends of the loins. In this post, I will show how I made the final part of the package, back bacon (mysteriously to us Canadians, Canadian Bacon in the USA). 

I cut the rest of the two loins into 4 meat chunks.













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I measured the cure mix for each piece of meat using the following formula, for each kilogram of pork I mixed:

3 grams (2 ml) Prague Powder #1
40 ml brown sugar
15 ml kosher salt
For the archaic souls who don't do metric this works out to the following per pound of pork.

0.05 ounce (1/5 teaspoon) Prague Powder #1
4 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Please note that you have to do each chunk one at a time by measuring the cure mix for that chunk and putting it in its own bag so that it gets the exact amount of cure needed.

For one of the chunks, I added 1.5 ml of Berbere spice per kilogram to the cure for Berbere bacon. 













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I put the pork on a plate and rubbed the curing mix in. Then I put the meat and any cure mix that fell onto the plate into a ziploc bag.













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I calculated the length of time to cure the pork by my formula, 4 days for every inch of thickness plus 2 days. The thickest part of the pork was 2 1/2 inches so I cured it for 12 days by putting the bags in the fridge and turning them every day or two.

After the 12 days, I rinsed the pork off and soaked it in cold water for 40 minutes, changing the water once. Then I put it on a tray in the fridge overnight.













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I put a grating of pepper over one of the chunks for pepper bacon.













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I put it in my pellets smoker with the smoker turned off and my A-Maze-N Tube smoker loaded with hickory. I smoked it for six to seven hours.













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I put the bacon in the fridge overnight.

The next day I preheated my pellet smoker to 180 F and smoked the bacon to an internal temperature of 140 F.













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I covered the bacon and put it in the fridge for 2 days. Then I sliced it up.













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Of course, I had to sample each kind for quality control before I packaged it up.













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The Verdict

I am really happy with this batch of bacon. It has a great salt/cure/sweet balance. I went really light on the Berbere spice and pepper as my sister in law is not into spicy and they gave just an interesting note to the bacon they were used on.

I hope my family likes it as much as I do.

Disco


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## crankybuzzard (Oct 11, 2016)

Well, I sure did like looking at them and watching you make them!

As usual, great post Disco!


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## disco (Oct 11, 2016)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> Well, I sure did like looking at them and watching you make them!
> 
> As usual, great post Disco!


Thanks, Cranky. My niece has got back to me and was kind with her compliments.


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## tropics (Oct 11, 2016)

Disco That is some really nice looking Bacon,I would enjoy that with some over easy eggs Points for another great post

Richie


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## b-one (Oct 11, 2016)

Looks like the breakfast of champions if you ask me! Great work!Thumbs Up


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## smokeymose (Oct 11, 2016)

Looks wonderful, Disco! I've been making SWMBO the basic Morton TQ stuff for a while now and she eats it faster than I can cure it, so I've been hesitant to try something more, but that looks too good not to try, especially the smoking part!
Seems like a lot of math, but I'll struggle through it.
I've been informed that we're out, so this weekend I think I'll get some loin and try it both ways. [emoji]128578[/emoji]
Point for another excellent post!
Dan


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## disco (Oct 11, 2016)

tropics said:


> Disco That is some really nice looking Bacon,I would enjoy that with some over easy eggs Points for another great post
> 
> Richie


Thanks, Richie. It is a favourite.


b-one said:


> Looks like the breakfast of champions if you ask me! Great work!


Well, the breakfast of fat old Canadians. Thanks, B1.


SmokeyMose said:


> Looks wonderful, Disco! I've been making SWMBO the basic Morton TQ stuff for a while now and she eats it faster than I can cure it, so I've been hesitant to try something more, but that looks too good not to try, especially the smoking part!
> Seems like a lot of math, but I'll struggle through it.
> I've been informed that we're out, so this weekend I think I'll get some loin and try it both ways. [emoji]128578[/emoji]
> Point for another excellent post!
> Dan


Thanks, Dan. I would really look forward to a side by side comparison with the TQ. I do both too.


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## bdskelly (Oct 12, 2016)

Another outstanding post Disco.  And thank you for taking time doing the archaic soul measurements!  Very helpful! POINT

B


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## redheelerdog (Oct 12, 2016)

Great job Disco, I am going to make these, I always see loins at my store for great prices, thanks for the idea. Points!


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## disco (Oct 12, 2016)

BDSkelly said:


> Another outstanding post Disco.  And thank you for taking time doing the archaic soul measurements!  Very helpful! POINT
> 
> B


Thanks, Brian! I was being unkind. I don't do all metric myself. I still use inches and feet.


redheelerdog said:


> Great job Disco, I am going to make these, I always see loins at my store for great prices, thanks for the idea. Points!


I think you will like them Red! Thanks for the point!


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## Bearcarver (Oct 12, 2016)

They'll love it, Disco!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Looks Mighty Tasty!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Great Thread !!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Points.

Bear


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## bena (Oct 12, 2016)

Looks Delish!  Nice Job Disco- wonderful write up.   You guys are sure making it easier for those who are looking for tutorials.


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## basher (Oct 12, 2016)

One question why smoke it then cook to 140 another day?


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## sundown farms (Oct 12, 2016)

Thanks for the effort and detail. I have been wanting to try this and will now feel more confident.


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## mike w (Oct 12, 2016)

Great looking bacon Disco!


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## disco (Oct 12, 2016)

Bearcarver said:


> They'll love it, Disco!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks, Bear. They have tried it now and spoke kindly of the product.

I appreciate the point!


BenA said:


> Looks Delish!  Nice Job Disco- wonderful write up.   You guys are sure making it easier for those who are looking for tutorials.


Har. It was Bearcarver's tutorials that got me started on bacon. Thanks for the kind words.


basher said:


> One question why smoke it then cook to 140 another day?


It gives the bacon more time to pick up smoke flavour. The first day is just to put some smoke on it. I find if I do that and let it sit over night before doing the final smoke, I get a stronger but smoother smoke taste.


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## disco (Oct 12, 2016)

Sundown Farms said:


> Thanks for the effort and detail. I have been wanting to try this and will now feel more confident.


It can't be too hard, I do it! If you would like to give it a try, I and others would be happy to help. You might want to check out Bearcarver's tutorials as well.


Mike W said:


> Great looking bacon Disco!


Thanks, Mike! Very kind!


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## smokeymose (Oct 12, 2016)

What brand of Kosher salt do you use, Disco? I've heard there's a difference. Some recipes specify Diamond Crystal...


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## disco (Oct 12, 2016)

SmokeyMose said:


> What brand of Kosher salt do you use, Disco? I've heard there's a difference. Some recipes specify Diamond Crystal...


I use Mortons. I do know some have different consistencies and you have to adjust for some recipes. This particular recipe wouldn't be too sensitive to that as I don't use as much salt as some others and I think there is little chance of it being to salty.


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## pc farmer (Oct 12, 2016)

Beautiful work Disco as always.


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## disco (Oct 12, 2016)

c farmer said:


> Beautiful work Disco as always.


Thanks, Adam!


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## bdskelly (Oct 13, 2016)

Disco said:


> Thanks, Brian! I was being unkind. I don't do all metric myself. I still use inches and feet.
> 
> I think you will like them Red! Thanks for the point!


LOL You don't have an unkind bone in you body Disco! B


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## stovebolt (Oct 13, 2016)

Another great post, Disco. I'm all out of back bacon and it's about the time of year to make some.

  I've always used Pop's brine before but I may just try it dry this time.

  Point for you.

Chuck


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 13, 2016)

Looks great Disco! It's about time I make some more the bacon stock is getting slim in the freezer!


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## disco (Oct 13, 2016)

BDSkelly said:


> LOL You don't have an unkind bone in you body Disco! B


Well, there is this one my back that hurts from time to time...


stovebolt said:


> Another great post, Disco. I'm all out of back bacon and it's about the time of year to make some.
> 
> I've always used Pop's brine before but I may just try it dry this time.
> 
> ...


I sure won't question using Pop's brine. I use a variation on my loin hams and pastrami. I have done both for bacon and the difference is minimal but I think it has a bit more of a bacon texture with the dry but it is marginal.

Thanks for the point, Chuck!


dirtsailor2003 said:


> Looks great Disco! It's about time I make some more the bacon stock is getting slim in the freezer!


No bacon in the freezer is unforgivable! Get with it, Case!


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## smokeymose (Oct 28, 2016)

I've been working on a "side by side" for you, Disco. The TQ "Canadian Bacon" was done last week and your version of "Back Bacon" will be ready in a couple of days. If I don't crash and burn I'll make a post of it [emoji]128578[/emoji]
Just out of curiosity, when you buy back bacon at the grocery, is it cooked or uncooked?
Dan


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## disco (Oct 28, 2016)

SmokeyMose said:


> I've been working on a "side by side" for you, Disco. The TQ "Canadian Bacon" was done last week and your version of "Back Bacon" will be ready in a couple of days. If I don't crash and burn I'll make a post of it [emoji]128578[/emoji]
> Just out of curiosity, when you buy back bacon at the grocery, is it cooked or uncooked?
> Dan


I am looking forward to the post. The back bacon in the store is cured but they don't guarantee it is fully cooked so I always fry and it and don't assume it is safe to eat right off the chunk.

I did nothing but TQ until I ran out and my local store stopped carrying it so I was forced to Prague Powder #1. The only difference I noted was I was able to cut back on the salt even more by using the Prague powder so the bacon was a little less salty. I am really interested in your tasting comparison to see if it is just me.


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