# Batch of Canadian bacon



## griz400 (Nov 26, 2017)

11/26/17 - noon - start date

Starting off with pops wet brine ...
1 gallon water

1/3 - 1 cup sea salt (depending if you're on a lo-salt diet)
used 3/4 cup

1 cup granulated sugar or Splenda®
used 1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar or Splenda® brown sugar mix
used 1 cup

1 humping tbsp cure no. 1 pink salt

Also added 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of dried sage

now, took 3 nice 7 1/2 lb loins, cut into 8 inch pieces after trimming all fat off, gives me 6  - 8 inch pieces, so will be 4 ft of bacon ...

 and had 2 loin pieces leftover and a 1 lb bag of nice pieces I marked as beans for the freezer
double stacked in my container and the batch covered it all nicely, weighed down with some frozen water bottles,set fridge at 38 degrees this am ... and now, will brine 12 - 14 days ...













trimmed all 3 like this and have  a  couple of small loins for the smoker ...






double stacked and ready for the fridge






brine on  and in the fridge


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## tropics (Nov 26, 2017)

I have a good seat
Richie


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## griz400 (Nov 27, 2017)

One thing I wonder is , Is this enough ( strong enough) to cure all this loin ?? It is approx 15 lbs of loin ... I mixed up just 1 batch of brine and it covered it all nicely ....  In the past when I have done it, It's usually just like 2 - 8 inch pieces ..


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## tropics (Nov 27, 2017)

Jeff you did not say how much water you used,the only thing I see that doesn't look good.The meat touching is preventing it from absorbing the cure at them spots.You can make another batch of cure and use the big zip locks,to give better coverage ensuring you have enough cure for that amount of meat

Richie


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## griz400 (Nov 27, 2017)

Just the 1 gallon of water -- I edited now  --I figured it will be ok ... I might move them around every few days or so


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## tropics (Nov 27, 2017)

Yes the will work if you can let them stay longer it wouldn't hurt
Richie


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## daveomak (Nov 27, 2017)

The FDA accepted rate for cure #1 is 1 tsp. per 5#'s of stuff...  15#'s of loin + ~10#'s of brine/cure..  = 25#'s of stuff..
Sooo, you should have 5 tsp. of cure #1 mixed in...  1 TBS. = 3 tsp. ....


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## griz400 (Nov 27, 2017)

so, It wouldn't hurt to mix in like 2 more teaspoons of #1 in a warm cup  of water to dissolve it good ???  will do after work and mix it all up ... I just didn't figure it would matter cause the mixture covered it all, and should soak in no matter how much meat is in container .. but, I guess , a little stronger mix would be best ...


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## daveomak (Nov 27, 2017)

griz400 said:


> so, It wouldn't hurt to mix in like 2 more teaspoons of #1 in a warm cup  of water to dissolve it good ???  will do after work and mix it all up ... I just didn't figure it would matter cause the mixture covered it all, and should soak in no matter how much meat is in container .. but, I guess , a little stronger mix would be best ...



I would add 2 tsp. of cure #1....  Don't use warm water...   Nitrite starts to break down at 130 deg. F....  Dissolve in cool to cold water...


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## griz400 (Nov 27, 2017)

I actually went back this evening and added about 1 humping teaspoon to it all, mixed thorough to mixture cause it was just a level tablespoon that I used previously .. had a little hump, but not much ...


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## Rings Я Us (Nov 27, 2017)

Should be cool..
Just saw this post. Your a couple days ahead of me.. Was going to do a couple Canadian bacon chunks myself..  My mom likes that alot.

Had to do the popcorn thing, couldn't resist! Lol


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 28, 2017)

That's a lot of bacon coming your way Jeff!! 
I'm in.
Gary


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## pops6927 (Nov 28, 2017)

As long as the meat(s) are covered in curing brine (weighted down to totally immerse), the amount of curing brine does not matter; whether it is 1 gallon or 100 gallons, they will cure properly as long as it is the same _*concentration*_ of curing brine.  see this post: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...bacon-and-red-spots-on-cured-meat#post_771341
Same way with the two 20 lb. turkeys I just put down - they were tight together and there was no more than an inch or two of curing brine surrounding them, plus plates on the top to make sure they were submerged, which pushed them right tight to the bottom:






and they will cure just fine!  We used to stack 350 lbs. of bellies in a 55 gallon drum, one right on top of another, balancing them so the bucket wouldn't tip, fill with curing brine and weigh them down with a 5 gal. jug of water to prevent them from floating.  They cured just fine, did it for many, many years.


http://smokingmeatforums.com/index.php?threads/curing-with-pops-brine.270282/#post-1772101

You don't need to heat it, you don't need to boil it, only stir until dissolved. The cure is totally dissolvable; once dissolved, it cannot be un-dissolved. Once dissolved, the ingredients do not need to be re-stirred; they have been dissolved initially and completely. I have done this thousands upon thousands of times, from one gallon to 55 gallon batches, a dozen times over. Don't make it more difficult than it has to be. Add ingredients, add water, stir a couple dozen times, pour in and just plain let it sit and do it's magic! So Simple!

This is where I copied it from:  http://smokingmeatforums.com/index.php?threads/christmas-party-2017.270280/#post-1772010


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## griz400 (Nov 28, 2017)

I wanna thank you pops ... for alot of clarification ... glad you joined in with your knowledge of curing meats is impeccable for sure .. this is the biggest batch I have made ,, around 15 lbs ..    going to cold smoke a couple hrs on my reverse flow smoker with some real hickory and some charcoal and then keep warming it up with more and more heat and hickory to an internal of 145 to 150 .. will first fire up smoker with about a half a can of charcoal and add some hickory, then keep adding charcoal and hickory along the way ...thanks again for posting up on my bacon thread ...  Jeff


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## griz400 (Dec 9, 2017)

will be a nice morning tomorrow to smoke up the bacon ... supposed to be 43-44 degrees in the am .. perfect ......it's been curing for 13 days in pops brine and around noon I will take out and give it an ice water bath for a few hours, then will pat dry and air dry in fridge till early morning and smoke it on the  reverse flow ...


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## GaryHibbert (Dec 9, 2017)

Don't forget to do a fry test--just to make sure.
Gary


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 9, 2017)

griz400 said:


> will be a nice morning tomorrow to smoke up the bacon ... supposed to be 43-44 degrees in the am .. perfect ......it's been curing for 13 days in pops brine and around noon I will take out and give it an ice water bath for a few hours, then will pat dry and air dry in fridge till early morning and smoke it on the  reverse flow ...



What do you figure to start at? Like 130 ish and bump it up every couple hours for like 8 to 12 hours?


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## daveomak (Dec 9, 2017)

When adding smoke to any meat, you want it warmer than the ambient temperature, so condensate does not form on it...  Condensate and smoke makes for a nasty taste...  "acid rain" is what I call it....


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## Bearcarver (Dec 9, 2017)

griz400 said:


> will be a nice morning tomorrow to smoke up the bacon ... supposed to be 43-44 degrees in the am .. perfect ......it's been curing for 13 days in pops brine and around noon I will take out and give it an ice water bath for a few hours, then will pat dry and air dry in fridge till early morning and smoke it on the  reverse flow ...




Or you could come up here to smoke it, but you better bring a shovel---It's getting awful White out here!!! :rolleyes:

Bear


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## griz400 (Dec 9, 2017)

What I have in mind is like a half a can of kingsford and some hickory chips .. to start, get a little heat going in the reverse flow ... around 100 or so, for a few hours, then bring up temp and get about a 150 internal ... this will probably take anther 3 hrs or so .. I dont want to oversmoke it ....


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## griz400 (Dec 9, 2017)

Ice cold bath and then off to the fridge to air dry about 3 o'clock, then probably get started early am around 7 ...
should have a nice pellicle by then ... 







rinsed off each piece, then cleaned out container, and added ice cold water and ice ..


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## griz400 (Dec 9, 2017)

well, 3 hr ice water bath ... now on rack, inside fridge ... should have a nice pellicle by morning .. will get the show on the road around 7 am ... that's like a 14 hr air dry in fridge ...


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

Put it all on smoker at 7 am... actually is 39 degrees here in Brandon this am ... 







15.5 lbs on the smoker .. running hickory and maybe some oak as well .. smoker temp around 120 ish


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## chopsaw (Dec 10, 2017)

Lookin good .


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

Thanks chopsaw, still real cold out ( windy) ... feels like I am in a deerstand makin bacon ... lol almost 2 1/2 hrs in now .. haven't decided how long I will smoke it all yet .. with the wind, I closed up air vents in fire box,shut chiney off almost, and is running at around 120 in the smoker

mes would have been easier, but, I want full hickory flavor with some real splits ... old school


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

3 1/2 hrs in .. finally took a peek, actually the smoker temp is running like 100 - 110 ... have not put thermo's in yet .. 
may continue to smoke like this for couple more hrs .. then bump up smoker temp and get an internal of 145 ... 





starting to get a nice color ...


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## Bearcarver (Dec 10, 2017)

Great Plan Griz!!

Looking good too! --Like.

Bear


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

Thanks bear ...  thanks for the point as well .. really want a good hickory flavor .. if it works out .. will slice it up Monday evening ...


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 10, 2017)

Nice, You trimmed off the fat like I did. 
 I guess I will wait till next weekend to smoke. Today is day 9. 
Hope you get a great flavor!


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

Thanks john,  I let in the brine (wet) for 13 days, smoking it a lot today, although it's colder than a well diggers ass .. thanks for the point as well


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## Bearcarver (Dec 10, 2017)

griz400 said:


> Thanks john,  I let in the brine (wet) for 13 days, smoking it a lot today, although it's colder than a well diggers ass .. thanks for the point as well




I heard it was cold in Florida!!
We got about 10" of snow yesterday & last night, got down to 22° This morning.

Bear


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

Wife and I grew up in Pa. . but I tell you bear, after being away from the cold .. you don't like it much .. unless you are on vacation,, or in a deerstand ... lol


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

5 hrs in now .. probes in ... may start to crank it up ... here is a look ... 






starting to be bacon.. lol ... temps are 126 and 133


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

Now after 5 1/2 hrs .. going to bring up pit temp to around 225 .. then pull off at 145 internal ... will be a good batch I believe ...


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

Here is the first 3 off the smoker ..












looks real nice


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

here is the next 3 ... will slice up and vac seal next day or so ...
View attachment 347111














slice it up in a couple days and vac pack


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## zippy12 (Dec 10, 2017)

Man if it taste as good as it looks your a lucky man and I not a CB fan this site may convert me!


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

Thanks zippy, If the inside turns out like the outside .. It would be a very nice smoke ... will slice up and vac pack in a couple days


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## griz400 (Dec 10, 2017)

here is a look at  it all resting ..I cant wait to slice and vac pack this .....


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 11, 2017)

Lol.. sweet!


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## griz400 (Dec 11, 2017)

Thanks John, hope when I slice it all up, looks nice on inside ....thanks for the point


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## griz400 (Dec 11, 2017)

Qview ... tell you what ,, I wouldn't change a thing ...    take a look .. here is a few pics ... turned out nice .. 







first loin ...






2 cnd one and looking good .........







couldn't help taking pics ... 3rd loin ... every one came out very, very nice ...






this one here .. I saved a few pieces for breakfast tomorrow ... I call this one pops brine kickin ass






 plus I got 3 bags of ends for beans I marked in in the freezer ...

Tell me what you all think .. look out next couple days cause I am thinking blt with egg, Griz McMuffins, Toppings for some pizza ...


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## zippy12 (Dec 12, 2017)

Nicely Done...

Saw an article here on Tasso ... thinking this will be my next smoke and store..  CB may have to join in....


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## chopsaw (Dec 12, 2017)

Looks great . How was it ?


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 12, 2017)

This thread is point heavy. :rolleyes:

Lol Sweeeeeet!


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## biteme7951 (Dec 12, 2017)

Great looking CB! I know those wont last long....at least they don't in my house. Another option is to slice into smoked pork chops. They make a great dinner when you need something quick. Just flash them in a pan with a little water to steam heat them.

Barry.


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## griz400 (Dec 12, 2017)

Thanks Zippy, Chopsaw, John and Barry, actually ate some this am for breakfast .. was a good smoked taste and just a little sweetness .. wife also liked it .. so that's a plus


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 12, 2017)

griz400 said:


> Thanks Zippy, Chopsaw, John and Barry, actually ate some this am for breakfast .. was a good smoked taste and just a little sweetness .. wife also liked it .. so that's a plus



You used a cup each of brown and cane sugar? I went back and looked.. ok I see..
I used TQ for mine. 
Corned beef was close to a pops brine.


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## pc farmer (Dec 12, 2017)

Very good lookin cb.     Great job


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## Bearcarver (Dec 12, 2017)

Looks Great, Griz!!:)

Nice Job on the Pics too!!--Like.

Bear


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## griz400 (Dec 12, 2017)

Thanks Adam, thanks bear .. it really turned out good,


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## pops6927 (Dec 12, 2017)

Excellent product, Griz!  Thank you for allowing me to assist!  Now, it's all about eating!  No harmful chemicals or preservatives, just home made goodness and flavor!  Looks absolutely, deliciously wonderful!


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## browneyesvictim (Dec 12, 2017)

Fandizzelywinkle  fantastic job! I almost missed this thread too! Whats not to LIKE about that?


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## griz400 (Dec 12, 2017)

pops6927 said:


> Excellent product, Griz!  Thank you for allowing me to assist!  Now, it's all about eating!  No harmful chemicals or preservatives, just home made goodness and flavor!  Looks absolutely, deliciously wonderful!



Thanks pops .. the color, and taste was really nice ...


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## griz400 (Dec 12, 2017)

browneyesvictim said:


> Fandizzelywinkle  fantastic job! I almost missed this thread too! Whats not to LIKE about that?



Thanks browneyesvictim, thanks for the point as well .. had bacon and eggs this am and was a good cb ,,


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## griz400 (Dec 13, 2017)

.......
  Fried up some this am ... added scrambled eggs and took to work, about 9 am had breakfast with some hot sauce of course ...


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## Rings Я Us (Dec 14, 2017)

griz400 said:


> .......
> Fried up some this am ... added scrambled eggs and took to work, about 9 am had breakfast with some hot sauce of course ...



So you used the hickory wood for fuel and flavor? How was the smokiness? Why did you choose that over applewood? Not sure if I want to use hickory for Canadian bacon.. I guess it's common.


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## griz400 (Dec 14, 2017)

started out with a half a cylinder of kingsford added hickory and some free oak from hurricane .. kept around 100 degrees or so ... then amped it up after 5 hrs cold/warm smoked and 3 hrs till 150 internal .. hickory works out good ,, just like hickory smoked bacon .. a good breakfast taste ...


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## GaryHibbert (Dec 14, 2017)

SUCCESS STORY here!!!
Man that's some great looking bacon.
Way to go!!
POINT
Gary


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## griz400 (Dec 15, 2017)

GaryHibbert said:


> SUCCESS STORY here!!!
> Man that's some great looking bacon.
> Way to go!!
> POINT
> Gary


Thanks Gary ...we liked it and tastes pretty good ... thanks for the point as wel


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## griz400 (Dec 24, 2017)

Here is today's breakfast from a vac pack .. lol


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## Bearcarver (Dec 24, 2017)

griz400 said:


> Here is today's breakfast from a vac pack .. lol




Nice!!:)

My Kind of Breakfast !!!

Bear


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## griz400 (Dec 24, 2017)

Thanks bear .. will have bacon for a while .. it made 15.5 lbs


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## pugsbrew (Jan 3, 2018)

daveomak said:


> The FDA accepted rate for cure #1 is 1 tsp. per 5#'s of stuff...  15#'s of loin + ~10#'s of brine/cure..  = 25#'s of stuff..
> Sooo, you should have 5 tsp. of cure #1 mixed in...  1 TBS. = 3 tsp. ....



I'm a little confused here.  Wth Pop's brine recipe, I did not see where to adjust the amount of cure base on the weight of stuff.  I see 1 T of cure for 1 gal water.  What am I missing?

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine.110799/

Thanks


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