# My first Canadian Bacon



## Bearcarver (Oct 22, 2009)

Here's my first pork loin/Canadian Bacon. It turned out great thanks to many of you on this forum. I stole the two 2 1/2 pound loins from the freezer ( Yeah--I asked my wife first ! ). She had gotten them on a "two for one" sale, so the 5 pounds cost just under $10.



After dry curing 8 days:








A little sample taste before chilling over night:







Slicing:








Not very much out of 5 pounds of pork loin:







Next time I have to get a much bigger pork loin!







Thank You,
Bearcarver


----------



## fire it up (Oct 22, 2009)

Great job, your first attempt looks like you've been doing it for years. 
Great job on the cure. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




Now that it looks like you got the hang of it have you thought about trying your hand a capicola?


----------



## mballi3011 (Oct 22, 2009)

For the first time you did a great job there Bear. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





For sure you did a good job with the cure it looks that it went all the way thou so you did good. How long did you cure them.? We love them here so I'm getting better at them myself.


----------



## txbigred (Oct 22, 2009)

Mmmm, looks tasty. those things are pretty good thrown on top of a frozen pizza too.

Dave


----------



## Bearcarver (Oct 22, 2009)

I cured them with 5 TBS of TQ, plus 5 TBS of brown sugar for 8 days at 37/38 degrees. Then I soaked them for 1 1/2 hours, draining 3 times.
Fry tested---not too salty.
Sprinkled a little garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Put in fridge unwrapped over night.
Started smoking (Apple dust, chips, and chunks) at 120*, and moved up slowly for 6 1/2 hours to 230*, finishing with an internal 160*.

The reason I went to 160* was;
 I couldn't figure out if I wanted to remove at 140* or 160*. There were all kinds of comments on the subject, but Dawn (IrishTbear) swayed me. I read the one where she was doing 3 portions of loins. She was going to pull two at 140*, and leave to other one in until 160* (if I remember correctly). She ended up leaving them all in until 160*. So I figured I'd keep checking after 140* to make sure they didn't get to hard & dry. They didn't !

Now I can eat them cold, but I threw a couple slices in the butter after I pulled my fried eggs out of the pan, gave the slices a minute on each side, and they melted in my mouth ! MMMMmmmmmmm...........

Thanks,
Bearcarver


Fire it up: I'm not ready for Capicola yet----Only "Pepsi Cola"


TxBigRed: I love it on pizza!


----------



## warthog (Oct 22, 2009)

Yea, That Bacon looks mighty fine.


----------



## beer-b-q (Oct 22, 2009)

Nice Job, Looks Great...


----------



## ronp (Oct 22, 2009)

Nice C B there.


----------



## treegje (Oct 22, 2009)

Yummy looking' Thanks for the recipe


----------



## alx (Oct 22, 2009)

Excellent Bear Carver.I will take 5 pounds to go and one of your excellent carvings


----------



## shooterrick (Oct 22, 2009)

Looks great!  You are now hooked.  LOL


----------



## irishteabear (Oct 22, 2009)

Very nice!  They look very good.  Might as well get the next batch started, they don't last long.


----------



## bassman (Oct 22, 2009)

Now you're hooked!  Nice looking CB.


----------



## toxie (Oct 23, 2009)

Great Job Bearcarver!!

you have inspired me to give this a shot myself...


----------



## Bearcarver (Oct 23, 2009)

Great !

Thanks,
I'm trying to pay back for all the guys who inspired me !


Bearcarver


----------



## meat hunter (Oct 23, 2009)

Oh yeah, that looks fantastic. Great job Bearcarver. Better than anything I've ever seen in the store, thats for sure.


----------



## Bearcarver (Oct 24, 2009)

Thanks Meat Hunter !

BTW: I wore the Tropic Lightning patch for about a year (August, 69 to August, 70), but only on my right shoulder.


Bearcarver


----------



## forktender (Oct 28, 2009)

WOW .........Look's awesome !!!!


----------



## richoso1 (Oct 28, 2009)

Wow, very impressive for your first time out of the gate. You've got me sold, I'm going to try that real soon. It's all good my friend.


----------



## downstatesmoker (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanx for the post.  I'm looking to try this to bring with me to my folks for Thanksgiving.  Will post with Qview when I do!


----------



## cman95 (Oct 28, 2009)

Dang good job Bear!


----------



## Bearcarver (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks again to you all !

Bearcarver


----------

