Canadian bacon

[es1025]

I acquired the necessary components to make canadian bacon. I am going to use the pop's brine recipe  with a couple of tweaks. lowering the garlic and onion powder to 3/4 tbsp and adding 1 tbsp of maple extract. I will be starting tomorrow and looking to smoke on 5/23.  Do you think i should rotate the meat on day 6-7?

Since i do not have a pid what do you recommend the smoking temp at? Also, is 3oz of cherry enough.

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[DivotMaker]

Ed, I didn't use a PID the first time I made this either.  Here's an excerpt from my post:

"I started with 4 hours @ 140, then bumped it up to 175 for an hour, and just upped the temp to 200." 

This worked very well, and gave it plenty of smoke and a good exterior finish.

I'm experimenting with a new recipe for the brine that doesn't use the onion and garlic powder, but does use celery powder.  I bought some uncured CB at Sam's (Rose Center-Cut Uncured Canadian Bacon), which has a really good flavor.  It says all-natural, hickory smoked, on the package, but doesn't have a good smoky taste.  I'm going to try and duplicate this taste (except cured), and add some good smoke.  More to follow...

[es1025]

Ok,

Here is the brine I put together:

1 gallon of H2O (cold)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup Kosher Salt
1 TBSP Cure #1
1/2 TBSP Garlic Powder (took DM advise reduced from 1 TBSP)
1/2 TBSP Onion Powder (took DM advise reduced from 1 TBSP)
1 TBSP pure Maple extract (my spin on a flavor profile)

Dissolved the dry ingredients in about 1/2 the water.

I purchased a 3.7# loin from BJ's.  Trimmed the excess fat, cut in half and placed in the Briner Jr.  The loins were floating thankfully the built in plate pushed the loins to the bottom.  Top off with the remaining water.

Told the loins I would see them on 5/23.

Can't wait for the osmosis to begin!

[DivotMaker]

Sounds like a winner, Ed!  You'll be amazed at how much better this is than commercial CB!  I'm still going to try the celery version, just for fun, but this brine is really good!

[es1025]

I have a butcher shop in town that makes real good CB. I hope mine is better. Time will tell.

[es1025]

Do you put a rub on the CB? I guess not but looking for confirmation.

[DivotMaker]

I don't use any rub.  The brining, and smoke, make a good "skin" on the CB.  I guess you could use a rub - no rules here!

[NDKoze]

I don't do a rub either. If anything I would put some cracked black pepper on.

I did this on my Buckboard Bacon that I made recently and liked that.

[es1025]

I saw on Jeff's forum, the posters mentioned cracked black pepper and honey.

Not sure which way I am leaning, I have a long time 11 days to decide.

[DivotMaker]

I guess I shy away from rubs on it because of my experience with CB.  In 51 years on this rock, I've never had CB with anything on it.  Doesn't mean it wouldn't be really good, though.  It just seems like it would make it into something other than "Canadian Bacon" if it has a rub on it.  I'm weird that way...

[es1025]

One last question, do you think I should rotate the two loins or leave as is since its in the briner?

[NDKoze]

I rotated mine around every 3-4 days to ensure that the spots that were touching the sides/top would have coverage.

I don't have a Briner Jr, but with both options something (in my case a Ziploc with water in it) is pushing the meat down to submerge it. That connection that is pushing down or any part of the meat that is resting up against the side of the vessel may not get the exposure like the rest.

I am not sure it is necessary or not, but it is so easy to do that I do it.

[DivotMaker]

Ed, I use a very scientific method of ensuring my brined meat gets completely covered:  Every day, when I get home from work, I open the fridge to admire my briner and say "Hi" to the little morsels in the bath.  Then, I firmly grip the top lip of the briner with my thumb and forefinger, and give it a little shake/stir for about 10 seconds.  I find this rotates the meat in the briner, and I never have a problem with dead spots.  Plus, I find this incredibly stress-relieving after a long day!

[es1025]

Two more days of the pork loin in the brine.  I can't wait for Saturday afternoon for the smoking and unveiling.

I found a couple of recipes on the temp, probably 200 or so until it hits 145-150.

I just gave the briner a swirl, the maple extract is really giving off a nice aroma.

[DivotMaker]

Waiting is the hardest part!  (Tom Petty must have been a Q smoker!).  Ed, the smoking profile I use works great with the analog.  Low and slow, with lots of smoke worked out great.  In case you missed it:

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1077.0

I'd stay away from the 200 off the bat; it'll cook too fast.  You want good smoke penetration in the bacon.  This isn't like a "normal" smoke.  With bacon, more is good!