Canadian Bacon, curing questions

I have never made it but this looks like a good place to start;

http://www.dizzypigbbq.com/recipesBacon.html

You can simplify it all by getting some Hi-Mountain bacon cure and follow the directions. The directions call for using a deboned pork butt and will also work on loins. If I remember right, you use so much per pound (a tad extra won't hurt), cure in fridge for 3 days (an extra day won't hurt), rinse under cold water and pat dry, smoke on 200* with your choice and amount of wood until internal meat temp is 140*. Works like a charm. You might find it in a local store like we have around here, or get it from the website. Google knows it.

Captains link to DizzyPig is a good one. The recipes are clear and I think they follow what Axel is looking for, more of a brine as opposed to just a dry cure.

I have been watching these Canadian Bacon posts as well as I have a loin just waiting for the Canadian wand to appear.

I may try the brine route as well, after all, it is a start. One question I have is this. Peameal is the loin after it has been brined, but not smoked. Is that correct? I know they roll it in cornmeal but basically its pickled loin that never hits the smoker right?

quote:

Originally posted by Brewbek:

One question I have is this. Peameal is the loin after it has been brined, but not smoked. Is that correct? I know they roll it in cornmeal but basically its pickled loin that never hits the smoker right?

From my pretty extensive Googling of the subject today I would say you are correct. I guess traditional Canadian Bacon was cured but not smoked. Originally (again from what I read today) Canadian Bacon was rolled in a meal made from dried ground peas. Hence peameal. Hard to believe though that pea meal was more plentiful than corn but go figure.



peas

I make about 15 lbs a month and here is what I do for a 10 lb loin. Use TQ's recommendation on the package of 1 tablespoon per lb of TQ. So my recipe is 10 tablespoons TQ, 20 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper. Mix dry in a bowl. I usually cut my loin in half, rub each half liberaly and equally with the rub mix. Put each loin half in the same 2 gallon zip lock bag and add the rest of the leftover rub. Put in a frige between 34-38 degrees for 1 week, turning daily. On day 7 remove and rinse well. No need to soak, just a good rinse and let sit out for an hour if possible. I smoke in my 050 with a 50/50 mix of apple and cherry chips. Put loin halves on same shelf in upper 1/3 of smoker. Put temp probe in center of one of the loins. Close up smoker, set at 180, and wait for meat temp to hit 140, usually at 3-3.5 hour mark for me (your times may vary). Take out, rinse under water, wrap in plastic and foil. Place in frige to cool. Slice to perfered thickness. I usually vac seal this and freeze. It keeps well that way for a long time, but it doesnt last long around here.

Why do you rinse it again after smoking?

I rinse after smoking to remove any black particles, and excess surface fat. It makes slicing later much neater. Otherwise I find a jell inside the plastic wrap after cooling and have to wash the meat then.

bob