Hey all,
I decided I would try to contribute something to this forum other than my usually witty banter, in order to earn my keep here. ;D
So, I decided to chronicle my first attempt at Habs Canadian Bacon for those who have always wanted to try it but haven't as of yet for whatever reason. My reason was fear of screwing up a perfectly good Pork Loin.
The bottom line is: In the words of Nike, Just Do It. It was so simple that even a simpleton like myself could do it and make some pretty darn good canadian bacon. The directions that Habs provided on the recipe site are pretty easy and straight-forward, I simply am adding pics and maybe a little advice on what I'd do differently. Habs directions are in black, my commentary in red. If I've screwed anything up, it is entirely my fault and not Habs. Like I said, I'm a simpleton and can screw up boiling water.
So, without further ado, here it is:
Directions:
Trim fat from pork loin.
Pretty straightforward on this one.
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q12/ducks1166/001.jpg)
Cut into 3 to 4 pound sections.
Weight each section.
Make a note of the weight of each piece before measuring the dry ingredients.
Measure all dry ingredients for each section of meat based on the weight of each section, and thoroughly mix.
Example if you have two sections; one weighting 4 pounds and one weighting 3 pounds, measure all the dry ingredients for the 4 pound piece and place that in one bowl; and measure all the ingredients you will use on the 3 pound piece and put that in a separate bowl.
Rub the entire mixture on to the loin.
Make sure to cover all surfaces, and work the dry cure into any crevices in the meat.
Here's the loins with the rub on them. There are plenty of creases in these buggers and I can't stress enough to do as Habs says.
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q12/ducks1166/002.jpg)
Place loins into separate one gallon sealable plastic bags, and remove as much air as possible.
Here's where I think I made the only mistake. I shouldn't have vacuum sealed these for two reasons in my opinion: 1. It pressed the meat down so they weren't as tall as I would have liked; 2. It was a little more difficult to distribute the liquid inside the bags when I turned the every day.
Cure meat in the refrigerator at 36- 40 F
Due to the thickness of the loin you will need to cure them for 6 days.
Once a day turn meat over.
You do not have to open the bags, if some liquid has formed give the bag a few shakes to redistribute the liquid.
Remove loins from plastic bags and thoroughly rinse off.
Soak loin pieces in about three gallons of cool water for 30 minutes; pat dry.
Refrigerate uncovered overnight, or long enough to allow to dry and to form pellicle on the surface.
You may also see an iridescent sheen on the surface.
It was after this step that I tied them up with butcher's twine about every 2". I think it gives you better uniformity in the shape of the meat if you start at the center of the loin and work out versus starting at an end and moving down but I really don't think it makes that much difference. Tying it up did bring some heighth back to the loins but not to where I would have liked it.
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q12/ducks1166/006-1.jpg)
It was after this point that I threw the loins back into a 2.5 gallon bag and covered them with maple syrup. I recommend using 100% maple syrup as I can tell a difference between that and say, Aunt Jemima. But, it's your call. I left them in the refer soaking up the maple syrup for about 1.5 hours.
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q12/ducks1166/008-1.jpg)
Place loins into a 200 F preheated Bradley.
Apply maple smoke for two hours.
Continue to cook until an internal temperature of 150 F is reached.
It is important to take the internal temperature of each piece of loin. **
Remove loins from smoker, and tent foil until loins are cool enough to be handled by hand.
Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least two days.
Cut into 1/8 inch thick slices and serve
(if serving with crackers you may have to quarter each slice.)
Here is the finished product.....might not be much to look at, but man, does it taste good! I'll even eat it cold with Ice's sauce in a sandwich with some smoked cheddar. It's awesome cold or hot!
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q12/ducks1166/046.jpg)
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q12/ducks1166/047.jpg)
Great post ducky;
Thanks for taking the time to share with all the folks here. :)
Looks good SD/giggles! Looks like you put the camera a little too close to the adult beverage on one of those photo's. Caused the focus to be a little off. I got experience in that department. ;D
Actually, I was trying to fend off the wife from snatching the bacon off the table. She has quite the voracious appetite ;D
You might also catch a glimpse of my autobiography right behind the solid piece of bacon :'(
Good job Gigglin' Duck.
Got some small pieces curing right now to make smaller diameter slices (cut a chunk of loin into thirds the long way...biggest piece was 10 ounces). Felt pretty firm after 24 hours of curing, so I'm gonna look at 'em good Saturday and hopefully give the soak and dry, and smoke them on Sunday.
Nice post there Giggling Duck!
I have done 3 batches of Hab's Canadian bacon thus far. I keep experimenting with different spices in addition to the TenderQuick.
Has anyone tried using fresh Garlic and onions in Hab's recipe instead of the powder ?
That looks excellent Giggling Duck ;D (but you did'nt use mesquite ::) I've done two batches and both turned out excellent. I've also thought about trying some different ingredients and chicken out at the last minute because this receipe is so awesome and I don't want to screw it up!
C
Great post. Easy to follow steps, my only complaint is that it should be in larger type. ;D
The only thing I want to mention is that I now only take my Candian bacon to 142-145°F.
Thanks guys.
I've always wanted to make it but was afraid to for fear of ruining a perfectly good piece of meat. Your directions were flawless, Habs. Just wondering why you now only take it to 142-145F? Does it affect the meat in a more positive way? I can't imagine it being better than what it is right now, but you are definitely the expert, so I defer to you.
You know FL, it is interesting you ask the question about fresh garlic and onions. I was seriously contemplating it but decided for my first go-around that I would follow the directions to the T and then try to step outside my comfort zone after I had a successful run with it.
I think my next venture will be with making regular bacon. This forum sure does make it a lot easier to take chances with things you've never done before.
SD,
You are venturing down the same path that I ( and I beleive KYNola) went down bacon-wise. It is a very tasty path indeed. I did a batch of Canadian (back, eh ?) bacon, then the belly bacon. Somehow I still have some belly bacon in the freezer.
Other than a WWE wrestling match with the skin (which I lost), the belly bacon is as easy as the Back bacon. And you don't have to tie it up. The hardest part was FINDING a pork belly in South Florida. I had to order it from the butcher at my local grocery chain.
Back :D to the Canadian - I cured a batch with substituting (more) brown sugar for the garlic and onion powder. Came out great!
SD;
I now only take it to 142 - 145°F, because it seem more moist to me, and the texture is more to my liken. I do my best to take the pieces out at 142°F, and it will continue to rise 2-4 degrees when at rest.
nice looking bacon sd :)
Ive made and sold tons in my small butcher shop (using bradley smokers) .
ths is just a suggestion...........Because I retail this bacon sliced and packaged, I dont lay the bacon on racks I hang them in the smoker so they are not touching anything and they stay perfectly round (without butcher string).
Also the salt and cure removes the chrome from the Bradley smoke racks in time.
In canada we just call it bacon (back or side)
Thanks TBS.
I think I figured out my problem......I used half pork loin boneless instead of whole. I was at the supermarket today and saw a whole pork loin boneless and noticed a huge difference. Add to it that I vac sealed for the cure and it smushed down pretty good.
Momma and the kids like it pretty well. Even took some to an Amish guy who sells meats at a farmers market down the road and he really liked it. I'm bribing him for some good amish meats soon! I'll bring him some cheese I did a little while ago and really get on his good side! :D
I'm gonna have to get some dowel rods to use in the bradley so I can start hanging sausage, bacon, etc.
Thanks again!
Good job Giggling Duck!
We just got back last night from our fishing trip to Northern Manitoba. What a blast... anyway, I had done up about 15 lbs of this and took it up north for the boys (6 of us) for all the breakfast meals. It was a big hit. ;)
Ya just can't go wrong with bacon! 8)
Mike
Thanks Mike. I'll bet yours was a supreme hit. Nothing beats bacon, but nothing really beats bacon at fish camp. Them boys must love having you along with them. Maybe next year I'll hopefully have a job and I can come up there fishing with you sometime and we can then replace your pic with the walleye and replace it with one of mine ;D. I can then be known as Giggling Walleye (although I believe that would more appropriately fit you).
How was the fishing up there anyways? Got any pics?
SD
S.Duck, aka Giggling Duck! ;D ;D
I do not know if you should be eating that bacon. I mean after all it is NOT round. You better send all of it to me for proper disposal. ::)
But really it looks great, I want to do another batch myself but am waiting for a sale on pork loin.
I was looking at Costco at pork loin roast and it looked a lot different. It was a 3 pack that looked like 3 loaves of bread. No exterior fat at all. Would this make a good Canadian Bacon?.
SD
Fishing was great. Weather was fantastic, no wind and lots of heat. In fact, I'm burnt to a crisp! We were worried the ice wouldn't be out but it was. We didn't get the size we usually do but the numbers were good. The biggest pike was 17 lbs 14 ozs, biggest walleye was 8 lbs 8 ozs and the biggest lake trout was 10 lbs 10 ozs.
We ate like kings and drank like fish! ;)
Ahhh the life.....
I'll have to see if I can round up a picture or two.
Mike
Quote from: Smokin Soon on May 31, 2008, 07:17:02 PM
I was looking at Costco at pork loin roast and it looked a lot different. It was a 3 pack that looked like 3 loaves of bread. No exterior fat at all. Would this make a good Canadian Bacon?.
I think it would make the best Can Bacon.
Quote from: Smokin Soon on May 31, 2008, 07:17:02 PM
I was looking at Costco at pork loin roast and it looked a lot different. It was a 3 pack that looked like 3 loaves of bread. No exterior fat at all. Would this make a good Canadian Bacon?.
Yes, you can used it. Even with the fat removed, make sure you remove the silver skin; if it is still attached. Pork loin roast is usually the sirloin end of the pork loin; the end that is attached to the ham. I generally buy the whole loin (because it's cheaper) and use both the sirloin and rib ends.
I`m gonna do it, I just need the ingreadiance for the rub and cure. can someone post them.
Thanks
Here is the Canadian Bacon recipe:
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?p=500#post500
thanks
Holy Cow Giggles...I'm impressed...nicely done...I need to try this recipe...thanks for the post...:)
See, LQ.....that's why I act a little off.....when you do something that really isn't that hard, it impresses the heck out of people ;D And on the other hand, if I screw up something very simple, it's as if people expect it so they don't get mad. There certainly is an upside to being an underachiever ;D
In all seriousness, I was afraid of messing up a good piece of meat but Habs' directions were so easy to follow I just figured that if I showed that I could do it, anyone could. In fact, I have a couple more loins in the freezer that I think I'm gonna pull out and make some more back bacon......my first batch is almost gone already.
SD
Thanks for the reminder....I need to pull my meat out tonight and soak it for a while, then let it dry overnight and smoke it tomorrow evening.
Here is a youtube video showing how to make canadian bacon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM-knAOkuGU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tVG573yXsk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wh8cpaYsmg&feature=related
Smokin "Giggling like a girl" Duck,
Nice post. I have done Hab's Canadian bacon twice. The last time I vac sealed the loins for the cure and I really liked the results. I cut the cure time down from 6 days to 4 and it turned out fine. As my friend FL Bentrider said, you used the same recipe, maple syrup cured, as we did on belly bacon. It is a killer. So good in fact that today my wife said "don't we need to go buy a pork belly?". How cool is that?!
Thanks for posting the "canadian bacon for dummies". Always helps to have a refresher course.
KyNola
Thanks KY. I'm definitely going to be doing this again only next time I'll use a whole pork loin instead of a half. That's why it looked smushed to me. Other than that, I'll probably do everything else the same way.
SD
See...Giggles uses the same type of cooking terms that I do..."smushed". Ya gotta love that!!! Don't we all know exactly what he means!!! :) :) :)
I learned from the best.......Wolfgang Schmolfgang.....my money's on LQ every time ;) ;D
In case anybody is still on the fence about making this stuff, get off of there and DO IT. I recently did some that I tried every possible way to ruin it, and it came out AWESOME. I got too much garlic powder on one piece (according to the recipe), cured about 8-10 days prior to smoking (my pieces were very small, and were probably ready at 3 days)....about the only thing I did right was waiting at least 2 days after smoking to taste it.
On one of the you tube vids on bacon, it has them injecting the brine until it just wont take any more. What are the thoughts on this from the experienced smokers?
Not sure why it wouldn't work with the injecting them. I'm a dry rub kind of guy for the most part so that's what I do. I just put another loin in the cure. It was a 5 lb. piece and I simply used 1 tablespoon of MTQ per pound with 2 teaspoons of DBS per pound. I really liked the dark look it gave the meat right off of the bat and am anxious to see how it will look after 6 days of cure.
I haven't tried injecting, loins are really not that thick, so placing them in a brine solution would be enough to cure it fully. I have tried wet brining for Canadian Bacon and have to say I prefer the dry cure method.
I haven't seen the video, but usually if you inject you want to inject a brine amount that is 10% of the weight of the meat you are injecting, before submerging it in a brine solution; which is generally the point the meat can not hold any more.
f you give it a try, I hope you report your your finding. Injecting may make the final product more moist.
I use spray cure (injection cure) for everything. It will definately keep you canadian backs and hams moist and juicy.
With an injector, you can cure pork bellies as fast a you inject them. not like rubs which take days.
10% is a good guidline. Over injecting will split and tear pockets in the meat. but the excess will come out.
I am making about 70 lbs of canadian bacon this week and I'll post picks as I go along.
Just out of curiosity TBS...what in god's name are you gonna do with 70 lbs of bacon?
I'm thinking a couple of bypass surgeries! ::) But I think he runs a butcher/smoke shop.
C
Quote from: La Quinta on June 19, 2008, 04:08:07 PM
Just out of curiosity TBS...what in god's name are you gonna do with 70 lbs of bacon?
I'm thinking it would make one heck of a blanket :o
TBS,
When you say you can cure pork bellies as fast you can inject them, are you talking about making bacon? If so, can you please elaborate a little further? I would be most interested. I apologize for hijacking the thread.
KyNola
LQ,
What are you going to do with 70 lbs of bacon? Die the happiest death imaginable! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
KyNola
Quote from: KyNola on June 19, 2008, 07:28:17 PM
TBS,
When you say you can cure pork bellies as fast you can inject them, are you talking about making bacon? If so, can you please elaborate a little further? I would be most interested. I apologize for hijacking the thread.
KyNola
Yes making bacon .
when we inject brine into bellies, the curing process begins in a mater of minutes. A ten lb slab of pork belly for instance, we would inject in about 100 diffrent spots on the belly. (my injector comes with 3 ,5 or 10 needles) after injecting you can place in the smoker almost right away. When the pork belly reaches temps over 65 deg f the cure realy starts to work. Larger solid muscle items like ham or brisket take longer in the brine.
For home use, I recomend you use a sirynge type injector, stab the belly as many times as you can injecting as much as you can. after injecting put the belly in a container completely submerged in brine. Leave it out (not refrigerated) for 10 - 20 hours then start the smoking. All you "too salty whiners" will be pleasantly surprised at the High quality of your bacon.
I'm going to start some Canadian Bacon today -- Has anyone tried maple sugar instead of brown sugar? If not -thoughts on why it might be a good idea or not?
Thanks,
Deb
P.S. Thanks for this thread S.D. I had been thinking about it but this thread put it on my short list.
Deb,
I think maple sugar would be an awesome idea. If I'd had any, I'd have used it instead of brown sugar. Please let us know how it turns out!
Thanks!
SD
TBS,
Thanks so much. You are killing me with your vast knowledge on all things smoked.
KyNola
I've used maple sugar a couple of times. It does not impart a very strong maple flavor. Using half brown sugar, and half maple sugar worked better.
You can try using Grade B maple syrup, or a dark amber Grade A. I suggest those because they have a stronger, nutty flavor then light amber Grade A's; but B is the best for this purpose. Just make a paste out of the cure and rub it into the loin.
Thanks S.D. & Habs. I didn't see Habs post before I started them so I did one with maple sugar, one with light brown sugar & one with dark brown sugar. I plan on doing the maple syrup slather before smoking. Now I just have to wait.
Hey Deb...not meaning to hi-jack this thread (at all)...nice to have another gal on the site!! I don't think I welcomed you properly! We chicks gotta stick together on here!!! :)
But....these are the greatest guys/gals to get advice from...glad you're into smoking!!
Thanks LQ. This site is amazing (thanks everyone).
Ok, my timing got really off, I am soaking 2 loins as per Hab's recipe. This is day six and they are soaking in water after rinsing. Plans change and I really cant smoke them until Sunday morning. Should I Vac seal and then let them dry? Would a little Maple syrup rub hurt
if left over Hab's 1.5 hours I think. I don't want to screw up my first attempt at Hab's Bacon. It's Friday night here and I would really like to keep them tasty!
This is just my best guess but if you cured them as Habs directed, I wouldn't be all that afraid to put them in the frig to air dry until Sunday morning. Remember guys, he said it's already Fri. nite where he's at so it's only 36 hours until Sunday morning. I will absolutely yield to others more wise than me, especially if Habs shows up.
KyNola
There is no problem storing them, but I would put them in sealable bags or wrap in plastic. Then unwrap and air dry them over Saturday night.
Finished my Hab's bacon yesterday, but did not have the willpower to wait 2 days. That's some good stuff!
(http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk250/smokinsoon/DSC00514.jpg)
Once a day turn meat over.
You do not have to open the bags, if some liquid has formed give the bag a few shakes to redistribute the liquid.
Just a quick question on this. How do you turn the meat over. Do you just turn the bag over and give it a couple of shakes,..or do you work the meat around in the bag getting it into a different position? Or does it really matter? Thanks, pretty new at this and don't want to screw it up.
Dan
Hi Dan;
The easiest way is just to turn the bag over, and then shake the bag a little to redistribute the liquid. Don't worry, this recipe is pretty hard to screw up. I just want to mention that I now only take my Canadian bacon to 145°F.