Ham Vs Canadian Bacon

[DTJ]

I just tried making Habs canadian bacaon and it was great.  Of all of the things I have made so far(belly bacon, jerky, GB jerky, wings, fatties) my Mother inlaw thought the canadian bacon was the best so it wins her approval too!! 

My question is what is the difference between canadian bacon and ham.  To me it tasted like ham.  I am guessing it is just the cut of meat a pork loin vs a shoulder?? 

I know that a ham is typically brined and injected is this only due to the size?? 

I have never brined anything before does it give it a vastly different flavor??(Understanding it depends on the other spices added)

Does a brine make a piece of meat juicier? 

Thanks for any insight

Daryl

[Habanero Smoker]

Canadian bacon, also called back bacon, is made from the pork loin, ham comes from the hind quarter of the pig (which is called the ham). As far as flavor, the "ham-like" flavor comes from sodium nitrite that is from Cure #1, which is use in curing most Canadian bacon and hams. If you ever taste a salt cured ham, like country ham, that is only cure with salt, it has a different taste. Cured shoulder is often referred to as buck board bacon, which also has an ham like flavor, if you use sodium nitrite.

Size is one of the main reasons why it is easier to brine cure (pickle) a ham. Brining is a much quicker method to cure ham, and there is less chance for spoilage to occur inside the meat before it can get fully cured.

As for brining making a vastly different flavor; that is subjective. It will add flavor throughout your meat, but as mentioned above, is sodium nitrite is use it will make a vast difference.

If you are brining for flavor and not curing, brining does help keep meat moist. I know many will disagree with me on the following, but I've found that pickling (wet cure brining) doesn't produce a good of finished product as a dry cure, but pickling cures faster.

[DTJ]

Habs when you say finished product, do you mean in flavor or appearance? 

I know I have read that you have cured your own shoulder ham, but I forget did you brine/pickle??

When you see a store bought boneless ham in the store what cut do they use...I am refering to the deli type ham that might be 6 inches in diameter.  Are they special cuts just for them??  Just curios if someone might know??

Thanks

daryl

[Tenpoint5]

Habs when you say finished product, do you mean in flavor or appearance? 

I know I have read that you have cured your own shoulder ham, but I forget did you brine/pickle??

When you see a store bought boneless ham in the store what cut do they use...I am refering to the deli type ham that might be 6 inches in diameter.  Are they special cuts just for them??  Just curios if someone might know??

Thanks

daryl

Having worked in a packing plant in the Pork/Ham Boning Dept. I can tell you that the "Deli" style that your referring to is basically Ends and pieces of Scrap. You can drop the S. I use the Pickling/Injection method for my Hams. Works for me So I cannot compare against the dry cure method. But it stands to reason that the more work/time you put into your ham to make it taste better the better it will be. Most of your store bought Hams are Pickled/Injected for a faster turn around time in the packing plant basically over night after injection then into the smokehouse.

[Habanero Smoker]

Habs when you say finished product, do you mean in flavor or appearance? 

• Yes. 

I know I have read that you have cured your own shoulder ham, but I forget did you brine/pickle??

• The shoulder is from the front part of the pig, and it is referred to as part of the "arm". I have never cured a whole shoulder, but I have made buck board bacon from the butt, and Cuban pork from the picnic cut; which is flavored brined not cured. I have posted how cure a ham from the ham section or hind quarter of the pig which is from the leg. As 10.5, I pickle (wet brine) my hams. You inject the ham with pickle; 10% of the weight before submerging it in the pickle. If your ham weights 20 pounds you need to inject 2 pound of brine; or 1 pint.
  
  I try not to dry cure anything thicker then 4 inches, measured at the thinnest side. For my purposes it takes too long, and it is wise to also inject this type of meat with a pickle even though you are applying a dry cure.
  
  Here is a link to how I cure my hams:
  Smoked Cured Ham
   

When you see a store bought boneless ham in the store what cut do they use...I am referring to the deli type ham that might be 6 inches in diameter.  Are they special cuts just for them??  Just curios if someone might know??

• Though I do purchase sliced deli ham, I have never purchased a boneless ham. I agree with 10.5's answer on that. 

[DTJ]

Thank you for all of the insight!!

[FLBentRider]

I also brine chickens and pork butts.

We believe it helps keep them juicy.

[DTJ]

I have not tried doing a pork butt yet, in any form or fashion....I am planning on doing one next week though. 
FBL..What type of brine do you use....similar to the basic poultry brine on the forums recipe site or like the pork chop brine with a cure in it on the same site??
Then after you have brined it do you still put a rub on it and let it set overnight like many of the recipes discussed here on the forum??

Thanks for the help

Daryl

[FLBentRider]

I have used the poultry brine, for turkeys I use Alton Brown's brine.

I use AB's brine for butts. It is water, salt and molasses.

Check this thread for how I do butts - http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=8942.0

"but" in summary, brine 1 day, rub 1 day, smoke / cook 1 day...