Irish Bacon

Father Tom · August 19, 2009, 10:52:16 AM

Being a good Irishman, ::) i would like to made some Irish Bacon but can find no Recipe for it. It is close to Canadian Bacon in that it uses the loin. Any one know the cure?? The rub?? I know they use Oak for the smoke. Thanks

FT

FLBentRider · August 19, 2009, 10:56:18 AM

I don't know a whole lot about Irish bacon, but I did find this:

http://realirishfood.blogspot.com/2008/03/irish-bacon-boiling-bacon-that-isthe.html

squirtthecat · August 19, 2009, 11:24:48 AM

Smoked bangers and mash!! (ok, a banger is a sausage, but it still sounds good..)

Father Tom · August 19, 2009, 12:23:25 PM

Thans FLBR.. I am looking for what is called "Back Bocon from which rashers come, is actually cut from the loin and cured in spices"

I was hopeing that one of our friends from across the pond would know how to do it.

Thanks again.

FT

FLBentRider · August 19, 2009, 12:38:08 PM

FWIW - Canadians call Canadian bacon "back bacon", or so I'm told.

dilly · August 20, 2009, 06:21:12 AM

Quote from: FLBentRider on August 19, 2009, 12:38:08 PM
FWIW - Canadians call Canadian bacon "back bacon", or so I'm told.

We sure do. Its because it is made from the loin (back strap muscle). We also have "peameal" bacon which is cured but not smoked. Its the same cut that is cured and rolled in peameal to give it a crust. You fry it for breakfast in a pan typically. Sounds like Irish settlers in Canada may have brought it from the old country and it eventually got a name change.

manxman · August 20, 2009, 08:41:39 AM

Hi Father Tom,

See below for a guide to the process of making cold smoked (Irish) back bacon:

http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/dryCure.pdf

Note pics include pork loin ("back bacon") and pork belly. ("streaky bacon")

Depending on where the pork comes from or where the bacon is made (e.g Irish / English / Scottish / Welsh / Manx / Danish) it tends to be call Irish back bacon etc etc. ::)

The way I did mine was slightly different in that I did not vacuum seal it during curing, I used large tupperware type boxes and tipped the fluid that comes off the meat away every day. I also used slightly more cure than they suggest.

The cure I use is either from the same company or:

http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/supracure-cured-bacon-p-110.html

Whether they ship across the pond is another matter? I might be able to find out what ingredients they use?

I am just a stones throw from Ireland out in the Irish Sea, and frequently make my own bacon. Most of the pork loin I use is Irish and traditionally it is oak smoked as you say.

Most bacon on this side of the pond is cold smoked, I get the impression that most bacon on the US / Canadian side is hot smoked?

At the end of the curing process I smoke for between 5 and 8 hours in my Bradley Smoker, vacuum seal for a few days to let the smoke flavour develop then slice into rashers and re pack.

Hope this helps. :)

3rensho · August 20, 2009, 09:12:03 AM

Regarding the SupraCure I'd be interested in anything you can find out Manx. I bought some a while back since I can't find a supplier of Prague #2 locally and they were not at all forthcoming with what it contains and how much. It appears to contain NaNO₂ and NaNO₃ plus NaCl but would not give me percentages. Baring that information it sits on the shelf. Hope you have better luck.

Tom

manxman · August 20, 2009, 09:28:57 AM

QuoteRegarding the SupraCure I'd be interested in anything you can find out Manx.

I can but try!! I suspect I won't get very far and certainly not as far as percentages!! ::)

I tend to use the traditional dry cure Sausage Making ( http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/bacon_cures.html ) ones more but both work well.

My understanding this is equivalent to praque#2?:

http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/All_Purpose_Curing_Salt.html

but I am right in thinking you had a problem with this company in the past with something broken in transit? Thay also sell saltpetre but to date I have never used it.

I have not checked out what is actually in either of the bacon cures to date but thought if I could give Father Tom a general pointer he could recreate his own! :)

Are you concerned about the curing properties Tom?

Father Tom · August 20, 2009, 10:51:29 AM

Thanks MANX: Just for information Prague Powder #1 contains 1 oz Sodium Nitrite to each 1 lb of salt. Prague Powder #2 contains 1 oz of Sodium Nitrite along with .64 Oz of Sodium Nitrate to each 1 lb of salt. This is from "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing by Rytek Katas".

What temperature do you smoke the "Loin Bacon at"? I understand that Pea meal Bacon is cured but not smoked and after curing are dried and then coated with yellow corn meal.

If you need any cure's 1 or 2 let me know and i will forward some to you.

Thanks

FT

manxman · August 20, 2009, 12:10:57 PM

Thanks for the info re Praque Powder #1 and #2 Father Tom and the offer to forward some though shipping across the pond.... need to check out shipping costs! >:(

Cold smoking is done at < 80F although some sources say <90F or even 100F. I always try and stick to <80F which isn't difficult around here! :'(

The basic back bacon cure is salt, sugar, sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate which is the basis of the sausagemaking.org "traditional bacon cure".

There are two cult books here in the UK "Adventures of a Bacon Curer" and "Secrets of a Bacon Curer" by Maynard Davies, he gives a few old fashioned bacon cures which include sea salt / fine salt, muscovada sugar, demerera sugar, saltpetre, coriander and black pepper but most people just use the basic version, usually as a dry cure but also as a brine occasionally.

If you have trouble getting hold of or making up a suitable cure, let me know and I will send you some. I am due to buy some more soon and buy in 1 kg (2.2lb) bags which does up to around 25 - 30 lb bacon. I always have some left over and can always send you enough to do a couple of pork loins and would probably not cost the earth in shipping. :)

manxman · August 20, 2009, 03:43:07 PM

Looking forward to this book being published in September:

http://www.merlinunwin.co.uk/bookDetails.asp?bookId=96&categoryId=5

smokeitall · August 20, 2009, 06:01:57 PM

Yeah that looks interesting I'm in for a copy.
SIA

3rensho · August 21, 2009, 12:37:51 AM

Quotebut I am right in thinking you had a problem with this company in the past with something broken in transit?

Yes, that is the company. It was finally resolved but dealing with these folks was a major hassle. They are still up to their bait and switch tactics. The picture they show for a Reber vacuum sealer that they call a model 9701N is not a 9701N at all. So they advertise one model and send another hoping no one turns it over to read the actual model number.

Anyway, I came across a reference to Supracure on a sausage making web site last night. A person posted that Supracure was 1.5% sodium nitrite and 1.5% sodium nitrate. I'm not sure how he got his info. If you get any info I'd be interested.

Tom

manxman · August 21, 2009, 01:11:28 AM

QuoteIf you get any info I'd be interested.

I have emailed the store owner to ask. I have talked to him on a couple of occasions in the past as his family has links to the Isle of Man. Nice bloke, hopefully he can give us this info without breaking any trade secrets!!

The other company are OK, I have had a few more minor issues and prefer Weschenfelder overall, the service I have had from them has been much better but SausageMaking.org carry some products that Weschenfelder don't.

Irish Bacon

squirtthecat