Will this be OK to make bacon out of?

KDX · October 30, 2012, 08:07:26 PM

I bought a few of these on sale and was thinking of using 1/2 for pork chops and 1/2 for bacon.

I'll be using the left hand side for the pork chops and the right hand side for the bacon. I have a box of Buckboard Bacon cure here and was just going to weigh the piece and add the appropriate amount of cure and refrigerate it for a week or so and then smoke it flat like it is (with Maple). Will this work/turn out acceptable bacon? Can I cold smoke it and if so for how long? Would it be better to use heat? Can Maple sugar (or syrup) or brown sugar be added to make the flavor more pronounced? I need to get this project going in the next day or two to coincide with my next days off to do the smoking. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

devo · October 30, 2012, 08:22:56 PM

Yes that will work just fine. You could tie a few stings around it to make it round but thats your call. Not going to make it taste any better. I have used this recipe before and found it very good.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?319-MAPLE-CANADIAN-BACON

KDX · October 30, 2012, 08:54:27 PM

Thanks for the tip devo. I just ordered the maple cure and will wait till it arrives. The meat is good till the 21st so I should have the cure well before then.

Habanero Smoker · November 02, 2012, 02:30:19 AM

You can either cold smoke, hot smoke or roast the cured loin for Canadian Bacon. I usually will roast it at 225°F. If you cold smoke, then cold smoke for the length of time you want to apply smoke, and try to keep the cabinet temperature below 90°F. I generally will only apply 1:40 - 2:00 hours of smoke; of course with cold smoked Canadian bacon you will have to fully cook it prior to serving. I prefer to use the shoulder end of the loin.

Here is how I prepare and cook my Canadian Bacon:

Canadian Bacon

KDX · November 02, 2012, 12:32:36 PM

Thanks for the replys. Where do you guys put the damper with either hot or cold smoking?

devo · November 02, 2012, 12:35:24 PM

Mine is stuck wide open for two years now so thats where mine is ;)

Habanero Smoker · November 02, 2012, 01:08:53 PM

Hot smoking I generally set it around 1/2 open. Cold smoking I often leave it fully open to improve the draft.

KDX · November 17, 2012, 07:34:27 PM

Thanks for the replys. I just finished applying the cure to them. I ordered the maple cure from Butcher and Packer and used .32oz per lb of meat. My math skills aren't the greatest, but I think I figured out the ratio properly. I have the fridge set at about 34F and was wondering how long I should be curing the meat.

devo · November 17, 2012, 08:21:28 PM

I had bought a maple cure from www.halfordsmailorder.com and it said to cure any where from 4-7 days. I am going for the full 7 days with mine. There is nothing on the label to tell you how long?? That seems strange.

KDX · November 17, 2012, 09:21:41 PM

Ir says this on their website.

QuoteThis cure can be used for dry curing and for cover pickles that do not require over 7 days to cure.

Do they mean curing meat and cover pickles, or just cover pickles?

Habanero Smoker · November 18, 2012, 01:54:55 AM

Quote from: KDX on November 17, 2012, 09:21:41 PM
Ir says this on their website.
QuoteThis cure can be used for dry curing and for cover pickles that do not require over 7 days to cure.
Do they mean curing meat and cover pickles, or just cover pickles?

The instructions are poorly worded, so I not going to try to interpret them. It appears the instructions assume that the user already knows the curing times of each particular meat. Generally, for belly bacon a dry cure for 5 -7 days is standard. Seven days should be more then enough. Using a pickle (wet brine) the curing times are less.

Keeping your refrigerator at 34°F is low. Curing is a chemical reaction, and like any other chemical reaction, the colder the environment the slower the chemical reaction will take place. Keep your refrigerator as close to 40°F as possible. Remember 40°F is considered a safe temperature for the storage of meat.

KDX · November 18, 2012, 04:13:31 AM

Thanks for the reply. I will adjust the temp of the fridge and give it one week. Is going longer going to have an adverse effect? I may have to go 9 days based on my work schedule and not having time to smoke it.

devo · November 18, 2012, 06:44:39 AM

No going longer by a couple of days will not hurt it at all. Better to go longer than not long enough. You might have to soak it longer if its to salty but I don't thing it will have that much of a difference. Some people will slice a piece off after the soak in cold water and fry it up to see if its to salty.

Habanero Smoker · November 18, 2012, 01:19:29 PM

Depending on the amount of salt in the cure, by weight, it could make the bacon saltier, but as Devo stated you can slice off a piece, pan fry and test for saltiness.

Another choice, you can still remove it from the cure on the seventh day, wrap it tightly and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to smoke it in a couple of days. I would let it air dry uncover overnight the day before you smoke it.

KDX · November 18, 2012, 09:16:54 PM

Hopefully this is my last dumb question....my cure length time will be exceeding the best before date that was on the meet package. Should I just toss it out and start over with some fresh stuff or will it be OK? The best before date was the 21st, but I had it frozen for a few days so I'm guessing that would move it to the 23rd or so? I started the cure on the evening of the 17th and would probably smoke it on the 27th.