First Time Canadian Bacon

[waycoolcat]

I made Canadian Bacon using a recipe from Charcuterie. It called for a brine with salt, pink salt, sugar and flavored with sage, thyme and garlic. Its only in the brine 48 hours, then a 12 hour dry time in the refrigerator and smoked.
I can't say that I taste the herbs, mostly salt and smoke. I washed it off and patted it dry, but I think it needed rinsed better or even soaked after the brine. You can even see some white patches after being smoked that I'm guessing is salt leaching out?


Also, it seemed a little dry. It took 6 hours to reach an IT of 150*. Does anyone ever foil wrap Canadian Bacon at some point after smoking to keep it moister? I have another loin that I'm using Mallardwhackers recipe with Butcher Packer Maple Cure and Maple syrup that I'm working on now.

[tskeeter]

Part of you CB being a little dry might be your finished internal temperature.  I believe that Habanero Smoker's recipe calls for a finished IT of about 142.

Did you wrap your CB in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for  2 or 3  days?  A resting period sometimes allows for the flavors to develop and even out a bit.  If that doesn't get the flavors where you'd like them to be, add more sage, thyme, and garlic to your next batch.  And keep adjusting each batch until you get the flavor you prefer.

As to the saltiness, I have found that true of other CB recipes, too.  They are saltier than I like.  I've been using Hab's recipe, which calls for rinsing off the salt dry cure, then soaking the CB in water for 30 minutes prior to smoking, to freshen the CB and remove some of the salt.  I've found that my taste preferences lead me to performing the freshening process three times, with fresh water each time.

The white patches you observed may indeed be salt.  I've found that I get quite a bit of salt off of my CB even during the second freshening.  Seems that even with what I think is a pretty thorough rinse under running water and a 30 minute soak, there is still salt that can be rinsed off the CB.  I suspect that freshening your CB some will reduce the white patches.

I think part of the fun of smoking is dialing in a recipe for the exact flavors I like.  And learning what to tweak to adjust the flavor.  (Did you know that sugar makes things taste less salty?)   

[tailfeathers]

You'll have to let us know how you like mallardwacker's canadian bacon when you get done with it. It's the first recipe I tried and I loved it, haven't even tried a different one as I see no reason to. I like your string tie job. I like to roll mine up in a frogmat and tie butcher twine around it in 3 places. Keeps the loins nice and round and gives you a nice checked pattern. Only downside to his recipe is the 21 days to cure it, sometimes its a little hard for me to forecast whether it's gonna be convenient to be smoking something that far ahead. Last time I made it I cured 3 loins, then I put a couple of eye round roasts in to cure for dried beef about 9-10 days before the loin was due for smoking. So I ended up smoking all that meat on Mrs. tailfeather's birthday.
OOPS! (She hasn't forgotten yet BTW).

[Habanero Smoker]

I have seen white patches occasionally on my Canadian bacon after they have been fully cooked, but mine has never been salt. It is difficult to tell from your photo, but if it were salt on the surface it would be crystalize. If it did not crystalize, I feel it is a chemical reaction similar reaction you get from cooking salmon; boogers. Just water soluble proteins that have congealed on the surface. Try only cooking to an internal temperature of 142°F.

I have made that recipe, and was not fond of it. In that book Ruhlman uses Morton Kosher salt, and the amount he used was about 12oz. Did you use Morton's or another salt using the correct weight? I found that it lacked that characteristic taste of Canadian bacon. I feel he uses too little cure #1. I don't like things too salty, and I did not find his recipe salty, and I only gave it a quick rinse.  As mentioned, if it is too salty, you can soak it.

[waycoolcat]

Thanks for the feedback guys. My next batch I'll stop the cooking at 142* as suggested.
tskeeter, I did wrap it in saran, but only about 15 hours before slicing, next time I'll wait a couple of days.
tailfeathers, I'll definitely post my results with mallardwhacker's maple canadian bacon. I see his instructions say to rinse and soak after curing, whereas the recipe I just made only said to rinse and pat dry.
Habenero Smoker, I used 1 1/2 cups kosher salt by volume. I just read your recipe on the recipe site and will try it later also. I'll also stop at IT of 142*F. to keep it moister.
Thanks all, and Happy 4th of July!

[tailfeathers]

I followed the recipe instructions to the "T", including the rinsing/soaking. I also left it in the smoker to his suggested IT and didn't find it dry at all. I've done 3 batches, a total of 7 whole loins and all have turned out perfectly. I let it sit in the smoker for an hour after it is finished, let it cool to room temp then wrap in Saran Wrap for 24 hours prior to slicing. It turns out plenty moist. Don't forget to massage in some maple syrup during the hour of resting after it soaks.


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[pensrock]

I normally take mine out around 135-140 IT. But I also always fry it before eating. I do use Habs recipe and do soak then let air dry. Any I made was never too salty. I also do buckboard bacon which is a similar process and it always comes out great. I have even used venison loins and made canadian style bacon, very good. you know its not pork but it is great. :)

[OldHickory]

I have used Mallardwhacker's 21 day cure recipe many, many times and always with good results.  I rinse in cold water for an hour at least an hour twice.  After the smoke/cook I let rest in the smoker at least an hour, then wrap or in a baggie with the air squeezed out into the fridge for at least two days before slicing.  My target IT in the smoker is 145*and I lightly cook the bacon.  I also use the Bradley maple cure, works great For me.

[kayes]

Could someone share a link to Mallardwhacker's 21 day cure process? I can't seem to find it. Thanks!

[OldHickory]

Could someone share a link to Mallardwhacker's 21 day cure process? I can't seem to find it. Thanks!

GO TO THIS SITE:

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?246-MAPLE-CANADIAN-BACON

[kayes]

Could someone share a link to Mallardwhacker's 21 day cure process? I can't seem to find it. Thanks!

GO TO THIS SITE:

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?246-MAPLE-CANADIAN-BACON

Thanks for the link! Does anyone have a link or info on a good wet cure for Canadian bacon? Is wet a good way to go?

[Habanero Smoker]

Wet curing is alright, but I prefer the texture that develops when I use a dry cure. Wet curing is much faster, but generally takes up more refrigerator space.

Ruhlman's recipe is the easiest to follow. It has been posted on this forum a few times. A few have reported that it is too salty. I've used that recipe once, though I didn't find it too salty, it just didn't have enough of that "ham" like flavor.

Canadian Bacon