Canadian Bacon

bologna man · July 16, 2004, 12:04:59 AM

I have a question for the members on this forum about making some Canadian Bacon. What I need is a recipe for the cure or seasonings and how to smoke that is at what temp how long and what wood. The reason I ask is that I just made a new smoker that is 3 times the size of my Bradley, the way I made it I can still use the Bradley generator but I can also use my Traeger smoker grill as a smoke source. The reason for this is that I make Lebanon Bologna and it has to be in the smoker for 48 hours now that is alot of Bradley chips about 144 of them (way expensive) on the other hand the Traeger will make smoke for 48 hours for less than $10.00 so this new smoker will give me the best of both worlds.

Rod

Fuzzybear · July 16, 2004, 12:05:39 AM

Hang in there Rod, someone will come thru for ya!

Welcome to our board and may the smoke be with you!

"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!

Oldman · July 16, 2004, 01:02:28 AM

I'm lost here I thought the Traeger was a hot method of at least 200-220F ????

bologna man · July 16, 2004, 02:28:49 PM

DoW-Oldman
The Traeger that I have when it is on the smoke setting it produces an average of 175-degree smoke. What I did to connect the Traeger is to take a 3 and 1/2" flex tube 25 feet long and connect the 2 units together this lowers the temp to about 110 degrees. The way I built this smoker is I got a digital thermostat and to this I connected a relay that controls a heater and a fan if the temp gets to high the fan comes on if the temp is to low the heater comes on. When I burnt the unit in I had no trouble keeping the cabinet temp to 80 degrees (this was on a 65-degree day)

Rod

Cold Smoke · July 16, 2004, 03:20:59 PM

Bologna Man, I am in the process of making my first batch of side bacon- ordered 20 lbs of fresh pork belly yesterday. I have followed Mallard Whacker's recommendation and have added maple flavoring to the cure.[:p] It's a dry rub made up of cure, salt, maple flavoring- not the Buckboard bacon from HiMountain. I hope to toss this into the BS in approx 6 days and give it a good blast of maple smoke. If this works out - I'll also get myself a pork loin (for that Canadian bacon thing)and try this same method and see if it yields the same results. I won't have an answer for you for a couple of weeks but I will let you all know how it worked out.

I'm crossing my fingers (the hands still smell like maple today)- [:)]... Unless someone knows better and will same me the cost of a ruined loin[?]

Cold Smoke

MallardWacker · July 16, 2004, 09:25:13 PM

Bologna Man,

A man after my own heart!!! Truely bacon is my favorite thing to do with the BS. I'm so sorry, I left my temp notes at home, I fallow the HiMountain directions. I will get them for you later. But the bottom line is you smoke it to to 140 deg, I have started smoking mine to 155 so I can eat it anytime without any further cooking. One thing I do, I usually cure mine for 21 to 28 days. I truely hate to pass you off to a link, but this thread has about everything everyone has done to bacon on it. Here it is..
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=239
If you have any further questions, I will be glad to help. Have a great weekend and welcome to the forum.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

bologna man · July 29, 2004, 02:08:24 AM

MallardWacker

Got 2 boneless pork shoulders today and also the Buckboard bacon mix from Hi Mountain. [:)] So tomorrow I am going to cure the shoulders. [:p] What do you think about putting some pure maple syrup in with the dry cure? [}:)] Do you think this would not let the cure do its thing? [;)] You said you cure for 21 to 28 days what does this extended cure time do? [?] Is the 40-degree temp for curing critical? What temp did you smoke at? Last but not least the higher internal temp sounds good to me is this so you can eat say on a bacon lettuce tomato sandwich without heating the bacon? [:p][:p][:p][:p]

Rod

MallardWacker · July 29, 2004, 02:21:26 PM

bologna man

This thread has a good short discussion on internal temp, I think it will answer your questions about that.
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=322

Now about adding a liquid maple syrup to your dry rub? Humm? That is a good question. I add mample flavoring using a mample sugar cure I buy from Butcher-Packer, here is their link. Nice and cheap.
http://www.butcher-packer.com/pg_curing.htm I hate to send you to another link but I asked a simular question. WhiteTailFan has a good answer I believe.
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=384

I will be going to Sams myself for a whole pork loin this weekend, I will be trying to flavor it with jalepeno, two ways, one with ground and the other with fresh(seeded and devained). I will be using a straight up sugar cure from Butcher-Packer for about 28 days, I will probably do what WhiteTail says and wait for about 4 days when I use the fresh pepper, I will add the dried after I rub in the cure.

I think it is important to note that the curing salt mixture have good contact with the meat, get in there and rub it down good. I am sure you will enjoy this bacon. Keep us informed and I HTH.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

whitetailfan · July 29, 2004, 04:14:17 PM

Atta boy Mallard[:D][:D][:D]
I'm going to mark the end of August on my calendar so I can check back on your jalepeno bacon results. Way to venture outside the norm, we need some good ideas to keep the hobby fresh.

Wife picked up four butts for me the other day and we froze them. I just need to count down when I will be able to smoke again after holidays, and get working on my first bacon project. I did not catch your preference to B&P Maple until I had already sourced out some BBB, but I am still soooooooo excited to try that out - first bacon.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

MallardWacker · July 29, 2004, 09:50:32 PM

bologna man

I have just created a post under "curing" about times and temps. Maybe this will fill in the gaps.http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=451

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

bologna man · August 09, 2004, 07:29:19 PM

I did the BBB cure for the 14 days turned 1/2 way through and now noticed that the top of the meat had a green tint to it is this usual or is something wrong. There is not a lot of juice in the container probably about a 1/2-cup. I was just wondering if it is ok to smoke this meat or should I throw it away. The meat that was facing down is still red in color.
Any help is appreciated.
Rod

Rod

Cold Smoke · August 09, 2004, 08:15:51 PM

I've made several batches and as recently as last night and none to date have taken on a green hue. [?] Perhaps others here have more experience with this and will be able to help.

Cold Smoke

jaeger · August 10, 2004, 04:49:53 AM

bologna man,
What kind of meat did you cure? Did you use a metal pan to cure it in? Is it tackie or "stickie". Does it smell o.k.?[?][?][?]

ruffinit · August 10, 2004, 04:54:05 AM

bologna man,was your meat sealed good?fridge at least 45 degrees?i've cured many pork parts and have'nt had the green color.meat may have been poor quality.i would'nt eat.better safe than sick and sorry.

mike

bologna man · August 10, 2004, 11:18:30 AM

The meat was fresh cut pork butts. I had it in the fridge at no higher than 45 degrees. Had it in a non reactive plastic container, the only thing I can see is that there was a 3 to 4 inch air space in the container. The green color just looks like it is on the surface.
Rod

Rod