Habs Canadian Bacon For Dummies (or a refresher course for overachieving smokers

[Smoking Duck]

I learned from the best.......Wolfgang Schmolfgang.....my money's on LQ every time  ;) ;D

[Tiny Tim]

In case anybody is still on the fence about making this stuff, get off of there and DO IT.  I recently did some that I tried every possible way to ruin it, and it came out AWESOME.  I got too much garlic powder on one piece (according to the recipe), cured about 8-10 days prior to smoking (my pieces were very small, and were probably ready at 3 days)....about the only thing I did right was waiting at least 2 days after smoking to taste it.

[Smokin Soon]

On one of the you tube vids on bacon, it has them injecting the brine until it just wont take any more. What are the thoughts on this from the experienced smokers?

[Smoking Duck]

Not sure why it wouldn't work with the injecting them.  I'm a dry rub kind of guy for the most part so that's what I do.  I just put another loin in the cure.  It was a 5 lb. piece and I simply used 1 tablespoon of MTQ per pound with 2 teaspoons of DBS per pound.  I really liked the dark look it gave the meat right off of the bat and am anxious to see how it will look after 6 days of cure.

[Habanero Smoker]

I haven't tried injecting, loins are really not that thick, so placing them in a brine solution would be enough to cure it fully. I have tried wet brining for Canadian Bacon and have to say I prefer the dry cure method.

I haven't seen the video, but usually if you inject you want to inject a brine amount that is 10% of the weight of the meat you are injecting, before submerging it in a brine solution; which is generally the point the meat can not hold any more.

f you give it a try, I hope you report your your finding. Injecting may make the final product more moist.

[West Coast Sausage Maker]

I use spray cure (injection cure) for everything. It will definately keep you canadian backs and hams moist and juicy.
With an injector, you can cure pork bellies as fast a you inject them. not like rubs which take days.

10% is a good guidline. Over injecting will split and tear pockets in the meat. but the excess will come out.

I am making about 70 lbs of canadian bacon this week and I'll post picks as I go along.

[La Quinta]

Just out of curiosity TBS...what in god's name are you gonna do with 70 lbs of bacon?

[westexasmoker]

I'm thinking a couple of bypass surgeries!  ::)  But I think he runs a butcher/smoke shop.

C

[Smoking Duck]

Just out of curiosity TBS...what in god's name are you gonna do with 70 lbs of bacon?

I'm thinking it would make one heck of a blanket  :o

[KyNola]

TBS,
When you say you can cure pork bellies as fast you can inject them, are you talking about making bacon?  If so, can you please elaborate a little further?  I would be most interested.  I apologize for hijacking the thread.

KyNola

[KyNola]

LQ,
What are you going to do with 70 lbs of bacon?  Die the happiest death imaginable! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

KyNola

[West Coast Sausage Maker]

TBS,
When you say you can cure pork bellies as fast you can inject them, are you talking about making bacon?  If so, can you please elaborate a little further?  I would be most interested.  I apologize for hijacking the thread.

KyNola

Yes making bacon .
when we inject brine into bellies, the curing process begins in a mater of minutes. A ten lb slab of pork belly for instance, we would inject in about 100 diffrent spots on the belly. (my injector comes with 3 ,5 or 10 needles) after injecting you can place in the smoker almost right away. When the pork belly reaches temps over 65 deg f the cure realy starts to work. Larger solid muscle items like ham or brisket take longer in the brine.

For home use, I recomend you use a sirynge type injector, stab the belly as many times as you can injecting as much as you can. after injecting put the belly in a container completely submerged in brine. Leave it out (not refrigerated) for 10 - 20 hours then start the smoking. All you "too salty whiners" will be pleasantly surprised at the High quality of your bacon.

[deb415611]

I'm going to start some Canadian Bacon today -- Has anyone tried maple sugar instead of brown sugar?  If not -thoughts on why it might be a good idea or not? 

Thanks,
Deb

P.S.   Thanks for this thread S.D.   I had been thinking about it but this thread put it on my short list.

[Smoking Duck]

Deb,

I think maple sugar would be an awesome idea.  If I'd had any, I'd have used it instead of brown sugar.  Please let us know how it turns out!

Thanks!

SD

[KyNola]

TBS,
Thanks so much.  You are killing me with your vast knowledge on all things smoked.

KyNola