I have to say after reading a ton on Canadian bacon here I was mostly confused. As far as I can tell there are a few variations on curing and also smoking. I pieced together what I thought would work and did it up. Please check it out and help me dial it in.
I used Pops cure recipe and a ~2lb pork loin. I went 8 full days in the cure flipping it a few times. I soaked it in water for an hour and fried up a piece. It was very salty. I soaked it with potatoes for 3 more hours. I dried it and put in the fridge overnight. I the morning I put it on the counter for a few hours.
I fired up the new pellet smoker. It went out. Fired it again. It went out. Again. it stayed lit so I put it in the WSM and opened one bottom vent part way and the to vent full open. 20 minutes later it was out again. I lit it again and opened all vents fully. It went gangbusters for an hour. I opened the door to check it and was breathing in when I should have been breathing out! I turned green! Everything looked great so I went to the store. Two hours later I opened the door to check and the entire three rows of pellets were on fire! I blew it out and adjusted the vents. I ended up getting about 4 hours out of it.
I built a fire and added two chunks of hickory and two of apple. The crazy thing ran at 275 the whole time. (I've been struggling with low temps). I also used my new Maverick ET-732 for the first time. As soon as it hit 145 degrees I took it off the fire and wrapped it in foil. After it cooled I put it in the fridge overnight. Then I smoked up some precooked brats and they were outstanding!
Today I sliced a bit off. As I understand by the method I used it's OK to slice some off and eat it without cooking it. What we preferred is very thinly sliced and uncooked. Is that OK? (I'm not slicing anymore until I'm sure).
It is very salty. I'll have to go less salt next time although the potato soak did help. It tastes very intense and full of flavor. Please comment and advise.
I used Pops cure recipe and a ~2lb pork loin. I went 8 full days in the cure flipping it a few times. I soaked it in water for an hour and fried up a piece. It was very salty. I soaked it with potatoes for 3 more hours. I dried it and put in the fridge overnight. I the morning I put it on the counter for a few hours.
I fired up the new pellet smoker. It went out. Fired it again. It went out. Again. it stayed lit so I put it in the WSM and opened one bottom vent part way and the to vent full open. 20 minutes later it was out again. I lit it again and opened all vents fully. It went gangbusters for an hour. I opened the door to check it and was breathing in when I should have been breathing out! I turned green! Everything looked great so I went to the store. Two hours later I opened the door to check and the entire three rows of pellets were on fire! I blew it out and adjusted the vents. I ended up getting about 4 hours out of it.
I built a fire and added two chunks of hickory and two of apple. The crazy thing ran at 275 the whole time. (I've been struggling with low temps). I also used my new Maverick ET-732 for the first time. As soon as it hit 145 degrees I took it off the fire and wrapped it in foil. After it cooled I put it in the fridge overnight. Then I smoked up some precooked brats and they were outstanding!
Today I sliced a bit off. As I understand by the method I used it's OK to slice some off and eat it without cooking it. What we preferred is very thinly sliced and uncooked. Is that OK? (I'm not slicing anymore until I'm sure).
It is very salty. I'll have to go less salt next time although the potato soak did help. It tastes very intense and full of flavor. Please comment and advise.
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