Canadian Bacon using Pop's Brine 2nd try

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

woodcutter

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Jul 2, 2012
3,308
163
Marathon Wisconsin
I made another 2 loins into Canadian Bacon using Pop's Brine. The first batch was a little salty and I wanted to get the recipe the way I want it while it is still fresh in my memory. I did everything the same except reduced the salt to 3/4 cup from 1 cup. In the brine for 12 days.

Last fall I cut some cherry wood into 1 1/4 pieces on my table saw and stored them to dry. I haven't tried cherry yet but a lot of posts were favorable so it was time. I use a lot of red oak and apple and will now be using a lot of cherry.

Recipe

1 gallon of water

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup of kosher salt

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbs cure #1

1 Tbs garlic powder

1 Tbs onion powder

1 Tbs molasses (mild flavor)

I started my smoker at 130 the slowly raised the temp to 190. It took about 6 hours to get the internal temp of the bacon to 145. It took 7 hours for my first batch, I might have raised the smoker temp faster this time or weather or whatever.


Here is some cherry wood.


Finished view.


I didn't use the slicer on the first batch and have decided to not slice this batch. For some reason I like having my little hunk of ham whole in the fridge and I enjoy slicing for the frying pan or snacking.


I'm very happy with how this turned out and this will be how I make CB going forward.

Thanks for looking!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bdskelly
Your CB looks great!  I may unabashedly swipe your recipe when I try my hand at making CB for the first time.  So in your recipe above you used 3/4 cup salt?  It says that in your explanation, but salt isn't listed in your actual recipe.

Beautiful color on these too.  Great job!
 
Your CB looks great!  I may unabashedly swipe your recipe when I try my hand at making CB for the first time.  So in your recipe above you used 3/4 cup salt?  It says that in your explanation, but salt isn't listed in your actual recipe.

Beautiful color on these too.  Great job!
Thanks, I was sleep deprived last night when I posted this. I had the sugar wrong also. It is now edited the way it should be.
 
2thumbs.gif
  You have some great looking CB there Todd! Job well done!
 
This looked so good, I decided to get a small loin soaking myself. A friend has some cut cherry wood waiting for me to pick it up so I'm all set. Went with a 1/2C of SS just to keep the intake down.

Wife is on a low salt diet.  
 
This looked so good, I decided to get a small loin soaking myself. A friend has some cut cherry wood waiting for me to pick it up so I'm all set. Went with a 1/2C of SS just to keep the intake down.

Wife is on a low salt diet.  
I've been eating Canadian bacon for 3 weeks, I think you will enjoy it. I really liked the cherry, had it drying for almost 5 months. I have been reading a lot of members have been commenting on how lean the pork butts have been lately. I would like to go to Sam's Club and try brining a 2 pack of lean butts.
2thumbs.gif
  You have some great looking CB there Todd! Job well done!
Thanks JP!
 
That is some great color for 6 hours. I have heard that Cherry adds the best color in the shortest time, I'm convinced...JJ
 
Looks great!  How was the sweetness?  Too much?  I've been playing around with ½ cups vs. full cups of the sugars, did a couple chickens that way and they were good too!
 
Looks great!  How was the sweetness?  Too much?  I've been playing around with ½ cups vs. full cups of the sugars, did a couple chickens that way and they were good too!
It wasn't too sweet, it was good that way. I like it at this level (3/4 cup salt). I'm very happy with how it turned out. Thank you for your family brine!
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky