Canadian Bacon using Pop's Brine 2nd try

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Looks like Canadian bacon to me! Loins are starting to dry out @ 155, @145 they are juicy. I think when the loin starts to dry out a little the salt taste becomes stronger. Nice work!
Thanks to you it was a good recipe. Thanks for the info on the loins but thankfully it's not too dry, just semi-arid. My wife is quite impressed with the taste and flavor. She had been dubious about me curing meats even though I have been head chef though out our long marriage. To be truthful, I feel more comfortable about curing after this success. 
 
Well, I'm in! I have two little pieces of loin probably five or six inches in length, marinating in half a gallon of brine... The recipe at the beginning of this tread was cut in half.

Day two, I injected the brine all over the place and put it back in the fridge.
Twelve days in the brine, washed in filtered water and soaked in filtered water for a few hours, washed again and trimmed up, and waiting... drying on a rack in the frige unwrapped.

Going to cold smoke for a few hours tomorrow AM then bring it up to 140*/145*

On of the two will get some sweet treatment.. or maybe sweet-n-nasty. Honey habenero anyone?
devil.gif
 
Well, I'm in! I have two little pieces of loin probably five or six inches in length, marinating in half a gallon of brine... The recipe at the beginning of this tread was cut in half.

Day two, I injected the brine all over the place and put it back in the fridge.
Twelve days in the brine, washed in filtered water and soaked in filtered water for a few hours, washed again and trimmed up, and waiting... drying on a rack in the frige unwrapped.

Going to cold smoke for a few hours tomorrow AM then bring it up to 140*/145*

On of the two will get some sweet treatment.. or maybe sweet-n-nasty. Honey habenero anyone?
devil.gif
Good luck with your smoke!
 
Looks awesome! Putting this on the ToDoSoon list. Question though, with a 12 day brine, is injecting really necessary?
I inject anything over 2" thick. I think you are right that the brine would probably make it to the center of the loin but there is time and effort put into it so I want a good final result.
 
I inject anything over 2" thick. I think you are right that the brine would probably make it to the center of the loin but there is time and effort put into it so I want a good final result.

Thanks Woodcutter. I finally trying my own, just put it in the brine a little bit ago. I didn't have any molasses so I used some Vermont Maple Surple (as my Dad always called it).
I figure if the cure penetrates at 1/4" per 24 hours, a 3" thick piece being completely submerged technically should only need 6 days if being absorbed from both sides. I'm no expert by any means, but seems to make sense to me, I will however leave it in for the full 12 days as you did, just not injecting. It is only 3.5 lbs for this first experiment, so we'll see. Thanks for the insight, I'll follow up when it is ready.
 
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I inject anything over 2" thick. I think you are right that the brine would probably make it to the center of the loin but there is time and effort put into it so I want a good final result.
Thanks Woodcutter. I finally trying my own, just put it in the brine a little bit ago. I didn't have any molasses so I used some Vermont Maple Surple (as my Dad always called it).
I figure if the cure penetrates at 1/4" per 24 hours, a 3" thick piece being completely submerged technically should only need 6 days if being absorbed from both sides. I'm no expert by any means, but seems to make sense to me, I will however leave it in for the full 12 days as you did, just not injecting. It is only 3.5 lbs for this first experiment, so we'll see. Thanks for the insight, I'll follow up when it is ready.
The last 6 months I've been steadily brining loins for ham or CB and pork butts into ham. I've finally have the different brines the way I like them but often thought about Maple Syrup and just haven't got around to it. I think it will be excellent. Good luck and let me know how it turns out for you.
 
The last 6 months I've been steadily brining loins for ham or CB and pork butts into ham. I've finally have the different brines the way I like them but often thought about Maple Syrup and just haven't got around to it. I think it will be excellent. Good luck and let me know how it turns out for you.

Hey Todd, at the end of the brining period, do you rinse, soak/desalinate, let it air dry for any amount of time, etc before smoking? And since you took it to 145 IT, it's pretty much safe to eat at that point, right? Also, I see you have smoked these with both cherry and apple, have you found you prefer one over the other?
 
Thanks Woodcutter. I finally trying my own, just put it in the brine a little bit ago. I didn't have any molasses so I used some Vermont Maple Surple (as my Dad always called it).
I figure if the cure penetrates at 1/4" per 24 hours, a 3" thick piece being completely submerged technically should only need 6 days if being absorbed from both sides. I'm no expert by any means, but seems to make sense to me, I will however leave it in for the full 12 days as you did, just not injecting. It is only 3.5 lbs for this first experiment, so we'll see. Thanks for the insight, I'll follow up when it is ready.
A better solution is to use maple extract as it is pure maple flavoring with no added sugar; the excess sugar may turn your brine ropy or yeasty.
 
The last 6 months I've been steadily brining loins for ham or CB and pork butts into ham. I've finally have the different brines the way I like them but often thought about Maple Syrup and just haven't got around to it. I think it will be excellent. Good luck and let me know how it turns out for you.
Hey Todd, at the end of the brining period, do you rinse, soak/desalinate, let it air dry for any amount of time, etc before smoking? And since you took it to 145 IT, it's pretty much safe to eat at that point, right? Also, I see you have smoked these with both cherry and apple, have you found you prefer one over the other?
I rinse the hams off in the sink and cut a few small slices and test fry. When tasting the test fry fry the garlic and onion will seem a little strong but I'm looking for salt level. If it too salty then soak for an hour or 2 and retest. The garlic and onion flavor will seem a little strong at first when you are done smoking but after a it cools in the fridge and the ham sets up it will be perfect. I have not needed to soak, the salt is just the way I like it. 145 is safe for pork.

I like apple and cherry about the same. I have a lot more cherry right now. I like red oak as well.
 
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A better solution is to use maple extract as it is pure maple flavoring with no added sugar; the excess sugar may turn your brine ropy or yeasty.

Thanks Pops, good to know. I guess we'll see in a week and a half, hopefully since it was only a tablespoon of syrup it will be okay. (fingers crossed)
 
Thanks Pops, good to know. I guess we'll see in a week and a half, hopefully since it was only a tablespoon of syrup it will be okay. (fingers crossed)

Well it turned out great! Well received by all and finished in a day. :-)
Now in have 3 people asking me to make them some, so off to the store I go. I will make sure I have sea salt and molasses this time though, will be interested to taste the difference.
Thx Pop's and Todd!

Here is my post of it if you want to see:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/147383/first-canadian-bacon-success#post_1043549
 
Might be a stupid question but If I am going to use only 8 pounds of pork loin would I still use the same amount of brine??  I am planning on doing this next weekend
 
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