Kassler Loin?

Wanting to make ripchen is something that comes up and goes often with me. When i think about it and try to find authentic recipes i keep running into dead ends. Even my german cookbook mentions it and describes the basic process but doesn't actually explain how to make it. The only recipes i can find do the cure first then smoke, which to me is the same as canadian bacon. Every description i find on ripchen is it's smoked first then brined. Wether it's a curing brine instead of a salt brine is also in question.

I would think that after smoking to cooked temps a cure is not required, however brineing the meat may help to bring the smoke flavor deep into the loin and possibly a hint of pickling too. The consensus also appears that all the mass produced ripchen is first cured then smoked, again canadian bacon, but possibly these meat factories are using seasonings that impart flavor like authentic ripchen rather than canadian bacon.

Who knows, Kassler Ripchen seems to be one of the best kept secrets in meat curing and smoking.