Canadian and belly bacon, with Pops brine

[bacon_crazy510]

I'm lucky to have a "restaurant supply" store near me, and I scored a membership card from the former owner of the business I work for. They always have pork at great prices, and always have most cuts in stock.

Today I bought a 11 pound pork belly for $2.81 per pound, and a 10 pound pork loin for $1.66 per pound. Not bad at all!!!

So, I started 2 different batches of bacon. I cut the loin into 3 manageable pieces, as well as the belly. I made "Pop's" brine, full strength substituting maple sugar for brown; I also added a few tablespoons of the "black forrest" seasoning recipe found on this forum. I injected the loin with a portion of cure mixed with maple syrup, and put them, along with 2 sections of the belly into the brine bucket. I'm planning on a 14 day cure. (I've use this method for loin bacon recently ... it turned out FANTASTIC ... THANKS POPS!!)

The 3rd section of belly I decided to use Tender Quick to cure. I weighed the section and measured the appropriate amount of TQ. I mixed in 2 tablespoons of "black forrest" seasoning, and massaged it all into the belly. I placed the belly in a large ziplock bag, along with the rest of the cure mix, and then slathered a coating of honey on the belly. Man, was that a messy affair!

I'm planning on smoking the honey cured belly with cherry wood next weekend, and the loin bacon and other belly bacon with a mix of maple and cherry. Due to pork and honey covered hands, I only got pictures of the final result .... here they are.

 

[pops6927]

I'm lucky to have a "restaurant supply" store near me, and I scored a membership card from the former owner of the business I work for. They always have pork at great prices, and always have most cuts in stock.

Today I bought a 11 pound pork belly for $2.81 per pound, and a 10 pound pork loin for $1.66 per pound. Not bad at all!!!

So, I started 2 different batches of bacon. I cut the loin into 3 manageable pieces, as well as the belly. I made "Pop's" brine, full strength substituting maple sugar for brown; I also added a few tablespoons of the "black forrest" seasoning recipe found on this forum. I injected the loin with a portion of cure mixed with maple syrup, and put them, along with 2 sections of the belly into the brine bucket. I'm planning on a 14 day cure. (I've use this method for loin bacon recently ... it turned out FANTASTIC ... THANKS POPS!!)

The 3rd section of belly I decided to use Tender Quick to cure. I weighed the section and measured the appropriate amount of TQ. I mixed in 2 tablespoons of "black forrest" seasoning, and massaged it all into the belly. I placed the belly in a large ziplock bag, along with the rest of the cure mix, and then slathered a coating of honey on the belly. Man, was that a messy affair!

I'm planning on smoking the honey cured belly with cherry wood next weekend, and the loin bacon and other bely bacon with a mix of maple and cherry. Due to pork and honey covered hands, I only got pictures of the final result .... here they are.View attachment 354259View attachment 354263

You are entirely welcome!

 

[SmokinAl]

Great start!
Al

 

[gmc2003]

Looks great. Keep us updated.

Chris

 

[bacon_crazy510]

Question .....

pops6927 ... do you, if ever, "overhaul" the meats in the brine? Last time I moved them all around after 3 days. Have you found that necessary, or am I overthinking it? (thanks in advance!!!)

 

[bacon_crazy510]

Also, a note to anyone who might try coating their "soon-to-be-dry-cured bacon" in honey:

There is no need to slather the honey all over. It is messy as heck. And this morning, I saw that the meat put off enough liquid that it distributed the honey all on its own.

If I try this again, next time I'l just squeeze the honey on like ketchup on a hotdog, and let the curing process do the rest.

 

[bacon_crazy510]

I posted it in another thread, but I figured I post it here too. Here is the result a 9 hour smoke with cherry and maple wood.

 

[bacon_crazy510]

Here we are .... 2 weeks later. I pulled the pork loin from the brine, washed them, dried them, tied them, and seasoned them with the black forrest rub.

Tomorrow morning at 0:dark30 I'll start cold smoking it with a 50/50 mix of cherry and maple.