Finished off doing a Canadian style bacon & a back bacon today. I use a wet brine akin to Pop's (lower salt & sugar), with maple syrup, then crushed coriander, mixed peppercorns, mustard seeds & all spice berries that I put in an oversized 'teabag', floaters in the brine are a load of bay leaves, 4 bruised garlic cloves & two inches of fresh ginger sliced & also bruised.
I cold smoke using a ProQ with oak dust & some hickory chips scattered on top. The ProQ decided to go for a couple of hours & then burn across, meaning a refill & let it go again. After seven hours on the refill, I called a halt. I hoped that the first quick & heavy burn through hadn't spoiled it, the colour wasn't OTT & there was no ashtray or acrid smell & thankfully, it actually came out fine.
For simplicity due to disability & nobody around to help now, I finish in a low temp oven 120°c/248°f to just above 145°f IT. It comes out with a good texture, moist & tasty.
Definitely not bad, as friends came over just as I finished off & over half the CB loin went in er....tastes!!
Only took pix from the taster stage, but here they are...
I cold smoke using a ProQ with oak dust & some hickory chips scattered on top. The ProQ decided to go for a couple of hours & then burn across, meaning a refill & let it go again. After seven hours on the refill, I called a halt. I hoped that the first quick & heavy burn through hadn't spoiled it, the colour wasn't OTT & there was no ashtray or acrid smell & thankfully, it actually came out fine.
For simplicity due to disability & nobody around to help now, I finish in a low temp oven 120°c/248°f to just above 145°f IT. It comes out with a good texture, moist & tasty.
Definitely not bad, as friends came over just as I finished off & over half the CB loin went in er....tastes!!
Only took pix from the taster stage, but here they are...
Attachments
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1 steamy après cure taster.jpg37.3 KB · Views: 58
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2 ready to taste.jpg42.3 KB · Views: 63
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3 ready to get their pellicle.jpg54.9 KB · Views: 59
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4 A really shiny pellicle.jpg56.3 KB · Views: 59
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5 Now cold smoked.jpg73.7 KB · Views: 52
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6 Smoked and look glow in the dark with a flash!.jpg69.3 KB · Views: 55
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7 Taken to 145° IT juicy.jpg33.3 KB · Views: 62
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8 Taster for four.jpg49.1 KB · Views: 57
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9 Er...another taster for four!.jpg60.8 KB · Views: 53