Store bought bacon.

[pawoodswalker]

I'm able to buy whole slab bacon at a local market for $2.99 lb.Says product of Canada on it. It tastes cured But not smoked,I would like to smoke it , Should I cold or hot smoke.Locally bellies are going for $4.00.so $2.99 is a great price.

 

[Dutch]

Cured but not smoked isn't bacon, it's salt pork-it doesn't become bacon until it has been smoked.

As to the question of cold or hot smoked really comes down to how it was cured. If it's been cured with cure #1, I'd do a cold smoke-check the label on the package or check with the butcher. If you're not sure how it was cured I'd do a hot smoke-you'll lose some fat.

Hopefully one of the real bacon experts will jump in here and set us both straight.

 

[smokinhusker]

Definitely not a bacon expert, but sounds like Dutch has it right.

 

[brican]

Cured but not smoked isn't bacon, it's salt pork-it doesn't become bacon until it has been smoked.

I beg to differ,

if it is cured and not smoked it is bacon the common terminology is (were I originate from  UK ) green bacon. I do some for my customers but mainly do cold smoked

But as you say 'It might be salt pork

 

[daveomak]

Brican, afternoon...... Over here in the US, it is salt pork until it is smoked...... Smoking is what make it bacon... 

The picture you have shown is something I have never seen here....  I guess the cuts of meat and the terminology are different in several respects from the east and west side of the Atlantic....

PS, You won't catch me saying Dutch don't know what he's talking about .  LOL

 

[Dutch]

Dave-

The picture that Brican posted is boneless pork loin with a bit of the belly left on it.  It is used to make peameal bacon. . .what us Yanks refer to a Canadian Bacon.

We had some customers that were Canadians whos company sent them to Utah to manage one of their U,S, offices for several years. They came in to our shop wanting to know if we could make them up some peameal bacon. Dad was alway willing to learn new things to make his customers happy and when he learned, we learned too. Dad really knew what Customer Service was all about and this was over 20 years ago!

The cure used is sweet-pickle cure (sweeter and less salty than what we use here in the U.S.). After the bacon is cured, it is rolled in cornmeal; the peameal bacon is then sliced by the consumer (usually into 1/4 inch slices) and then panfried (grilled) until the fat and peameal is crispy. Peameal bacon isn't smoked like U.S. bacon is.

 

[brican]

Brican, afternoon......

Afternoon Dave

Over here in the US,  I am only 390 click's North West of you

it is salt pork until it is smoked...... Making salt pork usually (?) requires dry curing of either a fat belly or the leg end of the belly Smoking is what make it bacon... Again a debatable point

The picture you have shown is something I have never seen here.... I can send you some if you like  I guess the cuts of meat and the terminology are different in several respects from the east and west side of the Atlantic.... Again I have to agree with you, what we call top sirloin this side is what we would call rump steak back in the UK, on a slightly difference note the whole side of pork would/will be turned into bacon

PS, You won't catch me saying Dutch don't know what he's talking about .  LOL  Take it as I am the new kid on the block which might give me a bit of leeway the other is that I have been doing it for nigh on fifty years and forty of the North of you.

 

[brican]

Dave-

The picture that Brican posted is boneless pork loin with a bit of the belly left on it.  It is used to make peameal bacon. . .what us Yanks refer to a Canadian Bacon.

What is shown there is what we call Short back, there is a long back which has a 5 - 6 inch tail (belly) on it There is also the Middle back which is the loin and belly. As for peameal bacon it is usually just the eye without the fat covering and silverskin removed.

I still have to define what is Canadian bacon as all that the commercial folks up this way do is more or less the same as American bacon -- using the bellies

 

[Dutch]

Brican,

Canadian Bacon is the eye portion of the loin that has been cured and smoked. If you're down here in the lower 48 and order a "Ham and pineapple" pizza the 'ham' is Canadian bacon.

 

[brican]

Brican,

Canadian Bacon is the eye portion of the loin that has been cured and smoked. If you're down here in the lower 48 and order a "Ham and pineapple" pizza the 'ham' is Canadian bacon.

Thanks’ for the clarification, as we do not produce (upper 48[sup]th[/sup]) a Canadian bacon as you describe I had visions of you calling the peameal bacon Canadian bacon

 

[brican]

Brican, afternoon...... Over here in the US, it is salt pork until it is smoked...... Smoking is what make it bacon... 

With Dave posting this the question that I cannot get my head around by any definition anything that is cured but not smoked is salt pork and would not constitute being bacon until its smoked.

That being said what I know as salt pork is a piece of pork that is cured with salt and cure (I use curing salt, salt and cure mixed together), on the other hand the following by any definition is bacon in fact it is Ayrshire bacon done the traditional way cured but not smoked, defiantly not by any means salt pork.

Granted this being a US based forum is one thing but with the attraction of a very wide base of International folks that some know that bacon dose not have to be smoked to be called bacon, please understand I am not trying to be a horse's ar*e far from it

 

[smokinhusker]

Interesting thread and even better looking meat!!!! Learning lots here.

 

[Dutch]

Well Brican, SMF may be a US based website, but with the way we have grown with members from from all over the world we have become quite an international group.

What we may call salt pork (pork belly cured with a salt based brine of cure #1, water, you call green bacon and that is what is great about this forum, we have the opportunity to learn the names and methodology of how things are done elsewhere. All one needs is an open mind and a willingness to learn new things.

Thanks’ for the clarification, as we do not produce (upper 48[sup]th[/sup]) a Canadian bacon as you describe I had visions of you calling the peameal bacon Canadian bacon

 Remember that Canadian couple I mentioned earlier? Well when they were describing peameal bacon, my then brother-in-law said "Oh, you want Canadian bacon?" The look that the Mrs. gave him was enough to make MY blood run cold. So when I learn the correct terminology I tend to file the information away for future use.

 

[brican]

Interesting thread and even better looking meat!!!! Learning lots here.

Glad you like the meat, as for learning it is I who is learning it feels like I need to walk a fine line as there are a lot of knowledgeable folks around. Bacon, sausage (both fresh and dry cured) along with hams and Charcuterie are my fortay

 

[brican]

Well Brican, SMF may be a US based website, but with the way we have grown with members from from all over the world we have become quite an international group.

What we may call salt pork (pork belly cured with a salt based brine of cure #1, water, you call green bacon and that is what is great about this forum, we have the opportunity to learn the names and methodology of how things are done elsewhere. All one needs is an open mind and a willingness to learn new things.

The one thing that I am always willing to do is learn, it is said in the trade once you stop learning you might as well be dead. There is a difference between what you are calling salt pork and what I was taught on curing green bacon, majority was doing a dry cure with salt, saltpetre (there was three types that could/was used) along with at least two different types of sugar along with spices. The other which I find more interesting and some find more challenging is to do the dry cure (salt and saltpetre) then after a given time do a cooked brine

 Remember that Canadian couple I mentioned earlier? Well when they were describing peameal bacon, my then brother-in-law said "Oh, you want Canadian bacon?" The look that the Mrs. gave him was enough to make MY blood run cold. So when I learn the correct terminology I tend to file the information away for future use.

I still remember to this day in 75 when an American walked into the shop I was working and asked that question; Do you have any Canadian bacon, being not long in the country I looked to the boss for some help - the answer came back that they was looking for peameal bacon -- how wrong we all where

now that you have kindly heducated me on the right thought I wonder if you could take it one step further --  who created it and why?

The following is part of my college notes

 

[pawoodswalker]

I'll get a picture of my next one. Didnt mean to cause such a debate lol. Think I'll just ask the butcher.

 

[Dutch]

If I recall, there was a bacon shortage in England and the English turned to Canada to fill the void and large batches of cure loins were packed in peameal to preserve the meat during shipping.

Peameal bacon wasn't widely popular in Canada until the English began immigrating to Canada and began asking for it.

I'm not sure who the individual was that created peameal bacon but I do know that it is good stuff.

 

[Dutch]

pawoodswalker- no worries, in fact I ought to thank you for asking your original question.  I've been enjoying this discussion with Brican and I think we both have learned something new and different.

Enjoy!

 

[pawoodswalker]

I have enjoyed it also, it has been a good discussion. I'm never to old to learn. I believe it is or salt bacon or green bacon "which ever " lol. I'm just going to eat this batch the way it is and the next time I buy I'll ask the butcher. Thanks for all the reply's

.
 

 

[baja traveler]

You say that salt pork doesn't become bacon until it's smoked -

I say that dousing it in liquid smoke is not the same as smoked...

saw this just yesterday on "How it's Made":