Canadian Bacon Help


 

BobCef

TVWBB Member
I bought two pork loins that were on special at a local super market. $1.29 lb.
There were fresh not frozen whole pork loins. Each one was about 10 lbs. and look awesome. I cut each in half and froze 3 of them. So now I started searching for recipes to make some Canadian Bacon. Oh my god so many conflicting recipes. Nitrites, no nitrites, #1 pink salt, buying prepared mixes. etc. etc. etc. I want to cure without nitrites. Not because I have this great fear of nitrites but of poisoning my family by doing something wrong. I settled on a recipe that uses large grind sea salt and saw one where they used Himalayan Sea Salt so I settled on that. Simple cure with the salt, brown sugar and fresh ground black peppercorn. A ayer of cure on the bottom and then cover the rest and pat in over the entire loin. Put in fridge in glass Tupperware baking pan for about 5 days. The plan is 2 smoke at around 180 to 200 degrees until internal temp of loin reaches 150 deg. So am I going to poison my family? Should I change recipes before I make any more. Why do we have ro worry about bacon and not other cuts of meat? Help!!!!
 
Hopefully Bob Corell will see your thread soon. In my limited knowledge, you have no concern of poisoning your family with your cure. The concern about curing is "did it really cure?" When it doubt, freeze anything you can't consume immediately
 
Well supposedly the Pink Himalayan salt will penetrate and turn the pork pink so I can tell.
 
Bob,
Your confusion about cures is one of the main reasons I started this thread:
https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?13312-Bacon-made-easy

You will not have the taste, color, or texture of Canadian bacon with your method, and you might run the risk of botulism.
Some members opinions on this:
https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?58298-Nitrate-free-bacon

And here's even more information from Meathead where he states:
"You should not attempt to cure meat at home without a curing salt."
http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/curing_meats.html
 
Bob,
Your confusion about cures is one of the main reasons I started this thread:
https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?13312-Bacon-made-easy

You will not have the taste, color, or texture of Canadian bacon with your method, and you might run the risk of botulism.
Some members opinions on this:
https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?58298-Nitrate-free-bacon

And here's even more information from Meathead where he states:
"You should not attempt to cure meat at home without a curing salt."
http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/curing_meats.html

So can you explain to me the difference between a loin for bacon and a whole pork belly or a chuck roast or ribs? We don't use cure on them
 
So can you explain to me the difference between a loin for bacon and a whole pork belly or a chuck roast or ribs? We don't use cure on them

Apples and oranges IMO.
Cooking fresh meat to a safe temperature is a lot different than simply salting it and letting it sit in the fridge for a few days.
Then smoking it at a low temperature until it is safe to consume, with a short shelf life?
No thanks, too risky for me.

I strongly suggest that if you don't want use a cure agent, then just salt/season your fresh loin, belly, etc and cook it to recommended temperatures.
 
Apples and oranges IMO.
Cooking fresh meat to a safe temperature is a lot different than simply salting it and letting it sit in the fridge for a few days.
Then smoking it at a low temperature until it is safe to consume, with a short shelf life?
No thanks, too risky for me.

I strongly suggest that if you don't want use a cure agent, then just salt/season your fresh loin, belly, etc and cook it to recommended temperatures.
Well the recipe I have calls for smoking at 175 to 200 deg. I would cut it and package in loctite bags and freeze. Then take a bag or 2 out as needed. I recall a post don't remember which forum but he and his dad immigrated here from Italy and he claims that they have been making bacon and other meats that they hang and cure for years without curing salt. I think he said he has his own restaurant and has never had a customer get sick. He also said that his meats were tested and approved and he had all the proper paperwork. I wish I could find that post.
 
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I'm not and expert, by any means, I've given the best advice I can.
Please let us know how it turns out.
 
Bob I'm think I'm going to precook in the oven to safe temp and then smoke like any other meat. Next one I'll buy the Morton's
 
You should definitely try Bob C's recipe using the MTQ. I just made some regular bacon following his method and it turned out great. I will be trying Canadian bacon next.
 
You should definitely try Bob C's recipe using the MTQ. I just made some regular bacon following his method and it turned out great. I will be trying Canadian bacon next.
i intend to. Just ordered the MTQ from Amazon
 
I just made some Canadian bacon a week or two back, I used 1 TBS Morton Tender Quick and 1 tsp sugar per lb of pork loin and let it cure for 9 days. 9 days is a little longer than I usually cure but work got into the way. Morton suggests to cure I believe 3-5 days but I go at least a week just to be sure. There is no harm in going a little longer.
 
I just made some Canadian bacon a week or two back, I used 1 TBS Morton Tender Quick and 1 tsp sugar per lb of pork loin and let it cure for 9 days. 9 days is a little longer than I usually cure but work got into the way. Morton suggests to cure I believe 3-5 days but I go at least a week just to be sure. There is no harm in going a little longer.

Thanks John
 

 

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