Posted: 9/28/2025 4:00:18 PM EDT
[Last Edit: flcracker][Edited]
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AKA "Canadian" bacon. This is the exact same process that I use for streaky/belly bacon. Phase 1 - Equilibrium (EQ) curing Whole boneless pork loin, cut in half for ease of handling and dried with paper towels. I'm using a "Black Forest" spice blend (recipe at end of post). Half of the pieces will have maple sugar added. Attached File Attached File Measure the thickest dimension. EQ curing goes for a minimum of 1 day per 1/4" plus two days for safety. This always works for me with slab/belly bacon, and is the bare minimum that I use for loins due to their thickness. EQ curing can go longer without worrying about making it too salty; it really sucks to go through all the effort only to find out when you slice the finished product that the center of the meat didn't get fully cured. A few days to a week longer is always better than risking it by cutting the curing time a bit short. (See comments in the next two posts and use your own judgement.) Weigh the meat. 2% by weight kosher sea salt 0.25% by weight Cure #1 (Prague Powder #1) Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Mix the salt and Cure #1 well. Rub about 20% on the fat side and the remainder on the rest of the loin. Do this in a roasting pan so you don't lose any of your salt/cure mix. Attached File Black Forest spice mix goes on at a ratio of 50g per 10# (4536g). Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File If maple sugar is added, use 100g per 4536g. Simply leave out the maple sugar for a less-sweet product that doesn't burn as easily as the maple version. Attached File Attached File Attached File (6" x 4) + 2 = 26 days (October 24). Attached File Vac bag it, being sure to scrape up all the salt/cure/spice/sugar from the pan. Store it in your fridge. Massage the bag every few days to redistribute the cure and extracted juices. If you're doing the maple version, you can add another round of maple sugar a week before the EQ curing is done and re-bag. Otherwise just let it keep curing until the time is up. Attached File Attached File Phase 2 (cold smoking) comes in a month or so!  *********************************** Black Forest spice mix (makes more than you need) 125gm white pepper 25gm ground nutmeg 25gm ground mace 15gm ground cardamom 200gm white sugar Mix thoroughly, then store in an opaque jar in a cool, dry place. |
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Geez 5-7 days is about all I allow for cure time, never had an issue where the cure wasn't completely through the loin. ETA my understanding of the 1/4" per day calculation is for the radius of the cut not the diameter as the cure is working from outside to the center not from outside to outside probably not using the widest measurement as the thickness as the cure is going from outside to the center. Not a SME but I've done lots of loins and bellies w/o issue. |
| I was also originally taught that the minimum was 1 day per 1/2" of minimum diameter, plus two. That makes 10 days for a 4" thick loin. Once when I did it that way the cure was not through to the center, so I started going longer. That's the beauty of an EQ cure - you can go up to a month without making it too salty. |
| I do regular bacon from pork bellies all the time. I have considered doing the back bacon. And may have to break down and do it. I do at least a 4 day cure on a pork belly. But usually it is 6 or 7 days. that has worked for me, so I can see with the loin going longer simply because of the thickness. |
C co 2/325th AIR 91-96 11B1P
Father of 6 un-socialized homeschoolers and grandfather to 2 awesome little boys.
Father of 6 un-socialized homeschoolers and grandfather to 2 awesome little boys.
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Update: a week before I was ready to smoke them, I pulled two of the half loins, rubbed them with maple sugar, then re-bagged them. Last weekend I pulled all four pieces, rinsed off the excess cure and spices, patted dry with paper towels, and netted them before smoking. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Hung to dry and form pellicle before cold smoking. Attached File |
Four nights of cold smoking with pecan wood pellets in a smoke tube. 
Attached File Attached File Hanging in the kitchen during the days in-between nightly smoking sessions. Attached File Now it's all done and resting/ageing in the meat cave along with some salami and chorizo. Attached File I'll bag it next week then wait for slicing day when I will slice and bag these two loins of back bacon and the five slabs of streaky belly bacon that are already bagged and resting in the cave. I think I have enough bacon to last me a while now. |
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Originally Posted By flcracker: Four nights of cold smoking with pecan wood pellets in a smoke tube. www.amazon.com/dp/B00CS6YFIC https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016441_jpg-3650347.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016442_jpg-3650348.JPG Hanging in the kitchen during the days in-between nightly smoking sessions. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016428_jpg-3650349.JPG Now it's all done and resting/ageing in the meat cave along with some salami and chorizo. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016452_jpg-3650350.JPG I'll bag it next week then wait for slicing day when I will slice and bag these two loins of back bacon and the five slabs of streaky belly bacon that are already bagged and resting in the cave. I think I have enough bacon to last me a while now. Wow, thanks for the update! 
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Aaannd..... DONE! Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File 
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Originally Posted By flcracker: Update: a week before I was ready to smoke them, I pulled two of the half loins, rubbed them with maple sugar, then re-bagged them. Last weekend I pulled all four pieces, rinsed off the excess cure and spices, patted dry with paper towels, and netted them before smoking. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016394_jpg-3650334.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016395_jpg-3650335.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016396_jpg-3650338.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016397_jpg-3650339.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016398_jpg-3650340.JPG Hung to dry and form pellicle before cold smoking. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/74872/1000016399_jpg-3650343.JPG
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Preferred pronoun: MARINE
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Last weekend was spent slicing and packaging this year's back bacon & belly bacon. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Filled an entire shelf in the freezer. Attached File On to other projects! |