Canadian Bacon,new old recipe.

[hank4elk]

I had been making a corned brine for a elk shoulder roast I found in my freezer from a '16 cow when the page turned and there was a simple recipe for Canadian Bacon,and it just so happened there was 2 pork loins under the roast.
This recipe is from Charcuterie and it has become my go to cure book for the last 12 years, ....since it was a gift from a professional private chef friend.

Brine
1 Gal. water
1 1/2 cups Kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 oz/42 grams pink salt(8 teaspoons)
1 large bunch fresh sage
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves,peeled ,smashed
4lb boneless pork loin

Combine brine ingredients in large pot & stir until boiling good. Remove from heat & cool brine completely.
Then place loins in cool brine with plate on loin to submerge & refrigerate 48 hrs.
Remove loin from brine & rinse under cold water & pat dry. Place on a rack on tray & refrigerate uncovered 12-24 hrs
Hot smoke to internal temp of 150, 2-3 hrs.
Allow to cool & refrigerate up to 10 days.

I have not made this for 10 years & do not have a hot smoker right now. So I will cold smoke 3-4 hrs & finish in oven on low(200) until internal temp of 150 hits.
I plan on trimming off some of the thick fat before brining the loins. I am tempted to cut the pink salt to 6 tesps too.
You can just roast low in oven,but the smoke ands sooooooooooo much.
I will be using store bought pork instead of good ole wild pig,which is hard to come by in NM. Might have to try an elk backstrap chunk next....

 

[noharleyyet]

Thanks hank...

 

[WildWill]

Looking forward to trying it out never done one will get it in the brine Saturday. Thanks for posting.

 

[hank4elk]

Finally posting results.

 

[hank4elk]

In talking to a butcher buddy when I got some more pink salt,he said do not use near that amount for 2-4lb pork loins & I concured. I used half that much pink salt and add more brown sugar & Kosher. salt. 2 cups Ksalt & 1cup brwn sugar, 1 cup reg. sugar.

 

[Dave N]

Not used to the term "pink salt". Same as Instacure #1?

 

[hank4elk]

Yes , it's the same thing .
Different name, there are several. Usually a pink or red tint to the salt.
Tinted curing salt,processed from Sodium Nitrate. Use 1 oz per 25lbs of meat.....package label.
Mortons Salt Cure is one all pre mixed.
Nitrate added to pink salt is Insta -cure #2.


One note in my Charcuterie book says to go by weight as some salt is heavier. Morton Kosher weighs 8oz per cup, Diamond Crystal Kosher weighs 4oz per cup.