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Canadian bacon?

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seattlepitboss

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Never made Canadian bacon before. But I've got some pork loin marinating in the cure now. It occurred to me just now that I'm not sure about something. Some people say to smoke the loin to 140F and let it sit and presumably come up a bit more. A lot of people say to smoke it to 150F. Some say to smoke it to 160F. Now, I have made regular bacon a few times. I smoke that to 150F and let it cool and then slice it off.

Now my question. Regular bacon you cook before you eat. Do you have to also cook Canadian bacon before eating it? I seem to remember buying it at the store and just being able to slice it and eat it. Kind of like ham.

Anyone?

thanks..

seattlepitboss
 
I cook Canadian bacon after slicing it. But, I think this comes down to food safety, which, if you cook to 165°F, you can eat it straight off the knife. It is cured and cooked, so there is limited risk.

Personally, if it hasn't been crisped up, I don't much care for it, so there was never an issue.
 
I always do my CB to 140 after sitting over night on a rack in the fridge. Make sure you soak it for 2 hrs in fresh water after you pull it out of the cure and change the water every 30 min.
 
I do a five day cure then smoke to 160. You can fry it or eat it straight.
 
seattlepitboss said:
Never made Canadian bacon before. But I've got some pork loin marinating in the cure now. It occurred to me just now that I'm not sure about something. Some people say to smoke the loin to 140F and let it sit and presumably come up a bit more. A lot of people say to smoke it to 150F. Some say to smoke it to 160F. Now, I have made regular bacon a few times. I smoke that to 150F and let it cool and then slice it off.

Now my question. Regular bacon you cook before you eat. Do you have to also cook Canadian bacon before eating it? I seem to remember buying it at the store and just being able to slice it and eat it. Kind of like ham.

Anyone?

thanks..

seattlepitboss
Click to expand...

Bludawg said:
I always do my CB to 140 after sitting over night on a rack in the fridge. Make sure you soak it for 2 hrs in fresh water after you pull it out of the cure and change the water every 30 min.
Click to expand...

landarc said:
I cook Canadian bacon after slicing it. But, I think this comes down to food safety, which, if you cook to 165°F, you can eat it straight off the knife. It is cured and cooked, so there is limited risk.

Personally, if it hasn't been crisped up, I don't much care for it, so there was never an issue.
Click to expand...


After I cure, I soak in clear cold water several times, I then let rest overnight in the refrigerator. The next day I cold smoke (no heat) with the A=Maze-N Pellet smoker for at least 2 hours before adding coals into the smoker. I agree with Bludawg, smoke to 140°, cool and then slice.


Also as Landarc says "if it hasn't been crisped up, I don't much care for it".

If you want it like ham, cure it like a ham, smoke it like a ham, and cook it like a ham and then slice and eat it. I have made lean ham for gatherings using the loin, you just have to be careful not to over-cook it and dry it out.

I also have used pork butts to make pulled ham sandwiches just to have ham in a different fashion. Great on game day when served on a crisp toasted onion roll and topped with sharp cheddar.
 
Last edited:
140 for me. I'd really like to do the cold smoke/slice/fry sometime though
 
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