Canadian Back Bacon Cold Smoked

(slice thinly and serve on crunchy baguette spread with soft cheese or butter)

You need:

• Fresh Pork Loin – trimmed to uniform shape with some fat if desired

For Curing Brine:

• Water
• Coarse salt with no additives
• Cure#1
• Brown Sugar (optional)
• Spices (optional)

Preparing Brine:

• For each 1 kg (2.2 lb)of meat, you need to prepare 500 ml (2 cups) of cold tap water, 45 grams (1.6 oz) of salt and 5 grams (0.18 oz) of cure#1
• From 500 ml (2 cups) of water subtract about 100 ml (7 tbsp) which will be used to prepare spice broth.
• In remaining 400 ml of water dissolve salt, cure#1 and sugar if used and put aside.
• Mix the spices in the 100 ml of water and brew the mixture, covered on the lowest setting for 5 minutes and then let the broth cool down.

 The proportions of brine to meat are quite important for proper salinity of the final product.

Make sure to measure salt and cure #1 accurately for volume of water, however, other spices are optional or their quantity can be modified to your taste.

• Allspice ground – 0.5 tsp
• Black Pepper ground – 0.5 tsp
• Bay Leaf – 3 pcs
• Coriander – 0.5 tsp
• Juniper ground – 0.5 tsp
• Garlic – 3 cloves crushed

When the spice broth cools down, mix it with the water with dissolved salts.

• Place the Pork Loin in a suitable container, so the meat is completely immersed in brine.
• Place the container in the fridge for 7 days turning the meat every second day.

Draining, Drying and Smoking:

• After 8 days remove the meat from the brine and rinse under cold running water.
• Hang in the kitchen at room temperature for about 3-4 hours to warm up to room temperature and form the pellicle skin on the surface.
• Smoke with cold smoke 25-30 °C, preferably with apple wood chips, for 5-6 hours.
• After smoking hang in the kitchen and dry for 3 to 5 days.

At this point the Pork Loin is ready for consumption, but it can be pan fried or grilled if desired.