This treat totally says Christmas to me. Mum always served it and it's a family favourite. Something has happened in the last few years. the store bought bacon is TERRIBLE. So I set out to make my own and this is the result of a few tests.
I hope you try this, I think you'll like it. And if you'd like to smoke it after the brine, you can easily make Canadian bacon. Or as us Canadians call it, back bacon.
Ingredients
1 Pork Loin About 4 lbs
12 Cups Cold Water Divided
1 Cup Maple Syrup
½ Cup Pickling Salt
2 teaspoon Prague #1 Cure
2 tablespoon Mustard Seeds
2 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
4 Garlic cloves Pressed
3 Whole Cloves
2 Bay Leaves
1 Lemon Sliced Into Wedges
Instructions
1.Cut pork loin into 2 approximately equal sized chunks (crosswise, NOT lengthwise!). Trim most of the visible fat, if you’d like. Some people don’t both, I don’t like the extra fat on mine. Set aside (in fridge).
2.Measure 4 cups of of water into a large pot, add remaining ingredients (aside from rest of water!). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add remaining water, stir to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Pour brine over pork loin in a container large enough to hold everything and have the pork submerged. You can use bags, just be sure to set them on a tray in case of leaks.
4.Allow the pork to brine for 5 whole days, turning once daily to ensure the pork loins are completely submerged.
After 5 days, discard brine, and rinse pork loins with cold water. Use paper towels to pat dry.
For Peameal Bacon:
Pour a generous amount of coarse yellow cornmeal onto a plate large enough to accommodate the chunk of pork loin.
Roll loin in the cornmeal, pressing to form a uniform crust.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, chill for at least an hour before slicing and frying/grilling.
For Back Bacon:
Hot smoke it with your choice of wood chips ( we like apple wood) with smoker at 200F until it reaches an internal temperature of 145-150 F.
17 окт 2024
