Michi
I dislike attempts to rewrite history
This pork loin is somewhat similar to Canadian bacon, but with a lot more flavour, and much juicier. Perfect on any charcuterie platter, or fry some to go with your eggs for breakfast.
Ingredients:
You need a pork loin, nicely trimmed with very little fat remaining on the meat. This one ended up at 1.6 kg after trimming.
For the brine:
Here is some on a home-made bagel. It definitely beats any Canadian bacon from a shop
Ingredients:
You need a pork loin, nicely trimmed with very little fat remaining on the meat. This one ended up at 1.6 kg after trimming.
For the brine:
- 500 g water
- 45 g salt
- 20 g sugar
- 5 g cure #1
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed or thinly sliced
- 10 allspice berries
- 6 juniper berries
- 3 bay leaves
- Crush the allspice and juniper berries in a mortar and pestle.
- Put all the spices, salt and sugar into a pot and warm up the solution until all the salt and sugar are dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
- Put the pork loin into a vacuum bag or ziplock bag and pour in the brine.
- Let the loin cure in the fridge for a week. (Turn the bag once a day.)
- After a week, rinse off the loin under cold water, pat dry, and put it into the fridge overnight, set on a rack so there is good air flow. This allows the pellicle to form.
- The following day, truss up the loin into a nice round shape (or put it into an elastic net). Brush the surface with a beaten egg yolk before hanging it in the smoker.
- Let the loin dry at 45 ºC (113 ºF) for an hour without applying smoke.
- Now add smoke of your choice (I used hickory) and smoke at 60 ºC (140 ºF) for two hours.
- Once smoked, seal the loin in a vacuum bag and drop it into a sous vide bath at 75 ºC (167 ºF) for 60 minutes.
- While still in the bag, cool the loin down in ice water for 15 minutes.
- Remove the loin from the bag an let it dry at room temperature for two to three hours.
- Leave uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight to let the meat dry out some more.
Here is some on a home-made bagel. It definitely beats any Canadian bacon from a shop
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