How To | Homemade Canadian Back Bacon | Easy Charcuterie

back bacon

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: pork loin

Turkey bacon is lower in fat while pork loin is a more affordable cut.

Trim off all the silver skin and sinew from the pork loin.

Prepare the brine by adding 2 liters of water to a pot.

Add 350 grams of kosher salt and 225 grams of sugar to the water.

Add 42 grams of pink salt, 1 bunch of fresh thyme, 1 bunch of fresh sage, and 2 cloves of smashed garlic to the pot.

Stir the mixture and turn on the heat to simmer until the salts and sugar dissolve.

Cover and let the brine simmer for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add 2 more liters of chilled water to cool the brine.

Transfer the pork loin to a food container and pour the brine over it, ensuring the pork is completely submerged.

Place a plate on top of the pork to keep it submerged and cover the container.

Refrigerate for 48 hours to allow the pork to absorb the flavors and cure.

After 48 hours, remove the pork loin from the brine and wash it under the sink to remove any residual brine.

Dry the surface of the pork loin with paper towels.

Place the pork loin on a rack in the refrigerator for about 24 hours to dry out the surface and form a pellicle layer.

After 24 hours, check that the surface is tacky to the touch.

Preheat the smoker to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Smoke the pork loin for a couple of hours until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

After smoking for about 4 hours, check the internal temperature; it should be around 147.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the pork loin from the smoker and let it cool on the counter.

Refrigerate the smoked pork loin for another 48 hours before slicing.

After 48 hours, remove the pork loin from the refrigerator and cut off the twine.

Slice the pork loin down the middle to reveal the pink color from the cure and smoke.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens