Canadian "Maple Bacon" recipe needed

[Richierich]

I have a good friend who is Canadian (from Ottowa), and although married to a Butchers daughter has asked if I can make him some bacon. The only issue is that it is his old favorite bacon from back home he is after.

So far I managed to get from him that it is streaky (so belly not loin), has a sweet and salty flavour with a hint of smoke.

I therefore figured maple syrup in the curing mix, but how much and then how much smoke? Apparently it is raw when bought so must be cold smoked.

He knows a good butcher - - so can get hold of some good meat, I just want to know if any of our members from the Colonies have a method for such a product.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Rich

[Ianinfrance]

Hi Rich..

First of all, can I say that I'm guessing here.

What I would do, personally if I wanted a maple cured bacon would be very much like what I'd do if I wanted a honey cured one. I'd get the "smoked bacon" cure from Sausagemaking here and after rubbing with that, rub with some maple syrup. This isn't a case for "Grade A light", but something with a bit more concentration like e "B" medium. I'd rub the belly of pork with that, and then cure in the usual way.

As for how much.... I really don't have a clue, but given that canadian bacon is often a lot sweeter than british bacon and that Franco's smoked cure must use about 1.5% by weight of sugar, I'd want to use enough maple syrup to add another 1% sugar. The average sugar content of maple syrup is 2/3 so to give 1% extra sugar, you would use 1.5% syrup, or 15 g per kilo. (1/4 oz per pound would be close enough).

Hope that helps or spurs someone who knows what to do to come back with something that isn't pure guesswork.

[DanMcG]

I can't add much to this thread but the B grade has more flavor like Ianinfrance mentioned, and I'd think you could only coat it with so much before it ran off.
I've done loins in dry cure that we call Canadian Bacon that I've pumped with pure maple syrup and it was very flavorful and much moister then the ones without the injection. not sure if you could pump a belly successfully but might be worth a try.

[Richierich]

Thanks for the tips guys, he is off back home in the coming weeks for a break, see if he can track any more information down. Do you think he'd get away bringing some back? Or is that frowned upon?

I will ask him to pick up some of the "B" maple syrup, gonna be the proper stuff that way.

[NorthernQ]

I'm new to this forum but this thread caught my eye. I have just finished 4 bellies with excellent results and thought I would share.

Cure: 450g salt
425g dextrose
75g pink salt
I dredged the bellies in this cure giving a coating over the entire surface. Placed in a plastic bag, added about a tablespoon of granulated maple sugar for each kilo of pork and refrigerated for a week, turning every day. Rinsed after curing and air dried in the fridge for a few hours, then smoked at 200º F to an internal of 140º using cherry and apple for flavour.

As you can imagine, this is a very sweet bacon. Next time I will replace some of the dextrose with maple sugar rather than adding it.

Hope this helps ...

[Richierich]

Peter,

Thank you for replying to the thread, you have reminded me I need to have a go at this, I had forgotten.

Will let you know how I get one.

Rich

[Chuckwagon]

Hi Peter, Nice to see you! Welcome to the forum. Write in often.
Best wishes, Chuckwagon

[captain wassname]

Two weeks ago I rubbed a small loin to give 1.9% salt 150 ppm nitrite and 300 ppm nitrate and then I injected 2% maple syrup.Went in a treat no mess no sticky Wrapped it in clingfilm Its coming out tomorrow morning and Ill fry some(gently) on saturday.
Ill post back some time saturday.

Jim

[DanMcG]

I'll try to post some results sunday, I took a basic sweet brine and replaced the sugar with maple syrup, and injected it with 10%. It's now in the brine in the frig till saturday for a total of 5 days. I usually inject maple syrup and then dry cure them with Mortons TQ but it's always to saltly for me.

[captain wassname]

Couldnt wait. I liked it.
Dan If Mortons TQ is too salty why not try a cure #1 and salt mix ? That way you have total control over levels of cure and salt.

Jim

[Richierich]

So the answer is to inject the maple syrup then....how does it cook up, does the syrup ooze out of the meat, or is it not that much in the scheme of things?

[captain wassname]

It didnt leak when injected nor when unwrapped from the clingfilm.No trace on the clingfilm and never oozed out when fried.
Im usung frozen loin from Aldi that was on offer 2.99 per 800 gms.Ideal for experiments.
I know its against advice and illegal in theUS but I do love the taste of bacon with salt petre in it.
I may go for 3% maple syrup next time and/or a mollases or a golden syrup one next
I notice that Dan injected before rubbing but I was abit concerned about leakage and injected after rubbing I guess both work.But injection gets more in with less mess.
Jim

[DanMcG]

Dan If Morton's TQ is too salty why not try a cure #1 and salt mix ? That way you have total control over levels of cure and salt.

Jim

sorry I guess I was a little vague on my concoction. That's what I used, salt, cure #1 and maple syrup and some ground black pepper. It will also be rubbed down with course ground pepper before smoking

I notice that Dan injected before rubbing but I was abit concerned about leakage and injected after rubbing I guess both work.But injection gets more in with less mess.
Jim

There ready isn't much mess with the injection and dry rub. I have to admit I didn't record the amount of syrup I used, but it wasn't so much that it ran out.

My favorite barmaid that I'm making this brined batch of bacon loved the TQ and maple injected Canadian bacon. But since I don't charge her for the meat , she's my test taster.

[Richierich]

I am meeting up with the Canadian friend who was after the bacon tonight, see what he thinks, to my mind there is not a lot of maple syrup or smoke in the flavour, but then I like a heavy smoked bacon, this one is very light.

See what he thinks and modify from there, after all, I am making it for someone else, so my thoughts are academic really.

[DanMcG]

Here's a quick follow up to the earlier post I made. I did the loins in a wet brine, and replaced the sugar with maple syrup. After a 5 day cure in brine I rinsed and dried them, then smoked them with maple till they got to 155°F (68°C)
They still didn't have the maple flavor I was looking for, But I have to admit I prefer the injected/brined loin much more then a dry rubbed cure.
So I guess it's back to the drawing board in search of the perfect maple CB.