There’s just something about making your own back bacon that feels right. It’s simple, but you’ve got control over everything—the salt, the sweetness, the smoke. This is the version I like the best.
I bought a pork loin roast, just under two pounds. I knew I wouldn’t need a full gallon of brine for that size, but I made a gallon anyway just to be sure I had enough.
A gallon is 16 cups, so I poured 8 cups into a pot and added granulated sugar, pickling salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, and black pepper. I brought it to a boil to dissolve the sugar and salt, then removed it from the heat and added another 8 cups of cold water.
Once the brine cooled down, I added the cure and then put it into the fridge.
The next morning, I injected the pork loin since anything over 2 inches thick should be injected to make sure the cure gets all the way through. After that, I put it into a one-gallon food-grade pail and covered it with the brine.
To keep it submerged, I used a bowl that just fit into the pail and pushed it down until it filled with brine and held the meat under.
After that, it was just a matter of turning it every day. If you miss a day, it’s not a big deal. The idea is just to make sure no side sits against the pail the whole time.
The loin was about 2 inches thick, so using the formula of one day per quarter inch plus two days, that works out to at least 10 days in the brine.
I always go a few days longer than that because the sugar seems to get into the meat better, so I went 14 days.
After the 14 days, I rinsed it off and let it soak for about 15 minutes.
Then I hung it in the smoker at 130°F with the vent wide open to let it dry and form a pellicle.
After that, I raised the temperature to 145°F and started the smoke with the vent about one-third open. I ran it at 145°F for about three and a half hours until the smoke was just about done, then bumped it up to 165°F.
I was aiming for an internal temperature of 142°F so it would come up to 145°F while resting. It stalled at 134°F, which isn’t unusual, so I raised the smoker to 175°F.
As soon as it hit 142°F internal, I pulled it from the smoker and put it on a rack to cool.
Once it was cooled down, I wrapped it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for three days to let the flavors come together.
After that, you can leave it whole like a ham if you want, but I sliced mine into bacon, as per the name.
Give this a try and make it your own.
Canadian Back Bacon
This is my go-to Canadian bacon recipe. Brined, smoked, and sliced, it’s simple but packed with flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pork loin roast (about 2 lbs)
- 8 cups water (for brine)
- 8 more cups cold water (to cool brine)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup pickling salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Cure (amount per package instructions)
Instructions
- Pour 8 cups of water into a pot and add sugar, pickling salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar and salt, then remove from heat and add the other 8 cups of cold water.
- Once cooled, add the cure and place the brine in the fridge.
- The next morning, inject the pork loin if it’s over 2 inches thick to ensure even curing.
- Place the pork loin in a 1-gallon food-grade pail and cover it with the brine.
- Use a bowl to weigh it down, keeping the meat submerged.
- Turn the pork every day (missing a day is fine) so no side rests against the pail for the full time.
- For a 2-inch thick loin, brine for at least 10 days (I went 14 for extra flavor).
- After brining, rinse the loin and soak in fresh water for 15 minutes.
- Hang in the smoker at 130°F with the vent wide open to form a pellicle.
- Raise smoker temperature to 145°F, start smoking with vent 1/3 open, and smoke for 3 1/2 hours.
- Bump the temperature to 165°F until internal temperature reaches 142°F (it may stall, raise to 175°F if needed).
- Remove from smoker and cool on a rack.
- Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 3 days to let flavors meld.
- Slice into bacon or leave whole like a ham if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to inject the brine into the pork loin?
If your pork loin is over 2 inches thick, injecting the brine helps ensure the cure reaches the center. For thinner loins, submerging in brine is usually enough.
How long should I brine the pork loin?
Use the formula of one day per quarter inch of thickness plus two days. For a 2-inch loin, that’s at least 10 days. I usually go 14 days for extra flavor.
Can I skip turning the meat every day?
You don’t have to be strict. Turning it daily helps make sure no side rests against the pail the whole time, but missing a day isn’t a problem.
What temperature should I smoke the back bacon at?
Start at 130°F to form a pellicle, then raise to 145°F and start the smoke with the vent about 1/3 open. After a few hours, bump it up to 165°F. If the internal temp stalls, you can raise the smoker to 175°F.
What internal temperature should I aim for?
I shoot for 142°F internal temperature, knowing it will carry over to 145°F as it rests.
Do I need to let the bacon rest in the fridge?
No, but wrapping it in plastic and refrigerating for 3 days helps the flavors meld and produces a better final product.
Can I slice it immediately or leave it whole?
You can do either. Slice it into bacon if you want, or leave it whole like a small ham. Both work just fine.
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