Canadian Bacon/Back Bacon: Much Better Homemade

[Elderberry]

ThermoBlog by Martin Earl

This may not come as a surprise, but Canadian bacon is not called Canadian bacon in Canada. Oh, and it is not a round, tube-shaped ham.

Far from the floppy, soggy ham you’ve seen strewn about on pizza, or unjustly represented by the weird, perfectly circular meat slices on eggs Benedict, real Canadian bacon—and even another kind of bacon from Canada—will change your mind about this delicious, easy to make staple.

Here, we’ll talk about Canadian bacon, what it is, and how to make it at home, and the temperatures you need to pay attention to for success. If you don’t think you like Canadian bacon, it’s probably because you haven’t tasted the real thing. So grab your tuque (Canadian for hat), put on some Neil Young, and get ready to change your mind about Canadian bacon!

What is Canadian bacon?

To answer simply, Canadian bacon is bacon made from a cured pork loin. But a more exact answer is tricky, and depends on what you mean by Canadian bacon. First, there is the cured, smoked loin of pork known to the Canadians as back bacon. But there is also another bacon that is exclusively Canadian: peameal bacon.

Let’s take a closer look at both kinds.

Peameal bacon

First, let’s consider the native bacon of Eastern Canada. Called “peameal bacon” in its home and native land, this bacon is a cured pork loin that is rolled in cornmeal, sliced raw, and usually pan-fried. It gets its name from the 19th-century Torononian practice of rolling cured pork loins in ground yellow peas, which was meant to draw out water and help prevent spoilage during shipping. After the wars, they switched from peameal to cornmeal, but never changed the name.

Peameal bacon has a subtle flavor and—because of its wet cure—is juicy and tender. The cornmeal crust gives the slices a pleasant toastiness and the faintest hint of a crunch. In Toronto and the surrounding areas, this fried bacon is piled on a roll and eaten as a delicious, hearty sandwich at breakfast or, really, any time. Often just served as meat on a bun, it might sometimes be dressed with a little mustard, some cheese, or maybe an egg, but they are not necessary additions by any means.

“Canadian bacon”/ back bacon

What the American’s call “Canadian bacon” is actually called “back bacon” by the Canadians. And, like peameal bacon, it is made from a cured pork loin. It gets its Canadian name from the loin’s location on the back of the hog, and is thereby differentiated from side bacon, which is what Americans typically eat. Back bacon is descended from British bacon, slices of which are known to the English as rashers.

Back bacon is cured in the exact same way that peameal bacon is, but it is then smoked (without cornmeal) until cooked through. The low-heat smoking—225°F (107°C)—combined with the 140°F (60°C) pull temp leaves the loin juicy, delicious, and with a decided smoky flavor and a beautiful auburn color. (This is the version off of which the imposter “Canadian bacon” is based. A far cry from the real thing!)

More: https://blog.thermoworks.com/pork/canadian-bacon-peameal-bacon-much-better-homemade/