In general, I would say that I’m a confident cook, especially when I’ve done something a zillion times before. However, it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve cured meat, I have a tendency to freak out a bit when I remove it from the brine and it looks gray and unappetizing.
Me: Oh my God! It didn’t cure!
Meat: Stop it.
Same thing when I cut into it.
Me: Is that raw? Didn’t that cure? Holy Mother of God!
Meat: Sigh
Anyway. Since this was my first time making Canadian bacon, I wanted to taste test it before rolling in cornmeal and freezing for the holidays. The recipe was good! Not at all like the smoked Canadian bacon you can buy in the supermarket, but more like fried country ham without the American flavoring.
I cut some slices from the back end of the bacon for the test, preserving the meatier front end for attractive, holiday breakfasts and brunches that will include Eggs Benedict. I’ve got this easy, age old recipe for blender hollandaise sauce that can be kept warm in a thermos. But more on that during the holidays.
I don’t know why the Canadians roll the bacon in cornmeal but if you do, let me know.
Okay, to finish the recipe: Remove the cured bacon from the brine, rinse, then soak in cold water for about 40 minutes, changing the water twice. Drain and dry the bacon, then roll in yellow corn meal. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Now, I do normally prefer a curry, but that is real decent food. Yum!
Thank you.
It looks like it cooked up beautifully! Fancy a bacon buttie now (if you know what a buttie is!)
I do, and also could use one 🙂
Woaah, love the way that looks! I’ve gotta get myself one of those frying pans, I think it looks really pretty on the photo.
Thank you saacdl. Don’t buy a Denton! By a Le Creuset or a Staub 8 inch omelette cast iron skillet if you can find them. I have a Le Creuset in France but couldn’t find one here. Still looking. The Denton takes a nice photo but isn’t made for real cooking.
Williams Sonoma sells them in the US.
Not the 8 inch cast iron omelette pan Nadia. I looked there first.
Reblogged this on O LADO ESCURO DA LUA.
The cornmeal thing is unusual, though it reminds me of English ham in breadcrumbs.
I think they’ve started making the 8″ again, albeit with a handle at the back:
https://www.lecreuset.co.uk/signature-cast-iron-skillet?p=2
This is the old one:
https://www.amazon.com/Creuset-Enameled-Cast-Iron-9-Inch-Skillet/dp/B00005QFSP/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1478121368&sr=8-4-fkmr2&keywords=le+creuset+23+omelet+pan
The one I have in France is plain cast iron, black not colored with no pouring lip. That’s what I want for here.
I’ve had mine in volcanic for about 12 years. It’s probably my favourite pan.
OmG – that is a decent looking piece of meat 🙂 – and I have not had breakfast yeet…grrrrrrr – so off to the kitchen to cook some oats!! 🙂
Thank you and enjoy your oats 🙂
Panic is my default mode when trying anything new.
That’s what is so exasperating about me. I have loads of experience successfully brining meats but each time I do it, I panic 🙂
Well done! The end result with the fry up looks wonderful. It’s sort of been on my list to cure meats but I don’t know I have the confidence to do it.
Hi Virginia. Brine curing is easy. You must keep the meat completely submerged in the brine for the entire time and it’s best to cure it in the refrigerator unless you have a cold room. In Africa, I used to cure it in an air conditioned room but the problem was constant electricity cuts and one year I ruined 3 corned beef briskets. After that, it’s always been refrigerator. If you cure a large piece of meat, such as a ham, it takes longer; 4-6 weeks but It’s like putting things in a washing machine, you don’t really have to monitor it.
Thank you for the tips! That must have been frustrating to lose 3 briskets!
Yeah. I was having a St. Patrick’s Day Party and it was a good thing that I did them early for freezing because I still had time to make another batch in the refrigerator.
Oh that was good
It seems delicious!
Thank you.
Welcome!
It looks delish!