WTF Happened to my Canadian Bacon?

[Gunslinger]

I made Canadian Bacon a couple weeks ago and posted it like a good boy. I also made a peameal type because I was curious as to how it would taste cured and rolled in cornmeal, but not smoked. This one was cured at the same time, in the same vessel as another one that I did smoke. I took both loins out of the brine and soaked them for 2 hours, changing the water once. I smoked the one and rolled the other in cornmeal, wrapped and froze it. All the loins I smoked were fantastic. But this morning we took the peameal bacon out, cut off a couple slices, fried and tasted them. It was like eating nothing. No flavor whatsoever. I did salt and pepper a couple more slices and the salt seemed to bring out some of the other brine flavors.
What I don't understand is why the smoked loins had the perfect amount of salt and seasoning and the one that got frozen for a couple of weeks tasted like it wasn't seasoned at all, not even with salt.
Any ideas or insight?
One more thing and this is addressed to the Canadians here. When is going to be ok to change the name from peameal bacon to cornmeal bacon?

[Zeeker]

Gunny, don't know what happened. I freeze Peameal all the time and it comes out very flavorful. Did you do your Peameal in a sweet pickle brine. Was your brine similar to this?

SWEET PICKLE BRINE

Basic Sweet Pickle Brine for One Gallon

1 Gallon of Water
1 cup Kosher Salt
1 cup Dark Brown sugar (Packed)
3 Tablespoons Cure #1 (pink salt)


1 tbsp all spice
1 tbsp juniper berries
1 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp whole coriander seed
1 tbsp whole clove
5 whole bay leaves

All of this into a large stock pot and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes and chill. Place the cold brine (35-38°F) covered loin in refrigeration for 7 days just submerged in the brine is sufficient. Take them out, let them dry a bit, and then roll in fine Yellow corn meal for as much as they can take.

I hope this helps and no were not changing the name. "It is called Peameal bacon for a reason" Because of the pea...ah...oh...corn... ah hell we call it back bacon up here as well.... Ya happy now...

[Richtee]

Did you try the peameal one before freezing?

[Slanted88]

Uhhh....Sorry Gunny However I did save Zeek's brine recipe!

[Beer-B-Q]

Uhhh....Sorry Gunny However I did save Zeek's brine recipe!

Ditto what Scott said...

[Grogger27]

Well Gunny,
I don't know what to say about your peameal bacon, but as a Canadian I agree with Zeeker, it's back bacon. My cousins from Memphis came up one summer when I was in my early teens and they stayed with us for a week. Half way through the week they asked where was the Canadian bacon and I figured whatever bacon was made in Canada, was Canadian bacon. I told them they were eating it every breakfast. It wasn't until our parents got chatting that we found out they were looking for what I had always known as back bacon. Either way, it was good.
Back on topic, Gunny, I hope you figure out your problems.

[ALX]

Ditto what Scott said...

....Thats bill...Paul....

[Gunslinger]

Gunny, don't know what happened. I freeze Peameal all the time and it comes out very flavorful. Did you do your Peameal in a sweet pickle brine. Was your brine similar to this?

SWEET PICKLE BRINE

Basic Sweet Pickle Brine for One Gallon

1 Gallon of Water
1 cup Kosher Salt
1 cup Dark Brown sugar (Packed)
3 Tablespoons Cure #1 (pink salt)


1 tbsp all spice
1 tbsp juniper berries
1 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp whole coriander seed
1 tbsp whole clove
5 whole bay leaves

All of this into a large stock pot and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes and chill. Place the cold brine (35-38°F) covered loin in refrigeration for 7 days just submerged in the brine is sufficient. Take them out, let them dry a bit, and then roll in fine Yellow corn meal for as much as they can take.

I hope this helps and no were not changing the name. "It is called Peameal bacon for a reason" Because of the pea...ah...oh...corn... ah hell we call it back bacon up here as well.... Ya happy now...

Now that's weird. That's the same exact recipe I use. And back bacon works for me. Peameal is just gross.

Did you try the peameal one before freezing?

Nope. BUT, like I said I cured that one and another that got smoked, together and the seasoning in the smoked loin was spot on.

Uhhh....Sorry Gunny However I did save Zeek's brine recipe!

No problem Mike. I don't mind being your whore.

Ditto what Scott said...

Uhhhhhhhh, unless I sent his sourdough starter to the wrong guy, his name is Mike.

Well Gunny,
I don't know what to say about your peameal bacon, but as a Canadian I agree with Zeeker, it's back bacon. My cousins from Memphis came up one summer when I was in my early teens and they stayed with us for a week. Half way through the week they asked where was the Canadian bacon and I figured whatever bacon was made in Canada, was Canadian bacon. I told them they were eating it every breakfast. It wasn't until our parents got chatting that we found out they were looking for what I had always known as back bacon. Either way, it was good.
Back on topic, Gunny, I hope you figure out your problems.

That avatar pic is funny man. You look completely shit faced.

....Thats bill...Paul....

Actually, it's still Mike.

[Richtee]

Nope. BUT, like I said I cured that one and another that got smoked, together and the seasoning in the smoked loin was spot on.

Reason I ask is the smoking, and consequent partial cooking perhaps had "set" the seasoning/flavors in the meat before freezing. As you know, freezing does affect the cellular structure of the meat, perhaps allowing more liquid/seasoning to leach out than the smoked hunks would have experienced.

[Gunslinger]

Reason I ask is the smoking, and consequent partial cooking perhaps had "set" the seasoning/flavors in the meat before freezing. As you know, freezing does affect the cellular structure of the meat, perhaps allowing more liquid/seasoning to leach out than the smoked hunks would have experienced.

I was thinking the same thing about "setting" the flavors, but then where did they go in the non smoked loin. So much for the Food Saver locking in anything.

[Fishawn]

How much moisture came out on the thaw?...... Could some of the "flavor" have leached out with the water in the thaw?..... Maybe just a "weird" hunk of pork

[Gunslinger]

How much moisture came out on the thaw?...... Could some of the "flavor" have leached out with the water in the thaw?..... Maybe just a "weird" hunk of pork

It didn't seem to have been extra wet. All the corn meal stayed in place. You know what's really weird? I spray injected all of these loins.

[Fishawn]

It didn't seem to have been extra wet. All the corn meal stayed in place. You know what's really weird? I spray injected all of these loins.

Hmmmm......That is weird..... You lost any salty taste as well?

[Gunslinger]

Hmmmm......That is weird..... You lost any salty taste as well?

No salt taste whatsoever. I salted each slice lightly and it was good, but I HAD to add salt.

[Mark R]

Uhhh....Sorry Gunny However I did save Zeek's brine recipe!

Me too!