This homemade Canadian bacon recipe is a simple way to turn a boneless pork loin into something special at home. Instead of the pale, wet rounds from the grocery store, you get a cured loin with a pronounced clean smoke flavor, proper texture, and great flavor profile.
The curing process here uses a wet brine rather than a dry cure. The loin soaks in a salty mixture of water, maple, garlic, herbs, and pink curing salt #1 (also sold as Prague Powder #1 or InstaCure #1). After a couple of days in the brine, the meat is air-dried and smoked until just cooked through. Slice it into thin slices, give it a quick sear, and you’ve got yourself the real thing before you.
What cut Canadian bacon comes from
Canadian bacon (also called Canadian back bacon) is made from the pork loin that runs along the back of the pig. The loin is lean (wild boar loans are even leaner), tender, and mild. The low fat content is what gives this cured loin its firm, ham-like bite and clean pork flavor. For this recipe, you’ll use:
- A whole boneless pork loin. From a domestic hog or wild boar. The silver skin should be removed. You can ask your local butcher to remove this if you are unsure how to do so.,
Canadian Bacon VS Regular Bacon and Ham
It helps to see where this kind of bacon fits in the universe of bacon choices.
Regular bacon / streaky bacon
- Cut from the pork belly.
- Usually dry-cured and then smoked.
- High fat with intense smoke flavor.
Canadian bacon / back bacon
- Cut from the pork loin.
- Usually cured in a wet brine (like this one) and then hot-smoked.
- Leaner, more like a small smoked ham roast.
Compared to ham
- Canadian bacon uses a shorter cure that seasons the center of the meat without over-salting.
- Both are brined and smoked.
- Hams are larger muscles and need a different brining process and brine ingredient ratios.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here’s what goes into this Canadian bacon cure (brine):
- Boneless pork loin or wild boar loin
- Water – base for the brine (mixed in a large pot or large container)
- Kosher salt – primary seasoning and curing salt
- Pink curing salt #1 – for safety, color, and classic cured flavor. Don’t confuse this with Himalayan pink salt. This is normal salt with color and won’t properly cure meat.
- Sugar – balances the salt; you can swap in brown sugar for a deeper flavor
- Real maple syrup – It gives the lean loin a comfort-food feel.
- Garlic, bay leaf / bay leaves, fresh sage, fresh thyme, lemon – aromatics for the brine
- Black pepper – optional, for a little background spice
- Wood chips – for smoking (fruitwood or hardwood both work)
Step-by-step: how to make Canadian bacon
Here’s the overview to see the full curing process at a glance:
- Mix the brine. Combine water, kosher salt, pink curing salt #1 / Prague Powder #1, sugar (or brown sugar), maple syrup, garlic, herbs, lemon, and any spices in a large pot. Warm just enough to dissolve the dry ingredients, then cool completely.
- Brine the loin. In a non-reactive container, submerge the pork loin fully in the cold brine. Use a small plate or plastic lid to keep it under the surface if needed. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 48–72 hours, depending on thickness.
- Rinse and dry. Rinse the loin under fresh water, pat it very dry, and set it on a wire rack over a sheet pan. Leave it uncovered in the fridge for 8–24 hours so the surface dries. This step helps the smoke stick and improves the end product.
- Roll (optional step). For a round/cylinder-shaped piece of Canadian bacon, you will need to roll the loin in order to shape it. Before smoking, roll the loin tightly in plastic wrap or cheesecloth, as shown in the picture below. Place in the refrigerator overnight to firm up and hold its shape. Remove the wrap before proceeding to the smoking process.
- Smoke the cured loin. Hot-smoke at 200–210°F until the internal temperature at the center of the meat reaches 150°F. Pull it from the smoker and let it cool completely before wrapping.
- Chill and slice. Wrap tightly (or vacuum seal) and refrigerate. Slice into thick slices for breakfast rounds or thinner slices for sandwiches. Dice it up for omelettes and scrambled eggs.
Brine and Cure Tips
A few details that matter for a consistent, safe result:
- Always chill the brine first : The brine must be completely cold before you add the meat. Warm brine plus raw pork is a bad combo.
- Mind the time in brine: Smaller, thinner loins: closer to 48 hours. Thick loins: up to 72 hours. Longer than that, and the meat can become too salty.
- Non-reactive container only: Brine and cure in glass, food-grade plastic, or stainless steel. Skip aluminum and other reactive metals.
Cooking Methods
The recipe is written for a smoker, but a grill or oven will still give you a solid end product.
- Smoker (preferred): Run between 200–210°F with a steady, clean smoke. This gives you real Canadian bacon smoke flavor.
- Gas or charcoal grill: Set up for indirect heat. Add a small smoker box or foil packet of wood chips. Keep the heat low and steady, just like the smoker.
- Oven (no smoke): Roast on a rack at 200–225°F until the center of the loin reaches 150°F. You don’t get smoke, but the brine still delivers a good homemade texture and flavor. If you want a hint of smoke, a very small amount of liquid smoke in the brine is the only way to get it here, but go light.
Storage and Shelf Life
- Refrigerator: Wrapped tightly in foil, butcher paper, a plastic bag, or a vacuum bag, your Canadian bacon keeps about 10 days in the fridge. For best quality, keep it chilled and only slice what you need.
- Freezer: For longer storage, wrap the cured loin (or sliced portions) well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then sear as usual.
More Pork Recipes
Below are a few of my favorite wild boar recipes. You can also use farmed pork for any of them.
If you make this Canadian bacon recipe, drop a comment or leave a review. And if you have any cooking questions or want to share your latest creations from the kitchen, give me a shout on Instagram @larry__white.
Homemade Canadian Bacon
Homemade Canadian bacon from brined pork loin, hot-smoked until just cooked through. Slice and sear for breakfast sandwiches, casseroles or egg dishes.
Servings: 1 Pork Loin
Equipment
- smoker
- Wire Rack for Baking Sheet
- Butchers Twine (for Tying Cheese Cloth)
Ingredients
- 1 pork loin (domestic or wild boar)
- 2 quarts water
- 6 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pink curing salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 bunch of sage
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1/2 of a lemon
Instructions
Make the Brine:
- Combine all of the ingredients except the pork loin in a pot and bring to a simmer. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the stove and allow to come to room temperature. Place the brine in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.
Brine the Loin:
- Place the pork loin in the brine, weighing it down with a small plate if needed to keep it from floating. Place in the refrigerator for 48-72 hours.
Dry in the Refrigerator:
- Remove the pork loin from the brine and rinse it with cold water. Completely dry the meat with paper towels. Refrigerate uncovered for 8-24 hours. Placing the meat on a wire rack set in a sheet pan will improve airflow and help the meat dry thoroughly.
Smoke:
- Hot-smoke the pork loin between 200 and 210 degrees F. until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F.
- Allow the meat to completely cool before covering and storing. This will keep in your refrigerator for up to 10 days stored in an airtight container.
NOTES
- Chill the brine fully before adding the pork loin. Warm brine plus raw meat is unsafe and can cause a mushy texture.
- Brine 48–72 hours depending on loin thickness. Thinner loins need closer to 48 hours; thicker or wild boar can go up to 72.
- Use curing salt #1 (not Himalayan pink salt). Prague Powder #1 / pink curing salt #1 is required for proper curing and color.
- Smoke low and slow: Hold the smoker at 200–210°F and cook until the center of the meat reaches 150°F internal.
- Store correctly: Cool completely, wrap tightly or vacuum seal, and refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!
