Canadian Bacon is so incredibly easy to make that it’s silly. It is also very delicious which makes for an attractive combination!! Here is how I made a batch of Canadian Bacon on my Weber Jumbo Joe.
I started with a 3.5 pound pork loin and removed the fat cap and silverskin. The trimming is optional but just takes a minute to perform.
The trimmed pork loin was then rubbed with a cure mix that contained Morton Tenderquick and brown sugar. You are going to use 1 tablespoon of MTQ and one teaspoon of brown sugar per pound of pork. Get the cure well mixed all over the pork loin; really press it into the surface of the meat and then place it in a large Ziploc bag.
I juiced the flavor of this batch up by adding a quarter cup of maple syrup to the bag.
At this point expel as much air out of the bag as you can, seal it up and place it in the refrigerator for 6-7 days. After a day or two you will see a lot of liquid pooling in the bag. It is a good idea to flip the bag around and let everything get mixed up about once a day.
After your 6-7 days are up remove the pork loin from the Ziploc bag, rinse it off with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. I gave this one a heavy coating of black pepper before it went on the Jumbo. You do not have to add any rub if you don’t feel like it. If you do want to add another flavor layer don’t use a rub with any salt in it; the cured pork already has all the salt it needs.
I set up the Weber Jumbo Joe with the charcoal banked to one side (actually I was using a charcoal basket). Most of the basket was filled with unlit coals and I added about ten lit briquettes to the top with a pair of metal tongs. I added a handful of pecan chips to the charcoal, placed the pork loin on the indirect side of the grill and closed the lid. The bottom and top air vents were both HALFWAY open. The top air vent was placed over the pork.
I let the pork smoke for about three hours until it reached an internal temp of 155F. The slow cooking isn’t needed to break down connective tissue like needed for a pork butt. You could do this hot and fast if pressed for time. The low and slow approach just gives the pork more time to soak up some smoke flavor.
The hinged grate I used in this cook (and all of the Low and Slows) does not come with the Weber Jumbo Joe.
Be sure to check out some other Weber Jumbo Joe Upgrades!
Jos Roome says
this looks really great! thanks for sharing your experiences with the Joe!
David S says
Thank you! Appreciate you stopping by!
Joe G says
I’ve been meaning to try this since I got my Smokey Joe. I did a pork tenderloin for three days only because it’s a much smaller diameter than a loin. I used some apple wood chips but everything else was done as you posted. I just brought it in and tasted it and it’ll be great on a morning bagel (or bag-egg-el) or on a breakfast biscuit or with eggs and toast. Thanks for taking the time to post your techniques. I will try some more.
David S says
Joe, nice call on using a pork tenderloin. I am delighted this worked for you!
Thanks for leaving a comment. A little feedback is always appreciated!