‘Blame Canada’ Maple Cure Bacon
Blame Canada?
Not directly a reference to the song of the same name from South Park – The Movie but rather a reference to the pure, sweet flavour that only comes from real Canadian Maple Syrup. When shopping for maple syrup make sure the label states that it is pure maple syrup rather than maple syrup flavoured fruit or carob syrups. Sure these substitutes seem like good value being much cheaper, but actually the taste isn’t quite the same or as intense. Maple Syrup has undergone very little processing and is a wholesome natural product. Of course, it is still a sugar and to be consumed in moderation, but when you are going to eat something in smaller quantities you might as well use the good stuff!
Anyway, on to the bacon part! Maple has long been used as sweet cure for bacon, and with good reason. The unique sweet flavour works supremely well with the salty bacon. Americans have been enjoying bacon with pancakes and maple syrup for decades, something that seems to have taken considerably longer to become popular with us Brits, many of who still consider the notion odd.
So without further ado, here is my recipe for ‘Blame Canada’ Maple Cure Bacon.
A pork loin joint. This is a fairly lean, 900g piece. I always look for a piece with a little fat on the outer edge and not too much on the inside.
120ml Maple Syrup, 60g Soft Dark Sugar, 1tbsp Salt, 27g Curing Salt, 1tsp Ground Black Pepper
As per the recipe for bacon here mix the cure ingredients and cover the pork joint thoroughly before placing in a ziplock bag and refrigerating for 7 days. After which, rinse and air dry for a further 4 days.
The Big Gay Foodie 
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