American people think of Canadian bacon as being more like ham than regular bacon (via Kitchn). Its cut from a cured pork loin, which may or may not have been smoked. Canadian bacon is leaner than strip bacon, which comes from the fattier pork belly. Because Canadian bacon slices are round, they are the right size and shape for an egg Benedict or a breakfast sandwich.
Most Americans have never heard of peameal bacon, but we know about Canadian bacon. This is something that needs to be fixed. Canada has a long history of raising, processing, and curing pork. In fact, Food Network says that in the early 1900s, Toronto was home to the biggest pork plant in the whole British Empire. The plant, which was owned by William Davies, killed and processed about 500,000 pigs every year. It sent pork and bacon to the empire, which is why Toronto is known as “Hogtown.” Oola says that peameal bacon has been around since the early 1900s, and Davies is said to have created this tasty breakfast staple that is now common in Canadian homes.
Peameal bacon, also known as Canadian bacon, is a beloved breakfast food and national treasure in Canada. With its distinctive lean, tender texture and sweet, smoky, salty flavor, it’s easy to see why peameal bacon has earned its reputation as a Canadian classic.
But for those less familiar with this iconic Canadian meat. one common question arises is peameal bacon already cooked. or does it need to be prepared before eating?
The short answer is no, peameal bacon is not precooked It needs to be prepared before eating to bring out its full flavor and texture However, the curing and smoking process used to make peameal bacon means that it can be cooked more quickly and easily than unprocessed pork.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what exactly peameal bacon is, how it’s made, and the best ways to cook it at home. We’ll also discuss how it differs from other types of bacon like American bacon.
What Is Peameal Bacon?
Peameal bacon gets its distinctive name from the traditional process used to preserve and cure the meat. Pork loins are trimmed of fat, cured in a brine, and then rolled in dried, ground yellow peas (peameal) before being smoked. The peameal helps absorb excess moisture and gives the bacon its signature texture and appearance.
While today the peameal coating is largely decorative and most producers use cornmeal instead, traditionally the peas helped the pork keep longer without spoiling. Before refrigeration, curing and smoking meats was an essential preservation technique.
So while peameal bacon may look like a fully cooked slab of meat, the curing process actually only partially cooks it through the addition of salts, sugars, and sodium nitrite. The smoking adds flavor and improves preservation, but does not cook the bacon through.
Some key qualities of true peameal bacon include:
- Made from the lean, tender eye of pork loin (longissimus muscle)
- Wet-cured in a brine solution
- Smoked for flavor
- Rolled in a coating of cornmeal or ground peas
- A cylindrical shape with a smooth texture
- Bright pink to red color
- Thicker cut than American streaky bacon
How Peameal Bacon Is Made
Making peameal bacon is a multi-step process that takes several days from start to finish. Here is a general overview of how peameal bacon is made:
1. Trimming and brining – Fat is trimmed off the pork loin, leaving just the premium eye of the loin muscle. The loins are then immersed in a wet brine solution containing salt, sugars, and curing salts (sodium nitrite) for 1-3 days. This cures the meat and adds flavor.
2. Natural enzyme action – The pork loins are removed from the brine and kept chilled for 1-2 days. During this time, natural enzymes in the meat help tenderize it.
3. Smoking – The pork is then hot smoked for several hours over hardwood smoke. Smoking cooks the meat a bit while infusing it with smoky flavor.
4. Cooling and coating – After smoking, the peameal bacon is cooled, then rolled or coated in dry ground peas or cornmeal before being sliced. This helps absorb moisture and gives peameal bacon its iconic appearance.
5. Slicing – Finally, the cured, smoked pork loins are sliced into rounds or strips of peameal bacon. The bacon is now ready to be packaged and sold, but still requires cooking before eating.
How to Cook Peameal Bacon at Home
While peameal bacon is not precooked, it is quick and easy to prepare at home with delicious results! Here are a few simple ways to enjoy peameal bacon:
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Pan frying – This is the quickest and easiest peameal bacon cooking method. Simply place slices or strips of peameal bacon in a hot skillet over medium heat. Fry for 2-5 minutes per side until the bacon reaches your desired level of doneness. The bacon should release its natural oils and become lightly browned and crispy around the edges.
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Baking – For a hands-off approach, bake peameal bacon in the oven. Place slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake at 375°F for 15-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. This renders the fat evenly and makes the bacon crispy.
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Grilling – During the summer, try grilling peameal bacon for full smoky flavor. Place on a hot grill for 2-5 minutes per side. The high heat caramelizes the natural sugars in the bacon.
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Boiling – Before frying or baking, some people prefer to boil peameal bacon for 2-3 minutes to reduce the saltiness. Discard the water after boiling. Pat dry before continuing to cook as desired.
The interior of peameal bacon may still remain pink even when fully cooked. An instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read at least 145°F. Let the cooked bacon rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Peameal Bacon vs. American Bacon
Although both are delicious cured and smoked pork products, there are a few differences between peameal bacon and traditional American bacon.
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Cut of meat – Peameal bacon comes from the pork loin, while American bacon is made from pork belly. This gives peameal bacon a leaner, meatier texture and flavor.
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Fat content – Because it doesn’t contain streaks of fat like belly bacon, peameal bacon is much lower in fat.
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Flavor – Peameal bacon has a sweeter, smokier, maple-like flavor compared to saltier American bacon.
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Shape – Peameal bacon is cylindrical and sliced into medallions. American bacon is flat with streaks of fat.
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Coating – The cornmeal or peameal coating on Canadian bacon distinguishes it from American bacon.
Both styles of bacon pair well with eggs, pancakes, and other breakfast foods. American bacon is favored for BLTs, bacon cheeseburgers, and bacon appetizers for its crispy fat. Peameal bacon makes a fantastic sandwich topped with lettuce, tomato, and mustard.
Buying and Storing Peameal Bacon
When shopping for peameal bacon, look for slices or strips with a smooth, firm texture and vibrant pinkish-red color. The pork should be well coated in the signature cornmeal or peameal mixture. Avoid bacon with dry, cracked edges or greyish discoloration.
For storage, peameal bacon is best kept refrigerated. Properly sealed in its original packaging, it will maintain quality for up to two weeks past the printed sell-by date. For maximum freshness and flavor, try to use peameal bacon within one week of opening.
You can also freeze peameal bacon for longer term storage. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place slices in a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. Frozen peameal bacon will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer before quality deteriorates. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Cooking Up Canadian Culinary Traditions
Whether you grew up enjoying peameal bacon as part of a classic Canadian breakfast or you’re newly discovering its savory delights, knowing how to cook this iconic food is an essential culinary skill.
While peameal bacon needs to be cooked before eating, its cured and smoked preparation means it can be fried, baked, grilled, or boiled in minutes for a hearty, delicious meal any time of day. Keep a pack in the fridge and you’ll always be ready to savor a taste of true Canadian cuisine.
From its origins as a preservable pork loin to a quintessential breakfast food across Canada today, the unique flavor and texture of peameal bacon is a national treasure worth celebrating. So next time you visit America’s northern neighbor, be sure to start your day right with a mouthwatering plate of this Canadian classic.
For your own peameal bacon breakfast at home, check out this easy recipe for Maple Peameal Bacon and Eggs. Enjoy!
What is peameal bacon?
Like regular Canadian bacon, peameal bacon comes from the pork loin (via Atlas Obscura). The pork loin is brined or cured and then rolled in cornmeal. This helps the cured pork loin stay dry and last longer. The name comes from the time when cured pork loin was rolled in ground dried peas instead of cornmeal, which is what it is done with now. North Country Smokehouse, located in New Hampshire, sells and ships their peameal bacon for U. S. consumers whod like to try it for themselves. It is said that the peameal bacon is “a center-cut pork loin soaked in our famous maple brine and rolled in cornmeal.” “.
Peameal bacon isnt typically smoked and before the pork loin is cured, its carefully trimmed, which Atlas Obscura explains makes the thinly sliced breakfast meat juicy and tender when its cooked, rather than crisp, like traditional strip bacon. And peameal bacon must be cooked before serving, according to Food Network, which recommends griddling the peameal bacon, noting that the pork can also be cooked by baking, barbecuing, or roasting.
What is Peameal Bacon? — Dining on a Dime Toronto
FAQ
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