This recipe makes a product that is much different from what you would find at a deli counter or wrapped in plastic at your local market. Most Canadian bacon is just brined, while this is also smoked. I like the taste of hickory, though some might prefer a less assertive flavor. The advantage of being the cook is that you can make it the way you like. I used this recipe when I made eggs Benedict at a large, annual brunch and, when asked, nobody thought the flavor was too strong.
I use a small, stovetop smoker. The meat is too thick for the lid to fit, so I use heavy-duty aluminum foil to make a tent. I also use a probe-type meat thermometer with a cable that allows me to read the temperature from outside the cover.
The piece of meat you want is the top loin, rather than the tenderloin. It is comparable to the New York strip steak on a cow.
Canadian Bacon
4 lb. Boneless pork loin, well-trimmed
Brine:
2 quarts water
6.4 oz. Salt
1.5 oz Curing (pink) salt
2 oz. Maple syrup
3.5 oz. Sugar
½ oz. Molasses
4 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Several sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 T (0.3 oz.) Whole peppercorns
2 Bay leaves
Juice of one lemon
Mix the ingredients for the brine in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cool the brine in the refrigerator until room temperature or cooler. Put the pork and the brine into a 2-gallon, zip-lock bag and refrigerate for about 3 days, turning over occasionally. You may want to keep the bag in a roasting pan to guard against leaks. Rinse the pork and hot smoke until the internal temperature reaches about 160º.
Hickory gives a strong flavor, so you may or may not want to use something less assertive, like pecan.