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Peameal bacon often surprises newcomers with its texture and flavour. Unlike the streaky bacon common elsewhere, it is made from lean pork loin that is wet cured and rolled in cornmeal, creating a cut that is both tender and distinctively golden.
This dish is a regular feature in Toronto’s markets, often served in a simple sandwich. The cornmeal crust gives it an appealing crunch when cooked, while the meat inside remains juicy and mild. It is comfort food that feels both familiar and unique.
Beyond breakfast, peameal bacon finds its way into lunches and dinners, grilled or fried and paired with eggs, bread, or vegetables. Its versatility and balanced taste have kept it firmly rooted in Canadian kitchens for generations.
What Is Peameal Bacon?
Peameal bacon is a cured pork loin rolled in cornmeal. The meat is trimmed of excess fat, soaked in a curing brine, and coated with cornmeal to form a protective layer. It is usually sold raw, requiring cooking before eating.
The cornmeal crust is what makes this bacon stand apart. It creates a subtle crunch on the outside while sealing in moisture. The loin itself is lean, producing slices that are thick, meaty, and far less greasy than regular bacon.
It is typically fried or grilled until the outside turns crisp and golden. Once cooked, it is sliced thick and served in sandwiches, often on a soft white bun with mustard. This simple presentation is where its popularity thrives.
Ingredients and Taste
The foundation of peameal bacon is pork loin, a cut chosen for its leanness. The curing brine usually contains water, salt, sugar, and sometimes spices like bay leaf or clove. This process ensures both flavour and preservation.
Cornmeal is the defining coating. While once made with dried peas, modern versions use cornmeal for its texture and colour. It clings to the meat during cooking, giving a slightly nutty flavour and a pleasant crust.
The taste of peameal bacon is gentle compared to smoked or streaky varieties. It is savoury and mildly salty, with a clean finish that avoids heaviness. The cornmeal adds subtle crunch, balancing the tender, juicy interior of the pork loin.
When served in a sandwich with mustard, the sharpness of the condiment cuts through the richness of the meat. The overall experience is hearty yet uncomplicated, offering both texture and depth without overwhelming the palate.
A Taste of History
Peameal bacon has its roots in late nineteenth century Toronto. It was developed by William Davies, a pork packer who sought a way to preserve and transport pork more effectively. His method soon became a defining part of the city’s food identity.
The original version was rolled in ground yellow peas, which gave it the name peameal. When cornmeal became more practical and widely available, it replaced peas as the coating, though the name remained unchanged.
Toronto quickly became known for this cured loin, exporting it to Britain and beyond. It helped shape the city’s reputation as a hub of pork production at a time when Canadian agriculture was gaining international recognition.
Today, peameal bacon remains especially tied to Toronto, often associated with the St. Lawrence Market where sandwiches filled with thick slices are served daily. It continues to represent both local tradition and national pride.
Beyond its heritage, peameal bacon stands as an example of how a simple idea can evolve into a culinary emblem. It is proof that practical cooking methods, shaped by necessity, can create dishes that endure across centuries.
How to Make Peameal Bacon (Cornmeal Coated Pork Loin)
Peameal Bacon is a Canadian classic, born in Toronto and still cherished as a staple of breakfasts and sandwiches. Expect tender cured pork loin encased in a golden cornmeal crust, offering savoury richness with a subtle crunch. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the cure
- 1 boneless pork loin (1.5–2 kg), trimmed of excess fat
- 3 litres cold water
- 200g coarse sea salt
- 150g light brown sugar
- 10g curing salt (Prague Powder #1)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
For coating
- 200g yellow cornmeal (medium grind, not too fine)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the brine
To begin, take a large pot and combine water, sea salt, brown sugar, curing salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, and crushed garlic. Heat gently until the salt and sugar dissolve, then cool fully before moving on.
Step 2: Submerge the pork loin
Place the pork loin in a non-reactive container and pour the cooled brine over it. Ensure the meat is fully submerged. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Transition to curing.
Step 3: Cure the pork loin
Allow the pork to cure in the brine for 5 to 7 days, turning the meat daily to ensure even absorption. The longer curing time deepens flavour. Prepare for rinsing once curing is complete.
Step 4: Rinse and dry
After curing, remove the pork loin from the brine and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack uncovered in the fridge for several hours to allow the surface to dry slightly. Continue to coating.
Step 5: Coat with cornmeal
Pour cornmeal into a shallow tray. Roll the cured pork loin in the cornmeal until fully coated on all sides, pressing lightly to ensure adhesion. Move to resting.
Step 6: Rest before cooking
Let the coated pork rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. This helps the cornmeal settle firmly on the surface. Transition to roasting.
Step 7: Roast the pork loin
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the pork on a wire rack over a baking tray. Roast for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 65°C. Move to resting.
Step 8: Rest the roasted loin
Remove the pork from the oven and rest it loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes. This redistributes the juices and keeps the meat tender. Transition to slicing.
Final Step: Slice and serve
Slice the peameal bacon thinly and serve hot with eggs, bread rolls, or in a sandwich. For a traditional Canadian touch, pair with mustard or maple syrup for contrast.
Variations and substitutions
- If Prague Powder #1 is unavailable, omit curing salt but note flavour and preservation will differ; refrigerate and consume within 4 days.
- Substitute cornmeal with polenta for a coarser crust.
- For smokier depth, briefly smoke the cured loin before rolling in cornmeal.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Peameal Bacon
- Always cool the brine fully before adding the pork to prevent partial cooking.
- Turn the pork daily during curing to maintain even texture and flavour.
- Use medium grind cornmeal for the right crunch without being gritty.
- Slice thin for sandwiches or thicker for hearty breakfast plates.
Peameal Bacon (Cornmeal Coated Pork Loin)
Ingredients
For the cure
- 1 boneless pork loin 1.5–2 kg, trimmed of excess fat
- 3 litres cold water
- 200 g coarse sea salt
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 10 g curing salt Prague Powder #1
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
For coating
- 200 g yellow cornmeal medium grind, not too fine
Instructions
- To begin, take a large pot and combine water, sea salt, brown sugar, curing salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, and crushed garlic. Heat gently until the salt and sugar dissolve, then cool fully before moving on.
- Place the pork loin in a non-reactive container and pour the cooled brine over it. Ensure the meat is fully submerged. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Transition to curing.
- Allow the pork to cure in the brine for 5 to 7 days, turning the meat daily to ensure even absorption. The longer curing time deepens flavour. Prepare for rinsing once curing is complete.
- After curing, remove the pork loin from the brine and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack uncovered in the fridge for several hours to allow the surface to dry slightly. Continue to coating.
- Pour cornmeal into a shallow tray. Roll the cured pork loin in the cornmeal until fully coated on all sides, pressing lightly to ensure adhesion. Move to resting.
- Let the coated pork rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. This helps the cornmeal settle firmly on the surface. Transition to roasting.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the pork on a wire rack over a baking tray. Roast for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 65°C. Move to resting.
- Remove the pork from the oven and rest it loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes. This redistributes the juices and keeps the meat tender. Transition to slicing.
- Slice the peameal bacon thinly and serve hot with eggs, bread rolls, or in a sandwich. For a traditional Canadian touch, pair with mustard or maple syrup for contrast.
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