Lunch: Maple-Cured Canadian Bacon

I prefer pork loin from the rib end of the loin because it has a little more fat and a better flavor.

Ingredients

6 cups water
1 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Instacure No. 1*
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 cups ice cubes
2 (2-lb) pieces boneless pork loin (2 inches thick; preferably from rib end)
Special equipment: a 1- to 2-gallon plastic storage tub or stainless-steel bowl; a 22 1/2-inch covered kettle grill with a hinged top rack; a 12- by 8- by 2-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan; 3 lb hardwood sawdust*; charcoal briquettes; a chimney starter; long metal tongs; an instant-read thermometer

Instructions

Stir together water, salt, brown sugar, Instacure, and vanilla in storage tub until solids are dissolved, about 3 minutes, then add maple syrup and stir until dissolved. Add ice and stir until cure is cold (ice may not be completely melted; keeping liquid cold slows salt absorption).
Add pork to cure, then weight with a large plate to keep submerged. Chill, tub covered with a lid or plastic wrap, 36 hours.
Rinse pork and pat dry, then discard brine.

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