You can make Canadian bacon without nitrates, but it will not retain that light pinkish color like you see in cured ham. Today, there are meat products that have no added nitrites and can still be made easily. In the corned beef end, there are red and gray cured briskets. The gray cure is simply salt and spices. Speaking of spices, sage and rosemary goes well with pork. I too have to deal wit diabetes and all the complications it creates. Lately is kidney issues, huigh potassium levels, high cholesterol levels, enemia, heart problems, vision issues (cateracts), and still more nasty things down the road. Taking 20 different meds a day isn't fun, nor is trying to enjoy a simple bowl of low fat ice cream, or sugar free foods that do contain starch that can also raise blood sugars.

Just so you know I am speaking from experience....go buy some of those slider buns you will be using. Then go buy half a pound of BBQ pork or beef or something that is sort of like what you will be making. Then see how many of those little sandwiches you can get out of half a pound of the stuff. I am figuring my recommendations on 5 little sandwiches to the half a pound of BBQ pork. If you get less, then you will need more meat. If you buy 20 pounds of pork loin, it will cook out to about 17 to 18 pounds of boneless lean meat. Then you will add about 2 quarts of BBQ sauce ( and I also add some chicken broth too...a quart...so it stays saucy).. That's giving you 22 pounds of BBQ meat.....about 44 cups. You will have more than enough. And remember, this isn't a group who are coming for a meal, but who are doing the "graduation party marathon" and easily half will just eat a little to be polite. However you will have some good friends who will do as boys do and hang around, stuffing their faces the whole time. If you do decide to go with the butt roast you will need about 24 to 25 pounds to allow for the grease that cooks out. If you get a bone in butt you will need closer to 30 pounds to allow for the bone and the fat. Remember, you have not invited these people to come for dinner. Some will make it dinner, but most either have a sandwich and call it good, or if they have eaten a lot previously, they will eat some fruit and a cupcake. Is it only Iowa that does the graduation party marathon?? When my grand daughter graduated 2 years ago, she had a brunch party and she left at 1:00...because she had 14 other parties to go to that day!

My favorite is still the good old Cooking Light apple cider brined pork loin recipe. Maybe the brining would help with the aftertaste? I can't help you on that, I never noticed that pork had an aftertaste, although fatty cuts of beef do, it's that "tallow" taste and the grease slick it leaves on the inside of your mouth. Pork is pretty lean anymore, though, so I don't think that's it... Anyway, compliments of Cooking Light: APPLE CIDER BRINED PORK ROAST 3 cups apple cider 3 cups water 1 bay leaf 1/4 cup salt 1 tbls black peppercorns 1 tbls coriander seeds 1 2 lb. Pork loin, trimmed 2 cups cider 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper Combine the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until salt dissolves. Remove from heat, cool, and pour into a Ziploc bag or container big enough to hold the pork loin. Add pork, seal and let marinate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350, bring 2 cups cider to a boil over medium high heat. Boil until cider is thickened and reduced to ü cup, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Remove pork from bag or container and discard brine. Place pork on broiler pan or baking dish and lightly coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and bake about 1 hour, until pork is done, basting twice with the reduced cider in the last 20 minutes of baking. Remove from oven, baste with remaining cider reduction. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 8 200 calories per 4 oz. Serving, 6 grams fat Annie

Cookie, you did get a deal on that roast, my butcher would want double that! A well cooked ( ie cooked well not well done!! LOL) pork rib roast is so delicious and not at all tough, unless you over cook it of course. I use this recipe for a crown rib or a rib roast. If doing a crown I just make my usual stuffing. The "gravy" from this recipe is excellent and is wonderful with garlic mashed potatoes. Pork With Herb Crust Serve with Garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes and green beans 2 (3- to 4-pound) racks of pork 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 Tsp salt 7 garlic cloves minced 1/3 Cup fresh basil Chopped 1/3 Cup fresh thyme Chopped 1/3 Cup fresh parsley Chopped 2 Tbl pepper Coarsely Ground 1 1/4 Cup butter (or margarine)cut up 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 Can chicken broth 1 Tbl tomato paste 2 Tbl fresh sage Chopped 1/4 Tsp pepper Rub pork with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Stir together garlic and next 4 ingredients; press onto pork. Place pork on a rack in a lightly greased broiler pan; cover bone tips with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 150max, I prefer 140-145 ! Transfer pork to a serving tray. Cover and let rest while making sauce (even if you don't make the sauce let the pork rest for at least 10 minutes to redistribute juices and let the internal temp climb a bit more) Pour pan drippings into a skillet. Add butter to drippings; cook over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, until caramel coloured. Gradually whisk in broth and next 3 ingredients; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly.Serve with 'pork. Garnish, if desired. Yield: 8 servings.~