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-   -   Curing a ham (https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156558)

Just BS 03-19-2013 01:56 PM

Curing a ham
 
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/20/era5agyp.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/20/3uje7uhe.jpgMy youngedt daughter raised a pig for 4H. We sent him to the butcher and I am gonna cure snd smoke the hams myself... That'll be a first for me.

Any suggestions? I am leaning towards a ten day wet cure so I can smoke him on Easter Sunday. Also, I only have a UDS and a cheapy off set. Any and all thoughts are appreciated

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samfsu 03-19-2013 03:01 PM

Ive done a few of these. Are u going to use instacure#1 or tenderquick? I have only used instacure. I would say a day of cure per 2 lbs of meat, maybe a little longer. I would also suggest injecting the ham especially if it will be bone in. Below is my recipe if you are interested.

The cure for an 18lb:
2.5 cups kosher salt
4 cups brown sugar
2 Tbls peppercorns
1 Tbls cinnamon
1 Tbls cloves
3 bay leaves
Cured for 10 days. Cold water rinse for 1 day.
2 ounces of instacure #1 (pink salt)

I used a 5 gallon food grade bucket from a bbq joint and put it in my fridge.

Pic of the ham can be found in this thread: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=148261

MS2SB 03-19-2013 03:19 PM

I did a wet cured ham for Christmas and it turned out great. Here's a link to the thread.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...=Christmas+Ham

No volumes in the thread, but I'd be happy to grab the recipe when I get home if you're interested.

GARNAAL 03-19-2013 04:03 PM

here's one of mine I just did a while ago..
 
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...0&postcount=26

a ~15 lbs fresh Ham using a recipe for cured and air dried Prosciutto Ham from Len Poli's site -
http://lpoli.50webs.com/Sausage%20recipes.htm
(could not get to that site today - keep trying...)

cured in a dry rub for 1 month and then air dried for at least 2 months..

I love the old fashioned taste of it and see no reason why you could not give it a day of cold smoke after that too!!

Yellowhair42 03-19-2013 04:09 PM

You're definitely going to have to inject.Ham,especially bone is too thick for the cure to penetrate fully to the center.

GARNAAL 03-19-2013 04:55 PM

tried again and here the pointer to the recipe..
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by GARNAAL (Post 2414250)
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...0&postcount=26

a ~15 lbs fresh Ham using a recipe for cured and air dried Prosciutto Ham from Len Poli's site -
http://lpoli.50webs.com/Sausage%20recipes.htm
(could not get to that site today - keep trying...)

cured in a dry rub for 1 month and then air dried for at least 2 months..

I love the old fashioned taste of it and see no reason why you could not give it a day of cold smoke after that too!!

http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/...o-American.pdf

and don't forget -
adjust the weight of the spices, cure #2 etc. according to the weight of your ham -
the recipe ingredients called for are for ~ 8 lbs of Ham..

also - note there is a decent amount of skin removed from the ham to allow for proper curing and drying..

MS2SB 03-19-2013 06:27 PM

RE: Curing a ham
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellowhair42 (Post 2414258)
You're definitely going to have to inject.Ham,especially bone is too thick for the cure to penetrate fully to the center.

I'll respectfully disagree. With no injection I had no trouble getting the cure evenly distributed throughout.

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CYvilEng 03-19-2013 08:53 PM

Re: Curing a ham
 
I'm currently working on a ham. It's a 30 lb giant.

I have a thread here. I have some pics to add. I have started cold smoking.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=154990

I am mostly following the dizzy pig recipe.
http://www.dizzypigbbq.com/recipesHam.html

sent from my phone

Yellowhair42 03-19-2013 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS2SB (Post 2414452)
I'll respectfully disagree. With no injection I had no trouble getting the cure evenly distributed throughout.

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

You cut yours in half and skinned it.I meant whole with the skin on.

Hoss 03-19-2013 09:11 PM

I did 2 dry cured Country hams last year that came out great.I want to try the wet brine also(quicker,city ham).I have 4 dry cured ones in the smokehouse now for next year.After the cure,I let them equalize for 30 days then cold smoke them on and off for a week,then hang for a year or more.It worked last year.Next up,prosciutto,nothin but salt,ham and time.Some folks inject,I don't,the pioneers did not have injectors or refrigeration.That is why they learned to dry cure and smoke meats for preservation.It is time consuming and not as convenient as modern methods but it is all they had and THAT is what I want to be able to do successfully.So far,so good.Good luck.

Just BS 03-19-2013 10:29 PM

Re: Curing a ham
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by samfsu (Post 2414167)
Ive done a few of these. Are u going to use instacure#1 or tenderquick? I have only used instacure. I would say a day of cure per 2 lbs of meat, maybe a little longer. I would also suggest injecting the ham especially if it will be bone in. Below is my recipe if you are interested.

The cure for an 18lb:
2.5 cups kosher salt
4 cups brown sugar
2 Tbls peppercorns
1 Tbls cinnamon
1 Tbls cloves
3 bay leaves
Cured for 10 days. Cold water rinse for 1 day.
2 ounces of instacure #1 (pink salt)

I used a 5 gallon food grade bucket from a bbq joint and put it in my fridge.

Pic of the ham can be found in this thread: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=148261

This is kind of what I was thinking, but ya got me worried that I dont have enough time between now and Easter (pick up from the butcher Weds morning).

Sent from my pocket computer ( G III)

Just BS 03-19-2013 10:38 PM

Re: Curing a ham
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoss (Post 2414686)
I did 2 dry cured Country hams last year that came out great.I want to try the wet brine also(quicker,city ham).I have 4 dry cured ones in the smokehouse now for next year.After the cure,I let them equalize for 30 days then cold smoke them on and off for a week,then hang for a year or more.It worked last year.Next up,prosciutto,nothin but salt,ham and time.Some folks inject,I don't,the pioneers did not have injectors or refrigeration.That is why they learned to dry cure and smoke meats for preservation.It is time consuming and not as convenient as modern methods but it is all they had and THAT is what I want to be able to do successfully.So far,so good.Good luck.

Sounds tastey but smoke houses are few and far in between here in Kalifornia, unless you're talking about the medical marijuana ones....:rolleyes:

Sent from my pocket computer ( G III)

Hoss 03-19-2013 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just BS (Post 2414802)
Sounds tastey but smoke houses are few and far in between here in Kalifornia, unless you're talking about the medical marijuana ones....:rolleyes:

Sent from my pocket computer ( G III)

You can make a smoke house out of ANYTHING,INCLUDING cardboard boxes,but beware,the temp must be right.Just saying.In your case,California,I would Wet Brine,cook soon.Good luck!Do they have mail order??(smokehouses)?:wink:Just funnin!

MS2SB 03-19-2013 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellowhair42 (Post 2414676)
You cut yours in half and skinned it.I meant whole with the skin on.

Personally, if you're looking for a standard holiday ham I would absolutely skin it, and if the butcher is already butchering I would have him half it into butt and shank end as well.

I've done skin on ham hocks using the same method and the skin isn't worth eating unless its used in a slow cook braise. It comes out rather tough and leathery.

There are lots of uses for the skin which will fry up great and the extra fat you trim will render down into some beautiful lard which has countless uses.

The recipe I used is as follows (Courtesy of Charcuterie by Michael Rhulman):
Good for a 12-15lb ham
1 gallon water
1.5 C kosher salt (350 grams)
2C dark brown sugar (360 grams)
1.5 oz./42 grams pink salt (cure #1) or 8 teaspoons

The recipe doesn't call for it but I also added about 1C of dark molasses to this brine.

Rule of thumb is 1/2 day per lb.

Using this method is pretty simple and will allow you to have a nice home cured ham in time for Easter dinner.

oifmarine2003 03-20-2013 07:26 AM

Go with a brine. I like that better. Just be sure to get it really saturated, especially around the bone!


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