Cured hams for Christmas

Phrasty · 11-29-2010, 12:17 AM

Hey everyone, I hope all my US counterparts had a great Thanksgiving.

Been seeing a lot of turkey pron and it all looks great

, but I've been working on Christmas, cured hams specifically. I have been messing with my own brining recipe for freshly cured smoked hams and it's now getting to where I want it to be. This last one actually surprised me! A little background info: In the past, out here the majority of hams came from one very big local company (mild cured, smoked hams) they have always been high quality and tasted great but there is a downside... almost everyone's ham had the same basic flavor profile. So anyways, I was surprised at how great MY ham tasted & how different it was! But not only with the taste but the texture... the texture was so much better than the local store bought hams.

For this Ham I used a 8# boneless boston butt. I brined it for 4 days with salt, sugar, cure#1 & some secret spices

When it came out of the brine I dried in the fridge for a day. I injected it with juice, water, honey and spices for a couple hours before onto the smoker with almond & lychee wood at 225 for about 6 hours. I started glazing at 140 with my pineapple-guava rum glaze & pulled it at 155 to coast it up to 160 while resting. I sliced up some for sammy's for the poker game & it was definitely a hit! Everyone commented on how great it tasted. I think the Christmas is looking a litter brighter

On to the pics:

The boneless butt after about 1 hour of brine (forgot to take one b4

)

The dry cure mixture b4 adding to a gallon of water

Tied and hung in the smoker

Slicing for sammys

Oh yeah also had wings & the wife did up a lemon meringue pie.

Still planning on doing a couple more to perfect the recipe and I think I'll be ready for the Christmas.

Cheers

SmokinAussie · 11-29-2010, 12:30 AM

Phrasty,

That is awesome man... The flavour combo looks absolutely killer. Love the colour on the smoke too. What final temp did yu get this too????

Cheers

Bill

Grillman · 11-29-2010, 12:30 AM

Wow...that Ham looks terrific. The wings too, and what appears to be a
Meringue pie of some type. Do they have Mango Meringue pies in Jamaica?

Phrasty · 11-29-2010, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokinAussie

Phrasty,

That is awesome man... The flavour combo looks absolutely killer. Love the colour on the smoke too. What final temp did yu get this too????

Cheers

Bill

Thanks Bill, Pulled it at 155 to get to a final 160.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grillman

Wow...that Ham looks terrific. The wings too, and what appears to be a
Meringue pie of some type. Do they have Mango Meringue pies in Jamaica?

I dunno if there's mango meringue pies out here, but it sounds like mango is gonna be in one next mango season!

Thanks for the idea. This is a lemon meringue.

Miguels244 · 11-29-2010, 01:37 AM

why is there not a drooling emoticon?

bigabyte · 11-29-2010, 02:18 AM

Nice work there!

Phubar · 11-29-2010, 02:20 AM

Oh man...that looks Pharking Phantastic Phrasty!

thomasjurisd · 11-29-2010, 10:31 AM

I've never done a ham so I have a question: Do most hams have alot of fat running throughout or is it more dependant upon the cut? I ask because it looks like the ham in the pic has more fat than the typical spiral sliced versions I see in the store.

bluetang · 11-29-2010, 10:38 AM

That is one fine looking ham!

Gore · 11-29-2010, 10:50 AM

I knew I didn't want to open this up before lunch.

Phrasty · 11-29-2010, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasjurisd

I've never done a ham so I have a question: Do most hams have alot of fat running throughout or is it more dependant upon the cut? I ask because it looks like the ham in the pic has more fat than the typical spiral sliced versions I see in the store.

Its just the cut of meat that I chose. This is a boston butt which is fattier than your regular leg hams. This one was amazing though. The fat just melts away in your mouth. You can definitely use a leaner cut of meat though.

Cheers

MadCityJim · 11-29-2010, 03:24 PM

Are you also injecting the hams with the cure? I'm doing my first home cured one, no injection and am going to go 7-10 days for a 10lb shank half ham. 4 days seems short for a 8 lb butt.

deguerre · 11-29-2010, 03:37 PM

Beautiful. Outstanding color. How does it compare texture wise to a shank or butt portion? Oh, and what was the evening's smoke? ;)

Phrasty · 11-29-2010, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadCityJim

Are you also injecting the hams with the cure? I'm doing my first home cured one, no injection and am going to go 7-10 days for a 10lb shank half ham. 4 days seems short for a 8 lb butt.

Yes I inject, I've found out I get a more uniform color when I inject. It was also boneless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deguerre

Beautiful. Outstanding color. How does it compare texture wise to a shank or butt portion? Oh, and what was the evening's smoke? ;)

Hey Guerre, Hope you feeling better bro.
It is a bit fattier than the shank and more so for the butt (leg). But I think it has an awesome texture, the cut is known as a "cottage ham" but I think mine wasn't trimmed down as much. I just deboned the blade out the boston butt and tied it up. but all those small muscles in the butt have a very fine, smooth almost delicate texture. I'll be doing a couple more of these for the season.

Oh and I broke out one of these for the poker game

Cheers

deguerre · 11-29-2010, 07:08 PM

Ooooooooo...A.J. Fernandez DOES know how to roll a good cigar...

11-29-2010, 12:30 AM	#2
SmokinAussie Babbling Farker Join Date: 10-19-09 Location: Melbourne, VIC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Phrasty, That is awesome man... The flavour combo looks absolutely killer. Love the colour on the smoke too. What final temp did yu get this too???? Cheers Bill __________________ Creator of the Aussie Lamb Farker Awards!!! IMBAS Certified MOINK BALLER (NOSKOS RULE) "Bullet Bill" WSM "Blue Lou" Performer Small Offset Smoker... SOS Baby WGA, Upright Cabinet Gasser Smoker, and a Cheap Arse Satay Stick Grill Zero for MOINKS Farkanaut

11-29-2010, 02:18 AM	#6
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS Downloads: 1 Uploads: 1	Nice work there! __________________ Chris Baker For great food and and an even better time join the BBQ Brethren Throwdowns *First ever recipient of the Silverfinger Award!* Yes, I own a whole bunch of BBQ crap also. *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Get your MOINK Certification today!* The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club member

11-29-2010, 02:20 AM	#7
Phubar somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-24-09 Location: Utrecht,The NetherPharkinglands Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Oh man...that looks Pharking Phantastic Phrasty! __________________ -TG -WGA (3) -UDS (S,M,L) All fueled by Ecobrasa Coco Briquettes Lowland Smokers Dutch BBQ Champion 2011 - 2012

11-29-2010, 10:31 AM	#8
thomasjurisd Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 02-28-10 Location: Houston, TX Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've never done a ham so I have a question: Do most hams have alot of fat running throughout or is it more dependant upon the cut? I ask because it looks like the ham in the pic has more fat than the typical spiral sliced versions I see in the store. __________________ Bowl Bound and B-B-Q-in! Sic Em Bears!

11-29-2010, 10:38 AM	#9
bluetang Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-06-10 Location: Stuart, Fl Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	That is one fine looking ham! __________________ Homegrown 120 Gallon Reverse Flow, Homey, the Homegrown Kettle, 3 UDS's, 3 Stack Pro Q Excel 20, 18.5" Elderly(but not retired) WSM, 150lb Capacity Homegrown Electric and a CA gasserrrr Bicycle Fast Polder Thermo, Indisputably Fastest Purple Thermapen, SAI Satay Grill

11-29-2010, 12:17 AM	#1
Phrasty Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-19-08 Location: Jamaica Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Cured hams for Christmas Hey everyone, I hope all my US counterparts had a great Thanksgiving. Been seeing a lot of turkey pron and it all looks great , but I've been working on Christmas, cured hams specifically. I have been messing with my own brining recipe for freshly cured smoked hams and it's now getting to where I want it to be. This last one actually surprised me! A little background info: In the past, out here the majority of hams came from one very big local company (mild cured, smoked hams) they have always been high quality and tasted great but there is a downside... almost everyone's ham had the same basic flavor profile. So anyways, I was surprised at how great MY ham tasted & how different it was! But not only with the taste but the texture... the texture was so much better than the local store bought hams. For this Ham I used a 8# boneless boston butt. I brined it for 4 days with salt, sugar, cure#1 & some secret spices When it came out of the brine I dried in the fridge for a day. I injected it with juice, water, honey and spices for a couple hours before onto the smoker with almond & lychee wood at 225 for about 6 hours. I started glazing at 140 with my pineapple-guava rum glaze & pulled it at 155 to coast it up to 160 while resting. I sliced up some for sammy's for the poker game & it was definitely a hit! Everyone commented on how great it tasted. I think the Christmas is looking a litter brighter On to the pics: The boneless butt after about 1 hour of brine (forgot to take one b4) The dry cure mixture b4 adding to a gallon of water Tied and hung in the smoker Slicing for sammys Oh yeah also had wings & the wife did up a lemon meringue pie. Still planning on doing a couple more to perfect the recipe and I think I'll be ready for the Christmas. Cheers __________________ 1 - 100 lb. self-made cylinder grill/smoker 1 - 100 lb. self-made cylinder smoker 1 - 20 gal. self-made grill/smoker 1 - 25 gal. self-made vertical smoker 1 - 120 gal. self-made trailer stick-burner http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=88599 Last edited by Phrasty; 11-29-2010 at 03:01 AM..

11-29-2010, 12:30 AM	#3
Grillman is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-05-09 Location: Aurora, Colo. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Wow...that Ham looks terrific. The wings too, and what appears to be a Meringue pie of some type. Do they have Mango Meringue pies in Jamaica?

11-29-2010, 01:37 AM	#5
Miguels244 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 11-24-10 Location: Denver, CO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	why is there not a drooling emoticon?

11-29-2010, 10:50 AM	#10
Gore somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-05-08 Location: Hiding out from blood suck ghost snake gods ... and Nazis Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I knew I didn't want to open this up before lunch. __________________ Assistant to a Mad BBQ Scientist (and a squirrel): Primo Oval XL, Small Offset, Gasser, Optigrill, UBS "I love everything about the pig, even the way she walks." -- Spanish proverb (\__/) (='.'=) This is the rabbit baby. Invests him in yours signature, (")_(") and the help rabbit baby takes over control of the world! Hmmmm, I wonder, WWGALD? Avatar courtesy of Grillman and NorthwestBBQ Promoted by Bigabyte to "Idiot #1"

11-29-2010, 03:24 PM	#12
MadCityJim On the road to being a farker Join Date: 05-04-10 Location: Madison WI Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Are you also injecting the hams with the cure? I'm doing my first home cured one, no injection and am going to go 7-10 days for a 10lb shank half ham. 4 days seems short for a 8 lb butt. __________________ MadCityJim - ProQ Excel 20 Quad Stacker, -Weber OTG, Weber OTS, Weber Smokey Joe Gold, Smokenator, Stoker -SuperFast WaterProof GREEN Thermapen -Proud architect of: Smoked Mac-N-Cheese with Bourbon and Bacon, Big Bad BLT Platter, Whole Suckling Pig In My ProQ Excel 20

11-29-2010, 03:37 PM	#13
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Beautiful. Outstanding color. How does it compare texture wise to a shank or butt portion? Oh, and what was the evening's smoke? ;) __________________ Guerry >^..^< Weber 22 1/2" OTS "Dirty Girl", Weber Performer/Cajun Bandit "Cajun Queen", GOSM "Bubba Q", Maverick et73, RED Thermapen, One Cameron Stove Top "Lazy Girl".It burns sawdust... Avatar by Northwest BBQ!!! If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. Seven Zero notches on my spatula. Join_Us_In_The_Throwdowns_Forum!

11-29-2010, 07:08 PM	#15
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Ooooooooo...A.J. Fernandez DOES know how to roll a good cigar... __________________ Guerry >^..^< Weber 22 1/2" OTS "Dirty Girl", Weber Performer/Cajun Bandit "Cajun Queen", GOSM "Bubba Q", Maverick et73, RED Thermapen, One Cameron Stove Top "Lazy Girl".It burns sawdust... Avatar by Northwest BBQ!!! If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. Seven Zero notches on my spatula. Join_Us_In_The_Throwdowns_Forum!

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