Cured pork from a freshly killed hog?

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I recently smoke large primal cuts from a freshly killed pig. Every thing was dry cured and I got a free meat for the freezer for my efforts. :clap:

The rear leg and attached muscle is the HAM. As in breakfast ham, salty in flavor. The front leg and attached muscle is the SHOULDER. Sometimes called the pic-nic shoulder, a little different but similar to the boston butt located just above.

1. Does a dry cured front shoulder from a freshly killed hog taste like HAM or Boston butt?

2. Does a store bought boston butt go through any curing process before it's packaged for sale?

Please enlighten me and I'd like to hear opinins on whether I should be smoking the front shoulders for pulled pork or for slicing.

pork-cuts_zpsa78e27a3.jpg
 
Boston butts from the grocery are not cured. Smoked picnic hams, the lower part of the shoulder are cured as are the smoked hams from the rear legs.

Basically, if it is smoked it is cured. If it says fresh, it is not cured.
 
I butcher a lot of my own pork and alway leave the shoulder whole and pull it just like a butt.i just get in behind the shoulder blade and cut the whole thing off and then saw it off right above the hock and use it whole. Doesnt taste much like a ham IMO, its a little tougher piece so is better used for low and slow and pulling.
 
I butcher a lot of my own pork and alway leave the shoulder whole and pull it just like a butt.i just get in behind the shoulder blade and cut the whole thing off and then saw it off right above the hock and use it whole. Doesnt taste much like a ham IMO,

If it isn't brined or a curing salt isn't applied, and allowed to cure for days / weeks, it will always be fresh pork even if smoked low and slow.
 
The shoulders came to me first BUT I think they were also dry cured, just not as long as the hams. :wacko:
 
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