Fresh Ham and math challenged :(

[Lockon]

Hello all,

I just had a hog butchered and got a couple of fresh hams. I was trying to search for a wet cure brine and came across this one from Dizzy Pig http://dizzypigbbq.com/portfolio/dizzy-pig-home-cured-ham-ii/ I am trying to figure out the salt, sugar, pink salt and or / quick tender math. I keep figuring out the numbers, but I cam up with like 17# of salt, which I think is way off. Can some one break out a coloring book and crayons and break this down for me. For example if I had a 20# fresh ham and the water weight was 16# with a total combined weight of 36#'s how much salt, sugar, pink salt and or Quick Tender would I use?

Thanks for helping the math challenged

 

[newtwoq]

• Salt or Morton’s Tender Quick at 3% of project weight* (36*.03=1.08lb)
• Sugar (light or dark brown recommended) at 2% of project weight* (36*.02=0.72lb)
• .05 oz ‘pink salt’ per pound of project weight* (use only in conjunction with straight coarse sea or kosher salt. Omit if using Tender Quick!) (36*.05= 1.8oz)

Use at your own risk.

 

[Lockon]

newtwoq, Thank you Sir. You say "Use at your own risk??" Do you have a different recipe or better?

Thanks!!

 

[newtwoq]

Nope, just a disclaimer as I have not ever cured something other than Corned Beef. All I did was the calculation based off of the example 36lbs project weight. I don't claim to know what I'm doing with curing haha.

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[Lockon]

Oh, thank you Sir...will do

 

[pbj]

Math? Who needs to know math?

 

[IamMadMan]

For a wet brine there is a recipe in Smoke Signals Magazine starting on page 4. Don't forget to pump the brine along the bone.

http://issue15.smokesignalsmagazine.com/

You do not weigh the ingredients in proportion to the meat with a wet brine, it is calculated in "Parts Per Million" (PPM), your target after absorption should be 200 ppm.

The % pick-up of a 5 lb pork butt immersed for 10 days in 60° SAL brine.

ppm = lb. nitrite x % pick-up x 1,000,000/lb. pickle

Consult here if you wish to calculate ppm. http://www.meatsandsausages.com/hams-other-meats/hams

 

[Lockon]

OMG Madman....that just blew my mind...I guess this is not going to be an easy process. Good chance I will screw this up

 

[IamMadMan]

OMG Madman....that just blew my mind...I guess this is not going to be an easy process. Good chance I will screw this up

I would suggest using Morton Tender Quick for the wet brine for simplicity sake.

For every quart of water used in the wet brine use one cup of Morton Tender Quick as per the directions on the package.

Don't forget to pump the brine along the bone to prevent bone sour and also to insure even curing.

Keep in mind that you will have to soak the ham in fresh water for a few hours a couple times to release the excess salt absorbed in the curing process.


You can also follow the recipe in Smoke Signals Magazine starting on page 4 and you'll be fine. Don't forget to pump the brine along the bones.

http://issue15.smokesignalsmagazine.com/

 

[Lockon]

Thank you, Sir

 

[Zak]

FYI, their math is wrong. I cured a ham using that recipe before and came to the same roadblock. I emailed them about it but they said i was wrong. I went over the math numerous times and had my GF check my math, because on extreme occasions i can be wrong(shhh), and she said i was correct. Let me try to find the emails and i'll let you know what the issue was.

I couldnt find the emails but if you goto their "Formula for Success" pages the example for a pork loin uses incorrect math. "Total ‘project’ weight: 16 lbs" but their formula states "Add 3% salt or Tender Quick (.03X16 oz=0.48 lb or 7.68 oz)", "Add 2% sugar (recommend light or dark brown sugar) (.02X16 oz=0.32lb or 5.12 oz". The math itself is correct however shouldnt it be .03 x 16LBS not ounces?? They state to use 3% of the project weight, which is in pounds but the math formula is based off ounces. 3% of 16 ounces= .48 ounces. Correct me if i'm wrong here.