Been awhile since I've posted anything on here and I figured this would be a perfect time to do it.
One of my co-workers asked me if I would smoke a couple hams for him and I thought why not?
After all, I've made bacon, cured porkloins for that canadian bacon taste and so far everything gets rave reviews.
Then he shows me a picture of the hog that he butchered and tells me both hind quarters have been hangin for a week.
He wanted them cured and smoked only.
I weighed the one that appeared to be a little smaller and it weighed 27lbs.
I mixed up Pop's brine and placed each one in a cooler. They were also injected.
Then it hit me..
I don't have a big cold smoker!
That's when the fun began.
There is a place close by that makes insulated buildings and they throw scraps away daily.
I have picked up maybe a dozen pallets of a combination of 2x4's, 2x6's, 2x8's, 2x10's. and 2x12's all ranging in length from 3ft to 5ft.
I had some 1/2" plywood that came out of a local school and it has a varnish type finish on one side only. I think they were cupboards or closets in a home-ec room or something.
Here are just a few pics I took in the process..
Of course temps outside were -0 and mistakes are always made when you think you're in a hurry.
I thought the isles in the old dairy barn were wide enough to move the smokehouse to a different soom once I finished it. Why move it you ask? because the other room has not lighting (it's on the bucket list)
isle measurements..
You gotta be kidding me!
Ok so I dismantled it, moved it to the other room and ran drop cords and spot light.
Between all the other things going on at the same time I did manage to order one of those propane burners from Northern Tool. Man they are nice and not a bad price either.
I added vents on the sides and the top..
And I'm hoping that the finish on the outside will not be a problem but this is what I ended up with.
4x4x7
Now it is sitting on cement at the moment but I am planning on putting sand in the bottom so any cracks are covered so less smoke gets out.
My big question is this..
The hams were injected and cured for 8 days before the weather got bitterly cold. When I checked the temp inside the refrigerator it said 10 degrees. We have a huge enclosed patio that is not heated and I left the coolers there for the last 10 days.
1. What is the possibility that the hams are cured completely?
I'm thinking I'll have to add some type of heat to keep the temps above freezing in order for the hams to smoke for a couple days. I'm leaning towards a heat plate. I realy don't like the idea of leaving propane burning while I'm at work.
I think I will take these in on Wed if everything works like I hope.
Any input would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.
Dan
One of my co-workers asked me if I would smoke a couple hams for him and I thought why not?
After all, I've made bacon, cured porkloins for that canadian bacon taste and so far everything gets rave reviews.
Then he shows me a picture of the hog that he butchered and tells me both hind quarters have been hangin for a week.
He wanted them cured and smoked only.
I weighed the one that appeared to be a little smaller and it weighed 27lbs.
I mixed up Pop's brine and placed each one in a cooler. They were also injected.
Then it hit me..
I don't have a big cold smoker!
That's when the fun began.
There is a place close by that makes insulated buildings and they throw scraps away daily.
I have picked up maybe a dozen pallets of a combination of 2x4's, 2x6's, 2x8's, 2x10's. and 2x12's all ranging in length from 3ft to 5ft.
I had some 1/2" plywood that came out of a local school and it has a varnish type finish on one side only. I think they were cupboards or closets in a home-ec room or something.
Here are just a few pics I took in the process..
Of course temps outside were -0 and mistakes are always made when you think you're in a hurry.
I thought the isles in the old dairy barn were wide enough to move the smokehouse to a different soom once I finished it. Why move it you ask? because the other room has not lighting (it's on the bucket list)
isle measurements..
You gotta be kidding me!
Ok so I dismantled it, moved it to the other room and ran drop cords and spot light.
Between all the other things going on at the same time I did manage to order one of those propane burners from Northern Tool. Man they are nice and not a bad price either.
I added vents on the sides and the top..
And I'm hoping that the finish on the outside will not be a problem but this is what I ended up with.
4x4x7
Now it is sitting on cement at the moment but I am planning on putting sand in the bottom so any cracks are covered so less smoke gets out.
My big question is this..
The hams were injected and cured for 8 days before the weather got bitterly cold. When I checked the temp inside the refrigerator it said 10 degrees. We have a huge enclosed patio that is not heated and I left the coolers there for the last 10 days.
1. What is the possibility that the hams are cured completely?
I'm thinking I'll have to add some type of heat to keep the temps above freezing in order for the hams to smoke for a couple days. I'm leaning towards a heat plate. I realy don't like the idea of leaving propane burning while I'm at work.
I think I will take these in on Wed if everything works like I hope.
Any input would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.
Dan