Trying a Maple Ham

[talox]

I'm starting with a 7lb boneless Boston Butt
Bring to a low boil up 500 cc water 2(cups)

Remove from heat
add
1 TBSP Juniper berries
½ tsp anise seed
70 grams Salt
1 ½ tsp cure #1 (pink salt)

Let cool strain then add
2/3 cup maple syrup
Bag the butt into a ham net I'm using Size 28 which stretches to about 5"
Inject every inch with as much brine as the butt can hold especially the center
Be aware that the boneless ham will leak where the bone was removed
place butt and any leftover cure into a ziplock/ vacuum bag and seal

The plan is to
- Rotate every day for 8 days
- Remove from vacuum Bag
- Rinse ham under cold water
- Place ham on rack in refrigerator over night
- Smoke at ~200 until internal temp is 165
- rest overnight in fridge
- serve with eggs

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More to come ....

 

[tropics]

DO Not add the cure til the brine cools down.The cure breaks down in hot water making it useless
Richie

 

[talox]

Thats why I love this this place, A lot of great knowledge being Shared
The cure was warm to the touch not Hot, as I had let the anise, salt and Juniper berries rest
Hopefully it will be OK luckily this is a test ham for thanksgiving where I'll be doing 2 more.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Richie gave good advice. Only add cure to cool brine. Cure starts to dissipate rapidly at about 130°. This would be quite hot to the touch. If the brine was just warm, you are fine. I would not heat the ham beyond 150°. At higher temps proteins coagulate to the point that they squeeze moisture out of the meat fibers rather than hold it and maintain juiciness...JJ

 

[chopsaw]

Looking good . Love doing hams . I use the same size net , you can get them to stretch 12 inches or so . Be watchin

 

[Oleg]

Bring to a low boil up 500 cc water

Hi Talox, why do you boil water for brining?

 

[chopsaw]

Hi Talox, why do you boil water for brining?

Some boil to disolve the salt and sugar / other ingredients . If doing a curing brine you do not add the cure until after the boil has cooled down . I don't boil , but some like to do it .

 

[talox]

Hi Talox, why do you boil water for brining?

To pull out the oils from the Anise and Juniper Berries. Sort of like making a quick stock also as chopsaw stated helps the salt dissolve quicker.

 

[talox]

Richie gave good advice. Only add cure to cool brine. Cure starts to dissipate rapidly at about 130°. This would be quite hot to the touch. If the brine was just warm, you are fine. I would not heat the ham beyond 150°. At higher temps proteins coagulate to the point that they squeeze moisture out of the meat fibers rather than hold it and maintain juiciness...JJ

i've been pondering this for a while,

1st, I've done a lot of bacon and its all turned out great, Ham is another story because a lot of time it doesn't get cooked prior to being eaten ( other than on the smoker) which is why I assumed the 165 degree int temp was required is 150 hot enough to kill anything i need to be concerned with?

2nd I've always used the color of the meat as an indicator that the meat was completely cured. Is there anything else i should look for? again the concern People eating the ham in a cold sandwich or as a quick drive by snack.

the last thing I want is to get someone sick.

 

[chef jimmyj]

In un-cured pork, 145 is now the USDA minimum and renders the pork safe to eat. You are Curing the ham, this gives added insurance. 150-155, after the rest, is a good hot serving temp. It also gives a 100% guarantee that hot or cold, the ham is fully cooked and safe. Chicken is the only whole muscle meat that the minimum standard IT is 165 and that continues to be debated...JJ

 

[chopsaw]

talox , being concerned is the start to keeping it safe . You got it .

 

[talox]

Smoking Day has arrived,

So far so good
After a10 day cure the ham has maintained a nice Pink color, at lest on the outside. As far as the inside I'll know more tonight when i slice my first ham steak.

Than ham was loaded into the Weber at 8:am this morning along with some Chunkls of Pear that I took down last March
It is now 12:30 and the ham is sitting at 136* with the weber is running between 198 and 210

I'll add a few more coals and bring it up a few degrees

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[chef jimmyj]

Careful bumping the heat. You don't want dry, overcooked, stringy ham on the outter third with only a tender juicy Bullseye center...JJ

 

[chopsaw]

Looks good . I agree , I think your maxed out on the heat .

 

[talox]

It's a wrap, and I'm happy with the outcome on at 8am off at 2:00 INT Temp 145.

I know what I'm having for dinner tonight

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[indaswamp]

Hi Talox, why do you boil water for brining?

It also sterilizes the water....

 

[Bearcarver]

Hi Talox,
I like most of your plan!
However like JJ said, I wouldn't take it to 165° IT.
The USDA used to call for 160° being safe for Pork.
Then about 8 years ago they changed the safe Internal Temp to 145° on Pork.
I take my Pork to a little above 145°, but many people like the texture better at about 150°.

Either way is better than the Dry Pork you can end up with at 160° or above.

BTW: Your Ham looks Awesome!!
Like.

Bear