Had an extra butt laying around a few weeks back (the other half of the tasso butt). At .88/lb I can play with 'em. This time I was just too lazy to debone it, maybe because I too sp much time cleaning those pieces of tasso.
Into the nice clean curing bucket!
A quick tip, any polyethylene bucket is NSF. How would you be sure? Turn it over and look. There are all kinda of stuff on the bottom but this is what you are looking for The triangle with a number. HDPE = High Density PolyEthylene, (one of the things I did in this lifetime).
These are the last of my hock supply also. I love hocks in beans! Heck I like hocks with hocks! You should try a cured, smoked, hock & trotter head cheese. I did one here some where.
EDITT:: Cured smoked headcheese: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/cured-head-cheese-foamheart.173280/
Before throwing all in the cure bucket, I made sure to inject the butt thoroughly to insure good penetration. Then it all rested for 18 days in the below brine:
1 C White Sugar
1 C Brown Sugar
3/4 C Canning Salt
1 1/2 tsp #1 Cure
1 Tbs Maple Extract
1 Gallon Spring Water
Cleaned rinsed and patted dry
In the reefer for a couple a days to get a good safe pellicle.
Here I will interject something I learned. IF you are using an elastic fish net, put it on before injecting and curing. LOL You don't notice how much plumper that butt is till you try to get the net on it....
Now into the smoker, I first used pecan shells, then Apple chips
1 hour into it
2 hours, pulled the hocks, decided NOT to cook them this time. I am going to freeze 'em anyway, and I was wondering if they might cook faster in the beans if still raw. I'll let you know.
Let that smoke roll over that butt some more!!
Pulled it at 170 IT and will cook it later, either a double smoke or in the oven.
Thats all there is...... Its a butt ham, and a bunch of ol'smoked cured hocks.
EDITT:: One other thing I'd like to add, I meant to add some Amespho (Phosphate) and see if it would plump and retain juices better. Maybe we need to ask a chemist first about mixing the cure and phosphates. I don't mind taking one for the team, but I would hate to hurt someone.
Into the nice clean curing bucket!

A quick tip, any polyethylene bucket is NSF. How would you be sure? Turn it over and look. There are all kinda of stuff on the bottom but this is what you are looking for The triangle with a number. HDPE = High Density PolyEthylene, (one of the things I did in this lifetime).

These are the last of my hock supply also. I love hocks in beans! Heck I like hocks with hocks! You should try a cured, smoked, hock & trotter head cheese. I did one here some where.
EDITT:: Cured smoked headcheese: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/cured-head-cheese-foamheart.173280/
Before throwing all in the cure bucket, I made sure to inject the butt thoroughly to insure good penetration. Then it all rested for 18 days in the below brine:
1 C White Sugar
1 C Brown Sugar
3/4 C Canning Salt
1 1/2 tsp #1 Cure
1 Tbs Maple Extract
1 Gallon Spring Water
Cleaned rinsed and patted dry


In the reefer for a couple a days to get a good safe pellicle.
Here I will interject something I learned. IF you are using an elastic fish net, put it on before injecting and curing. LOL You don't notice how much plumper that butt is till you try to get the net on it....
Now into the smoker, I first used pecan shells, then Apple chips

1 hour into it

2 hours, pulled the hocks, decided NOT to cook them this time. I am going to freeze 'em anyway, and I was wondering if they might cook faster in the beans if still raw. I'll let you know.

Let that smoke roll over that butt some more!!

Pulled it at 170 IT and will cook it later, either a double smoke or in the oven.

Thats all there is...... Its a butt ham, and a bunch of ol'smoked cured hocks.
EDITT:: One other thing I'd like to add, I meant to add some Amespho (Phosphate) and see if it would plump and retain juices better. Maybe we need to ask a chemist first about mixing the cure and phosphates. I don't mind taking one for the team, but I would hate to hurt someone.
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