Curing Fresh Home for Smoking

[james211]

I've been dying to try a fresh ham using the rotisserie on my BGE so I picked up a ham yesterday, and the Prague#1 is arriving today. I've been reading about the brining process and I'm seeing two different types - dry brine and wet brine (submerged) and I'm confused which is the proper way to do it?

Is one option better than the other or is there really only one correct option?

 

[daveomak]

I have had a similar problem.... which to use.... Sooooo, I looked at the alternatives and decided to develop a method close to commercial processing... Injection.... Check out the thread following....
If you have any questions, I'm here....
Skip using the cryo bag and put the ham in a 2 gallon zip bag....
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/ham-easy-peasy-no-mess-disclaimer-money.276489/

 

[tropics]

I picked up a ham yesterday

Hams are already cured!! Other wise they are sold as Fresh Pork Shoulders or Butts

 

[Bearcarver]

If you want to do a Ham from scratch, I'd follow " daveomak ".

Bear

 

[zwiller]

Hams are already cured!! Other wise they are sold as Fresh Pork Shoulders or Butts

Same thought here. If it is already ham, check out Bear's double smoke step by steps.

 

[james211]

Same thought here. If it is already ham, check out Bear's double smoke step by steps.

Interesting, I was under the impression a fresh ham was not cured. Upon doing a quick google search I found this "Most ham that's purchased is either cured or smoked. A fresh ham is one that hasn't been cured or smoked. It is essentially raw pork that must be completely cooked."

I'll check out the previous recommendations. Thank you.

 

[tropics]

Interesting, I was under the impression a fresh ham was not cured. Upon doing a quick google search I found this "Most ham that's purchased is either cured or smoked. A fresh ham is one that hasn't been cured or smoked. It is essentially raw pork that must be completely cooked."

I'll check out the previous recommendations. Thank you.

If you can Please post a pic of what you bought,in the wrapper.That would help clear this up I am only going by what you said,"I picked up a ham yesterday"
Richie

 

[james211]

no problem, here you go...still bloody too! I specifically asked for an uncured, raw ham, so this is what they sold me.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Looks to me like its a uncured fresh ham. Just my $.02

Warren

 

[tropics]

You are good with that to cure,sorry I was only interested in your safety.
I recommend Pops brine for curing,I used the low salt on mine.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...time-started-2-28-18-finished-3-31-18.273255/
Richie
Remember to post it when it is done.

 

[zwiller]

+1; Looks like you got what you need. Pops brine would be great (inject some if you do) but the Omak thread covers all the important steps, pellicle, cold smoke, etc for a first timer. Tons of ways to cure, no real wrong way. Try them all and decide for yourself is my mentality.

 

[browneyesvictim]

For some immediate gratification, just get an already smoked ham and heat it up on your rotisserie on your BGE like you want to do, and it will be fantastic.

Now if you want to start from scratch and cure your own ham first, this is a league all in itself. A Picnic is your classic cut of pork that looks like a ham. Now I see you just posted a picture and that is indeed what you have there.

You will need to wet cure using Pops recipe and you will need to inject that into the ham as well
or straight injection with daveomaks method with a 10% solution.

Daveo's method is faster and better outcome in my opinion, but either will work.

 

[james211]

appreciate that advice browneyesvictim but at this moment its about the challenge :)

Also, any suggestions on curing by weight?

And is this the correct recipe for Pops Brine? Loads of things show up when I search that..https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ams/pops-wet-curing-brine.9561/

 

[tropics]

appreciate that advice browneyesvictim but at this moment its about the challenge :)

Also, any suggestions on curing by weight?

And is this the correct recipe for Pops Brine? Loads of things show up when I search that..https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ams/pops-wet-curing-brine.9561/

That is the one in my link
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...time-started-2-28-18-finished-3-31-18.273255/
Richie

 

[browneyesvictim]

Also, any suggestions on curing by weight?

Curing by weight will be done with DaveO's easy-peasy injection method. (Daves link in post #2)

If you make up a gallon or two of pops brine in a 5 gallon bucket, you can simply inject it in your ham as thoroughly as possible, and then immerse the ham in the brine for the proscribed period. Weight of the ham is not factored in with this method, but still falls within guidelines through equilibrium.

 

[tropics]

james The dry cure that a lot of us use,is by the weight of the meat.That is a big piece of meat to try dry curing,you would be chancing bone sour.
http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html

 

[indaswamp]

Hams are already cured!! Other wise they are sold as Fresh Pork Shoulders or Butts

Actually, the butt portion is from the front shoulder of the pig. it's high on the hog above the shoulder. the bone you cut out is the shoulder bone. The back legs are called fresh hams when they are raw. If it's cured/cooked, they just call it ham.

 

[bill ace 350]

I recommend Pop's brine. He has instructions on making it and using it for Hams. Great stuff.

 

[james211]

Hello, so I went ahead and did the daveomak method - https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/ham-easy-peasy-no-mess-disclaimer-money.276489/

So far the ham has been curing now for 7 days. I checked on it today, no mold, and it smells pretty darn good actually. Is it safe to say I'm on the right track?

Forgive me for being paranoid, but I am paranoid about spoilage given this is my first time doing this. Any advice, guidance or words of wisdom would be great!

Thank you!

 

[daveomak]

If you injected ~ 1.5" intervals, the ingredients "should" have the inside of the ham totally mingled (figuring 7 days travel per inch).. Everything the ham needs is inside... No worries about ingredient penetration as their is with a brine cure.. They are the same only faster and you have the assurance the ham, on the inside, is covered...