Curing Ham first time without injecting

[cid79]

Yeah I called the meat market tonight, and my ham was in, so I'm going to go pick that up tomorrow, is this your first time doing it?

 

[daveomak]

Dave no problem, I'm just wanting to learn, and I read soooooo much on this stuff in the last few days, that it's making my head hurt, and there is so much different variations from site to site, that when I think I have it figured out, I read something new that puts what I just read before that into what not to do, and so on and so forth, I'm just trying to figure out the correct way and formula to do it, so I don't screw it up or get anyone sick.

cid, looking at other sites, this site is the only one, I know of, that is dedicated to following FDA/USDA guidelines for curing meat... That is why you find differences in methods... Even the BIG NAME folks that have TV shows and TOP SELLING BOOKS don't follow Federal Guidelines for curing meat... "Some" of them say they have scientists working for them and they violate Fed. regs.... Soooo, have fun...

 

[pc farmer]

Yeah I called the meat market tonight, and my ham was in, so I'm going to go pick that up tomorrow, is this your first time doing it?

Yup. I am practicing for when I butcher Miss Pink.

 

[cid79]

Dave,

Yeah I love this site for the help, I've listen to a lot of comments on here, yours as well from different threads, is there a pdf or link that shows this information for the FDA Standards for curing meat, Like how did you get your numbers 2% salt, 1% sugar, and .25% cure#1 or is it tucked away somewhere on this website, I know you said you read a lot, LOL.

 

[daveomak]

Dave,

Yeah I love this site for the help, I've listen to a lot of comments on here, yours as well from different threads, is there a pdf or link that shows this information for the FDA Standards for curing meat, Like how did you get your numbers 2% salt, 1% sugar, and .25% cure#1 or is it tucked away somewhere on this website, I know you said you read a lot, LOL.

The salt and sugar are personal taste... 0.25% cure # is 156 Ppm nitrite... 1 tsp. per 5#'s and 1.13 grams per pound are 156 Ppm.. Over 3 1/2% salt, some consider the meat inedible.. I find 1% sugar is enough to negate any salt flavor and not add any sweetness.. Soooo, for my personal taste, 2% salt and 1% sugar provides a balance that does not effect the flavor of the meat...

 

[daveomak]

This is the commercial version of handling meats.....

https://fyi.uwex.edu/meats/files/2011/12/ProcessingInspectorsHandbook.pdf

 

[cid79]

Thanks for all your help I am finally understanding it, Last night I even did the math at home to see how you got your numbers, much appreciated for all the info you have given me.

 

[daveomak]

Cool..... Some folks wouldn't do the calcs... Glad you did.... Now when you go to other sites, you will see they don't follow FDA guidelines....

 

[cid79]

Dave,
If I may pick your brain again, In the future I am going to want to do the pump (Inject) method and brine (immerse) to experiment with other flavors, now here's my question, when calculating how much brine I want to use, say 1 gallon, do I need to add additional cure #1 for that also? or NO just inject with your method and brine without adding extra cure to the liquid?

 

[daveomak]

Do the calculations for cure, salt, sugar based on the weight of the meat ONLY... Pick a volume/weight of the liquid you will used, based on injecting ALL OF IT.... I like 10% because I have found most all meats will accept a 10% injection.. If you want to do a submersion brine, do not use my method.. It is specifically designed to inject only... There is no reason to submerge when using my method.. You can add ANY herbs, spices you like to the injection liquid.. I would suggest you heat the spices/herbs in the liquid to extract the flavors... cool the liquid and add the salt, sugar and cure #1... DO NOT heat the liquid when the cure has been added... Temps of 130 and higher will degrade and break down the cure...
If you want an equilibrium brine/cure, weigh the meat and water... add the ingredients required for the total weight... submerge and refer for at least 7 days per inch of thickness... it is recommended to use white sugar..

 

[cid79]

Dave,

That is what I wondering exactly, now I am going to use your method to a T, with the added spices though, down the road when it's not for a important holiday, I may try the other method unless I really like yours, I may never try the other way, Thank You DaveOmak for everything, I learned a tons talking to you. Your a Great man (BBQ On)

 

[daveomak]

Any time.... I'm here to help...
You can adjust the salt and sugar to personal taste.. I find those values pretty much makes everyone happy....
I you have others over to eat that pig, you'll be making other folks hams....

Dave

 

[cid79]

Yeah this ham is going for this years Thanksgiving dinner, along with a spatchcock turkey, and either a Prime Rib, or Beef Tenderloin, If I can nail the Ham, which with your help, I am feeling very confident in doing, the turkey and beef, I've done plenty of those, going to be cooking all this food on my Shirley Fabrication Smoker, again Thank You for your help, I will post results of everything just after Thanksgiving.

 

[cid79]

Sorry for the late entry, but here is everything that I cooked on Thanksgiving this year including the ham. Yes this was all cooked for Thanksgiving day, there was so much food.

Here is how my ham turned, I am very happy with thanks Dave Omak

Put the ham, some beef ribs and a chicken in the main chamber.

Brisket and a pork butt on the pitt boss pellet smoker.

Two turkeys went on the back end of my smoker to cook at a higher temp.

 

[bobjr21w]

Goodness that looks awesome. I'm planning on doing my first ham smoke for Xmas. How did it taste? Would you adjust anything? What cut did you get for the ham?

 

[daveomak]

Cid, afternoon.... Looks good... Now I'm adding another wrench to your tool box....
STPP.... Sodium Tripolyphosphate... It's an additive that binds moisture to the meat... Keep stuff moist from beef sticks, sausage, hams and turkeys... I haven't found it to add any flavor, just moisture... It's used at 0.3-0.5%, so it's cheap ... click on the labels in the link below to read about it...
Here's how to add it...

Phosphate additions..
I use this STPP from Amazon... It is Kosher and a high quality food grade.. Use at a rate of 0.3-0.5% by weight of the final product...
The proper procedure for mixing phosphates is.... I skip steps 5 and 6.. don't use them...

Mix into the liquid...
1. phosphates and dissolve...
2. sugars, proteins and dissolve
3. salt and dissolve
4. cure and dissolve
5. accelerators (sodium erythorbate) and dissolve
6. starches and carrageenan and mix thoroughly...

Chlorinated water impedes the action of nitrite... ascorbic acid should not be added to brines containing nitrite, the 2 will react producing fumes..

 

[cid79]

Bobjr21w
The ham tasted awesome, my youngest sister said it was best ham she ever had, she took home half of the leftovers off of it, I used a little to much pickling spice in it, I really didn't care much for that, that was the only thing that I deviated from Daveomak instructions from the previous post if you go back and read them. The ham cut was just that the ham from the pig (hind quarter) I just asked my local butcher shop for it, so if there are different cuts off of the ham on the hind quarter I don't know, it was 15lbs

 

[cid79]

Daveomak,
Thanks for the additional information, I will start reading on that very soon, I will probably be hitting you up with more questions on that here in the coming weeks/months.

 

[Bearcarver]

That's a lot of Tasty looking Vittles you got there, Cid!!:)

Nice Job!!

Bear

 

[bobjr21w]

Thanks cid. I'm excited about my first ham. Did you do any specific with temps? I'm no used to large chunks of meat.