Curing whole hams

[pc farmer]

I have a big going to be butchered very soon. I want to cure everything. I have the loins and bacons down, never did a whole ham, so I need some help I think.

Cut the hock off then the shank, cure them also but separate from the hams.
Plan on using Pops brine and inject very well along the bone.

Any thoughts?

@pops6927

 

[SmokinAl]

I would PM Pops, he will give you a step by step.
Al

 

[Bearcarver]

Yup--I know Pops has a really good one, but I couldn't find it in a search.

That's why I wish we had that "Threads Started by" feature we used to have.

Bear

 

[daveomak]

Adam, morning.. Think about weighing out each hunk and injecting it with the proper amount of cure... No buckets... Less room taken up in the refer.. Less time to fully cure...
Let me suggest the method...
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...
Say you have 50#'s of meat to cure...
weigh out 5#'s of injection liquid.... for a 10% injection
Add the % phosphate.. .3% to .5% /meat and add to the liquid and dissolve..
Add sugar .. suggested 1%/meat... and dissolve...
Add salt.. suggested 2 - 2.5%/meat.. dissolve...
Add the cure.. suggested 1.13 grams per pound of meat .. dissolve
ETC....
For the injection, weigh the hunk of meat... and inject 10% it's weight starting with the bones and joints and then inject about every 1.5 inches all over... Inject ALL of the 10% injection liquid in the specific hunk of meat...
Zip bag and refer for 6-7 days at approx. 38 deg. F.....

For the liquid, I have used pork stock, veggie stock and it came out wonderful... great flavor... also I used NO SALT stock so I didn't over salt the meat...

Don't worry if some leaks out.. if you lose 10% of the liquid, it will still be in contact with the meat, and even if some is lost, 10% is still within safe guidelines.....

 

[pc farmer]

Adam, morning.. Think about weighing out each hunk and injecting it with the proper amount of cure... No buckets... Less room taken up in the refer.. Less time to fully cure...
Let me suggest the method...
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...
Say you have 50#'s of meat to cure...
weigh out 5#'s of injection liquid.... for a 10% injection
Add the % phosphate.. .3% to .5% /meat and add to the liquid and dissolve..
Add sugar .. suggested 1%/meat... and dissolve...
Add salt.. suggested 2 - 2.5%/meat.. dissolve...
Add the cure.. suggested 1.13 grams per pound of meat .. dissolve
ETC....
For the injection, weigh the hunk of meat... and inject 10% it's weight starting with the bones and joints and then inject about every 1.5 inches all over... Inject ALL of the 10% injection liquid in the specific hunk of meat...
Zip bag and refer for 6-7 days at approx. 38 deg. F.....

For the liquid, I have used pork stock, veggie stock and it came out wonderful... great flavor... also I used NO SALT stock so I didn't over salt the meat...

Don't worry if some leaks out.. if you lose 10% of the liquid, it will still be in contact with the meat, and even if some is lost, 10% is still within safe guidelines.....

Thanks Dave. This sounds doable even for me.

 

[pops6927]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/260018/fresh-pork-leg-to-easter-ham-ii

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/89979/from-hog-leg-to-easter-ham

These are the links to my two curing endeavors of whole hams. I do use a bucket to immerse the ham in. No need to weigh or do any calculations; simply inject in all parts of the ham in and around the bone and in each quadrant of the ham (top, bottom and eye, and sirloin tip/knuckle) and simply let it cure. No stirring or flipping, just let it cure 21 days to 30 days under refrigeration, weigh down with a heavy dinner plate. Then, sack/smoke to 150° internal. Very simple!

 

[Bearcarver]

I finally found it, but then I see it's one of the links Pops posted above.

Well anyway, below is my All-Time favorite "Whole Ham Start to finish Post":
http://smokingmeatforums.com/index.php?threads/from-hog-leg-to-easter-ham.89979/

Bear

 

[smokin peachey]

Do you want me to bring eggs or mashed potatoes when the ham is ready?

 

[pc farmer]

Both for ham, eggs and tater cakes.

 

[smokin peachey]

Should we cook the tater cakes in bacon grease or lard?

 

[pc farmer]

Hoping to make lard too

 

[pc farmer]

So I went with Dave's method of curing, injection.

Just salt, sugar and cure. Hope it's ready by the weekend and I poked it enough.

The first 2 pictures uploaded backwards. The first pic is where I injected it and the fluid that leaked out. I dumped that into the ziplock to be soaked up.

This pic is my hack job getting the skin off.

Then in the bag and fridge. I will flip everyday as usual.

 

[daveomak]

Looks good... Saturday will be six days... it will be good... the cure and stuff only has to travel 3/4" if you injected every 1 1/2"...
Sure beats waiting 3 weeks or so...

 

[Bearcarver]

Great Start Adam!!:)
Let me know when you're smoking it, so I can go outside & enjoy the aroma!!!:D

Bear

 

[Rings Я Us]

You smoke those for a day? Or you do it in stages? Would make a nice Xmas gift.

 

[GaryHibbert]

I'm sure warching this one Adam. I just had a 400 pound pig butchered so.......
Gary

 

[pc farmer]

I think I am going to cure these till mid next week. I want them to hang to dry for a couple days, then smoke.

 

[pc farmer]

Great Start Adam!!:)
Let me know when you're smoking it, so I can go outside & enjoy the aroma!!!:D

Bear

Better hope the wind is going east.

You smoke those for a day? Or you do it in stages? Would make a nice Xmas gift.

I plan on a long day of smoking. If this one turns out, I will do more for that reason.

I'm sure warching this one Adam. I just had a 400 pound pig butchered so.......
Gary

I am butchering on of my sons show pigs, she didnt make the cut, the other 2 were better. I am practicing for when the time comes. She is maybe 300 live weight now. Just need cold weather.

 

[pc farmer]

Gonna pull out of the cure tomorrow and put in a ham net and hang till Saturday.

All the liquid is almost all gone back into the ham. That's a good sign.

Thinking I might cut along to bone some to check to be sure its cured before netting it.

Ideas?

 

[daveomak]

If you think the cure hasn't migrated to all areas, leave it in the refer longer... You can hang it in the netting and it will still cure.... curing doesn't stop when you take it out of the refer... only when it gets above 130 ish, does it stop curing because the nitrite is degrading from the 130+ temp.... Wait until you have smoked and cooked it to see how well you did when you injected the curing brine..