Help, cure quantitys and #1 cure

[joel11230]

Ok, it's been a while and I can't figure this forum out, lol. Anyway, I recently purchased a 4H quality pig and had it butchered by a well know processor. I purposely asked for the hams green. Had them cut in half. I had my sausage seasoned and cured as well as my bacon. Now I wish I would of got the whole pork belly now. Well I need some recipes to cure 10 lb hams. Probably wet brine. How much pickling salt, brown sugar, etc. also I realized only half my bacon is cured and sliced, the other half is sliced only. Looking for a cure for that as well. As far as cure #1. Should I add it? One more question after curing my hams can they be re-frozen. Sorry for all the questions, thank you.

 

[redheelerdog]

Here is what you want for ham Joel. From a well known member here, follow step by step and you will have delicious ham.

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

Also it is easy to make your own bacon from belly. Keep asking questions, all the answers are here.

I bet that 4H pig you got is going to be great!

Show us some pics.

 

[joel11230]

image.jpg

• joel11230
• Dec 17, 2016

thank you, frying up some of the fresh cured bacon now. I will definitely look at what you sent. Joel

 

[joel11230]

Here is what you want for ham Joel. From a well known member here, follow step by step and you will have delicious ham.

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

Also it is easy to make your own bacon from belly. Keep asking questions, all the answers are here. Thumbs Up

I bet that 4H pig you got is going to be great!

Show us some pics.

image.jpg

• joel11230
• Dec 17, 2016

just a little of what I received. Hey, might give some to the kids for Christmas, already wrapped!

 

[daveomak]

After curing, do not refreeze....  Salted meat won't freeze well, depending on the amount of salt....  After smoking and cooking the ham, it is OK to freeze.... 

To cure a 10# ham, may I recommend an injection method I developed...  It very similar to what commercial processors use.... 

edit to add thread of curing hams...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236375/ham-from-fresh-picnics-update-10-21-money

For flavor, the injection liquid can be Pork stock, vegetable stock, water with seasonings etc.... if you add seasonings, filter them out before you inject so as to not plug the syringe...   use 10% of the weight of the ham for the liquid...

Salt, use kosher or pickling salt... I recommend 2% salt of the weight of the ham.. this can be adjusted for personal taste after your first ham..

Cure #1... 1.1 grams per pound of ham, or 1 tsp. cure #1 per 5 pounds, or 0.25% cure #1 based on the weight of the ham...  ALL THREE ways to figure the cure are exactly the same  +/- ....

Sugar, for injections, white sugar, brown sugar, demerara sugar, maple sugar are all OK...  they can be mixed also....  I use 1% sugar based on the weight of the ham....  some sugars are sweeter than others and that could be one consideration..

Dissolve the salt, cure and sugar in the liquid and put in the refer to cool... you do not want to inject room temp stuff into the ham.. 

The ham should be at 38 deg. F throughout...  refer it for 2-3 days so it is cool to the bone... 

Everything you need for a perfectly cure ham is in the liquid....

Inject ALL the liquid...

Inject around the bones and joint first to insure there will be no bone sour.... then inject at 1.5" intervals throughout the meat to insure equal distribution in the meat...

A 10# ham is 4540 grams... you will have 454 grams of liquid to inject which is very close to 1 pint...  If you inject 10 mls per injection that will be 45 injections and should give you complete coverage in the meat..

Bag the ham because some liquid may leak out..  2 gallon zip bags should work...  it does NOT need to be zipped closes...  

After injecting, refer the ham for 5-6 days, turning every couple days.... 

Injections being 1.5" apart, the ingredients in the liquid need to travel only 3/4" to insure complete coverage inside the ham.... 

Consider the brining method...  the liquid needs to travel ~ 4" to get to the bone in some hams...  3/4" makes for better coverage...  everything needed for a good cure is already inside the ham...   You will not have bone sour...

Using 2% salt and 0.25% cure #1, the ham will have ~ 2.24% salt...   a very reasonable amount of salt..

For a 10# ham...

454 grams liquid..  1 pint.

90 grams salt

45 grams sugar

11 grams cure #1....

May I recommend a grams scale 0-100 grams range for accuracy...  About $10 at amazon...

 

[joel11230]

After curing, do not refreeze....  Salted meat won't freeze well, depending on the amount of salt....  After smoking and cooking the ham, it is OK to freeze.... 

To cure a 10# ham, may I recommend an injection method I developed...  It very similar to what commercial processors use.... 

edit to add thread of curing hams...
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236375/ham-from-fresh-picnics-update-10-21-money

For flavor, the injection liquid can be Pork stock, vegetable stock, water with seasonings etc.... if you add seasonings, filter them out before you inject so as to not plug the syringe...   use 10% of the weight of the ham for the liquid...
Salt, use kosher or pickling salt... I recommend 2% salt of the weight of the ham.. this can be adjusted for personal taste after your first ham..
Cure #1... 1.1 grams per pound of ham, or 1 tsp. cure #1 per 5 pounds, or 0.25% cure #1 based on the weight of the ham...  ALL THREE ways to figure the cure are exactly the same  +/- ....
Sugar, for injections, white sugar, brown sugar, demerara sugar, maple sugar are all OK...  they can be mixed also....  I use 1% sugar based on the weight of the ham....  some sugars are sweeter than others and that could be one consideration..
Dissolve the salt, cure and sugar in the liquid and put in the refer to cool... you do not want to inject room temp stuff into the ham.. 
The ham should be at 38 deg. F throughout...  refer it for 2-3 days so it is cool to the bone... 
Everything you need for a perfectly cure ham is in the liquid....
Inject ALL the liquid...
Inject around the bones and joint first to insure there will be no bone sour.... then inject at 1.5" intervals throughout the meat to insure equal distribution in the meat...
A 10# ham is 4540 grams... you will have 454 grams of liquid to inject which is very close to 1 pint...  If you inject 10 mls per injection that will be 45 injections and should give you complete coverage in the meat..
Bag the ham because some liquid may leak out..  2 gallon zip bags should work...  it does NOT need to be zipped closes...  
After injecting, refer the ham for 5-6 days, turning every couple days.... 
Injections being 1.5" apart, the ingredients in the liquid need to travel only 3/4" to insure complete coverage inside the ham.... 
Consider the brining method...  the liquid needs to travel ~ 4" to get to the bone in some hams...  3/4" makes for better coverage...  everything needed for a good cure is already inside the ham...   You will not have bone sour...
Using 2% salt and 0.25% cure #1, the ham will have ~ 2.24% salt...   a very reasonable amount of salt..

For a 10# ham...
454 grams liquid..  1 pint.
90 grams salt
45 grams sugar
11 grams cure #1....

May I recommend a grams scale 0-100 grams range for accuracy...  About $10 at amazon...
https://smile.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Digital-Scale-sensitivity/dp/B0012LOQUQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1481987689&sr=8-4&keywords=grams+scale

Awesome Dave!! Thank you

 

[sundown farms]

Dave - Thanks for the recommendation of the scale. Ordered it and the 100 gm calibration weight. 

 

[daveomak]

 
Dave - Thanks for the recommendation of the scale. Ordered it and the 100 gm calibration weight. 

Howdy Tom....  It'll come in handy for spices too...    enjoy.....

 

[joel11230]

Awesome Dave!! Thank you

Thanks again Dave, I cured my ham and smoked it yesterday. It absolutely smells delicious!! Can't wait to dig in!

 

[daveomak]

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[joel11230]

I'm just adding to this thread because I don't know how to start a new one. I dry cured another 10 lb ham for 20 days. Made sure to stuff enough down around the bone. I then smoked it to an internal temp of 152. The outside turned out tough and had to be trimmed off. Other than that it tasted amazing. Does a dry cured ham have to be smoked to 152? Thanks for help.