Moldy brine?

[eggieroe]

Still alive and it was tasty! Prepped the two remaining hams, but I can smell the taint faintly in these. These
might become ham soup if it lingers.

 

[disco]

 
Brown sugar has impurities in it...  That could have contributed to the mold....   

About the amount of cure...   Cure #1 is recommended to be used at a rate of 1 tsp. per 5#'s of stuff...  that will give you approx. 150 ish Ppm nitrite in the final product.....  2 gallons of water + salt, sugar etc. weigh about 10 #'s per gallon...  4 small hams at  ? 5#'s ? each add another 20#'s...   so you have 40#'s of stuff..  that calls for 8 tsp. of cure #1 in the 40#'s of stuff..   FWIW....

Since I have started accounting for the total weight of water and meat like Dave suggests, I have had no problem with my brines. I really recommend it.

 

[pops6927]

As meat soaks in the brine, it exudes blood/fat/hormones.  These can cause excess bacteria and make the curing brine thick and moldy, as well as using unclean containers, re-using brine again, (a no-no), temps above 40° and many other factors, including the sugars/molasses too.  All constants in fermentation.

Check your curing brine(s) daily.  As soon as you notice something wrong, simply change the curing brine and wash off the surfaces of the meats being cured.