Hi,
Seeing as we are heading in to our colder part of the year down under (not that it gets that cold here), the wife is looking at making more pea and ham soups.
In the past, we have used smoked hocks purchased from the deli at the supermarket. However, now that we have a functional smoker, the wife enquired as to why we are not smoking our own hocks, given the last couple of successful smoked butts.
Looking around the site, it appears to smoke the hocks, one should brine the hocks for a few days prior to smoking. Looking into the composition of the brine, I note that there is usually a cure in the brine. Can I ask why the need for a cure? As I am planning on a weekend of smoking, with a couple of butts and possibly some lamb shanks, I thought I would hot smoke. If that s the case, am I not essentially cooking the meat? Is there any need for a cure if the meat is cooked and refrigerated? R des the cure perform some other function?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Seeing as we are heading in to our colder part of the year down under (not that it gets that cold here), the wife is looking at making more pea and ham soups.
In the past, we have used smoked hocks purchased from the deli at the supermarket. However, now that we have a functional smoker, the wife enquired as to why we are not smoking our own hocks, given the last couple of successful smoked butts.
Looking around the site, it appears to smoke the hocks, one should brine the hocks for a few days prior to smoking. Looking into the composition of the brine, I note that there is usually a cure in the brine. Can I ask why the need for a cure? As I am planning on a weekend of smoking, with a couple of butts and possibly some lamb shanks, I thought I would hot smoke. If that s the case, am I not essentially cooking the meat? Is there any need for a cure if the meat is cooked and refrigerated? R des the cure perform some other function?
Thanks in advance for your help.