Hi folks!
I am leaning toward just pitching my ham as Im starting to think there have been too many calamities to trust it. But Id like input before I do.
Picked up a 15lb ham after butchering a hog. It spent 2 days wrapped in fridge before I got it in the brine solution.
The solution is almost identical to the one referenced here. Its about the only thing Im convinced is 100% right.
Put the ham in and had read a day per pound. Nothing was exposed. I didnt check it daily because it was curing at my mothers who had the fridge space. Temps were good. Fridge wasnt even opened once.
About 10 days in I realized the more common time was shorter. Nothing I could do because of scheduling so I turned it over to let ir finish out the 2 weeks. At this point a 2inch spot of fat was exposed. I had no idea what to weight it with, sealed it up for another 4 days figuring 4 days was not a big deal.
Oven broke.
Ham sat. Another 10 days.
Just retrieved the darn thing now that I have an oven for an 8 hour bake. And the spot that was exposed has slime mold on it. Not the brine, the meat.
It smells like sugar brine.
It looks decent in color.
While I can find posts referencing moldy brine and articles about mold on dry cures... I cant find my issue.
Ok to cook or pitch and do better next time?
Thanks in advance!
I am leaning toward just pitching my ham as Im starting to think there have been too many calamities to trust it. But Id like input before I do.
Picked up a 15lb ham after butchering a hog. It spent 2 days wrapped in fridge before I got it in the brine solution.
The solution is almost identical to the one referenced here. Its about the only thing Im convinced is 100% right.
Put the ham in and had read a day per pound. Nothing was exposed. I didnt check it daily because it was curing at my mothers who had the fridge space. Temps were good. Fridge wasnt even opened once.
About 10 days in I realized the more common time was shorter. Nothing I could do because of scheduling so I turned it over to let ir finish out the 2 weeks. At this point a 2inch spot of fat was exposed. I had no idea what to weight it with, sealed it up for another 4 days figuring 4 days was not a big deal.
Oven broke.
Ham sat. Another 10 days.
Just retrieved the darn thing now that I have an oven for an 8 hour bake. And the spot that was exposed has slime mold on it. Not the brine, the meat.
It smells like sugar brine.
It looks decent in color.
While I can find posts referencing moldy brine and articles about mold on dry cures... I cant find my issue.
Ok to cook or pitch and do better next time?
Thanks in advance!