curing ham

[claytonpiano]

We have a huge "ham" in our refrigerator. It is huge!!!!! I told our farmer friend who we helped butcher today that I would like to brine and smoke it. So, we have this huge thing that filled up an entire cooler. What do I do with this thing? 

[Skandi]

A link here to one of my favourite "chefs" recipes for a wet cure, it's for a 8-10 lb ham
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/04/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall

2kg salt
10g saltpetre (optional, but it helps keep the ham pink)
1 litre good apple juice
1 litre strong cider
6 litres water
1kg demerara sugar
1kg dark muscovado sugar or black treacle
20-30 juniper berries
30g black peppercorns, crushed
10 bay leaves, crushed
10 cloves

To cook the ham

1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
10 black peppercorns
3-4 bay leaves
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small bunch parsley stalks

For the glaze

1 generous tbsp English mustard
250g light muscovado sugar
15-20 cloves

Bring all the brine ingredients to a boil in a large pan, then leave to cool. Transfer to a large plastic container - if you don't have a brining tub, a new bucket or storage container is fine; the most important thing is that it's non-metallic. Chill to 3-4C. Put the joint - also chilled, ideally to almost freezing - in the tub and submerge completely, using a non-metallic weight to help you along. Cover and leave in the coolest place you can find for five days. One to three days before you want to cook your ham, remove the joint from the cure, rinse, pat dry, wrap in a cotton cloth and store in the fridge.

That's not for a dry ham like a parma or serrano, but one you cook afterwards.

[claytonpiano]

Yum! That sounds fantastic!!

[Deleted]

Now I am rethinking our plan to have leg of lamb for Easter....

Hm...

Nah, we'll still do the LoL (ha!) but I am looking forward to butchering our piggie, and I'll be saving this recipe!

[shelljo]

thanks for sharing the ham recipe. We used a simpler one this year, but it was way too salty. Will give yours a try on our next ham!

[Deleted]

This thread keeps reminding me of one of my fave comics:

[Muller's Lane Farm]

claytonpiano

First thing you'll want to do is cut it down to usable sizes! With a ham, you'll want to inject the cure solution. Brining is great for bacon & fat back for for a piece of meat as substantial as a ham, injecting is the only way you'll be able to get the cure all the way to the center.

Easiest cure is to get Morton's Sugar Cure. Follow their directions.

We cold smoke our hams & bacon.  It doesn't take that long (2-3 hours, depending on the wood you choose and how much smoke flavor you want).