Salt Cured Ham

[NeilMacleod]

New batch and style attempt.
Full salt cover for 17 days ( I noticed curing time in salt varies allot) 8lb,
Black Pepper
Sage
Smoked Paprika
Cinamon
Cumin
Pink Salt
Pickeling salt bulk.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Interesting! Good luck with it. I hope you'll show more pictures after it's fully cured.

Notchy Bob

 

[NeilMacleod]

Absolutely!
Waiting game now

 

[Ponderosaman]

Absolutely!
Waiting game now

Wow. This looks like something I’d like to try. After it has been cured, what do you make from it? Sounds silly, but have you done this before and know that it’s safe?

 

[sheriff john]

Get ready for some "red-eye" gravy. Can't tell if the skin's still on or not. Always did ours with the skin on, hang 'em from rafters and enjoy months later. Smoked makes them even better. Check out "Burgers' Smokehouse" website to see what an authentic country cured ham sells for. They've been doing this, selling world wide for many, many years. Curing hams is part skill, part art, part luck. Go for it !

When you test a cured ham, always take a plug from deep inside. Sometimes the outside's good but the middle is rotten. The "ham breakfast" at Missouri's state fair and county fairs is an old tradition. Champion hams can bring well over $1,000 - nearly all bought by politicians and farm-oriented organizations.

 

[Whughett]

On the farm in the 40’s salt/sugar cured hams were a staple. At any onetime a dozen or so would be hanging in the smoke house. No idea as to the process but to this day 80 years on country ham is my hands down favorite

 

[Ponderosaman]

Get ready for some "red-eye" gravy. Can't tell if the skin's still on or not. Always did ours with the skin on, hang 'em from rafters and enjoy months later. Smoked makes them even better. Check out "Burgers' Smokehouse" website to see what an authentic country cured ham sells for. They've been doing this, selling world wide for many, many years. Curing hams is part skill, part art, part luck. Go for it !

When you test a cured ham, always take a plug from deep inside. Sometimes the outside's good but the middle is rotten. The "ham breakfast" at Missouri's state fair and county fairs is an old tradition. Champion hams can bring well over $1,000 - nearly all bought by politicians and farm-oriented organizations.

So there is a chance that it will make you sick if you end up with the middle rotting? I suppose it’s pretty obvious when that happens because it smells super nasty? Is smoking part of the curing process?

 

[Whughett]

Get ready for some "red-eye" gravy. Can't tell if the skin's still on or not. Always did ours with the skin on, hang 'em from rafters and enjoy months later. Smoked makes them even better. Check out "Burgers' Smokehouse" website to see what an authentic country cured ham sells for. They've been doing this, selling world wide for many, many years. Curing hams is part skill, part art, part luck. Go for it !

When you test a cured ham, always take a plug from deep inside. Sometimes the outside's good but the middle is rotten. The "ham breakfast" at Missouri's state fair and county fairs is an old tradition. Champion hams can bring well over $1,000 - nearly all bought by politicians and farm-oriented organizations.

Amazon sells several. A whole 16 pounder is listed at around $110. Shipped.
Cracker Barrel Breakfast. uncle Hershel’s Favorite. Country Ham, Eggs, Hash Browns, Grits Gravy and biscuits. Good enough for Supper too.

 

[Shooter1]

Morton sugar cure worked great for our bear hams and shoulders back in '76 when my brother and I were in Idaho. Made great hams for a pot of beans. Just rub and hang. Repeat application once dripping stops. At that time it was sold in most grocery stores. Haven't seen it lately....

 

[nkbj]

Occasionally we have beef sticks or pork shoulder "buckboard bacon" or loin "Canadian bacon" cured with Morton's Tender Quick and various adjuncts like chili peppers, black pepper, allspice, ginger, brown sugar or whatever strikes my fancy. Easiest way to get the stuff is mail order.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Kosher salt, black pepper, brown sugar, salt peter- 2in base on the curing board in the smoke house rind down rub generous amount all over ham at least a layer of cure a inch thick do not miss any place on the ham, use a sharpening steel run in the hock along the bone to the joint wiggle the steel around to form a nice sized hole and pack full of cure, once a day for 21 days rotate ham 1/4 turn and rub again with fresh cure at end of 21 days wash ham with a stiff bristle brush that has wood bristles rinse well with clear water put the ham in a clean white cloth bag hang in smoke house 2 days, remove the bag and smoke them for at least 24 hours more is better we used sasafrass after smoking put in clean brown paper bag and hang again for a week then remove the brown paper bag and hang in the smoke house.

 

[Whughett]

Kosher salt, black pepper, brown sugar, salt peter- 2in base on the curing board in the smoke house rind down rub generous amount all over ham at least a layer of cure a inch thick do not miss any place on the ham, use a sharpening steel run in the hock along the bone to the joint wiggle the steel around to form a nice sized hole and pack full of cure, once a day for 21 days rotate ham 1/4 turn and rub again with fresh cure at end of 21 days wash ham with a stiff bristle brush that has wood bristles rinse well with clear water put the ham in a clean white cloth bag hang in smoke house 2 days, remove the bag and smoke them for at least 24 hours more is better we used sasafrass after smoking put in clean brown paper bag and hang again for a week then remove the brown paper bag and hang in the smoke house.

Post 6
I knew there was sugar in the process as well as nitrates. We also did the bellies into bacon. Both front and rear hams were cured.
Cutoffs, meat from the head and jowls became scrapple or heads cheese. Brains were a fresh addition at breakfast scrambled with eggs.

 

[NeilMacleod]

This is my first time doing it this way, so learning curve.
Used Smoked paprika since wont be able to smoke it till I figure a way of making a smoker in the back.
I gave a good rub everywhere, removed the bone, made sure no wet spots, totally covered so should not spoil, will leave it a few days more then the shorter that some places recommend, 14 seamed a bit short for me. If its a bit salty on the outside can always use it for soups, other then that plan on slicing it once its aged after hanging.
I avoid Nitrates and chemicals , they dont agree with me. packed in salt should be enough considering how much their is and allot of recipes just do a rub.
With the bone cut out its more of a length then round ham, so penetration should not be a problem.
I might brush it with honey once its hanging, see what it looks like after salting.
Thanks for the input

 

[Dutch7]

I have watched this video a few times and there is a lot of good tips from an old-timer, 7 year old ham!!
KYA - processing ham

 

[blackeagle]

I use a similar blend when curing pork belly for bacon. Not as much salt though. Would like to try your pork shoulder method some time.

What are your measures for the spices?

Are you using Prague Powder (aka pink salt or curing salt...contains nitrites)?

 

[BozoMiller]

I love ham. I know it will be good.

 

[sheriff john]

Ham bone's what we use for navy beans. German mother-in-law'd rather have a hog head than a corsage. Boiled down, meat pulled off to make what her family calls "pannas" (sp) ends up mixed with corn meal & fried for breakfast. German thing from Frankenstein, Missouri.

Then there's blood sausage and "casings" made from intestines scraped by Aunt Pauline (too cheap to buy commercial sausage casings). Most of the things are quite tasty but lose appeal if you ever see home butchering. Chicken foot soup, etc.

 

[1950DAVE]

I miss souse made from the head since my grandmother and mother in law passed away. Hoop cheese and souse sandwich. I'm not much for ham unless it is salt cured.

 

[NeilMacleod]

I use a similar blend when curing pork belly for bacon. Not as much salt though. Would like to try your pork shoulder method some time.

What are your measures for the spices?

Are you using Prague Powder (aka pink salt or curing salt...contains nitrites)?

I used 1/2 cup measures, so 1.5 cups Himalayan Pink salt. 1/2 cup paprika, 1/4cup cinnamon (ran out of cloves, I would have used some of them), 1 cup pepper corns, 1/2 cup dried Sage from garden, 1/4 cup cumin.

Thanks!

 

[NeilMacleod]

Ham bone's what we use for navy beans. German mother-in-law'd rather have a hog head than a corsage. Boiled down, meat pulled off to make what her family calls "pannas" (sp) ends up mixed with corn meal & fried for breakfast. German thing from Frankenstein, Missouri.

Mother made pea soup with Ham bones