Salt Curing Ham

[fresheggs4u]

Not sure if I should post this here. but why not?

I have purchased two pigs that will be ready to slaughter this winter. I would like to cure the hams. I have read that they can be cured in a refrigerator. Here's my question... I would hate to lose the hams. So I thought I would buy from the local grocery a fresh ham and test my curing method. Do you think it will work to try to cure a store bought ham? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Kim_NC]

It will work using a fresh storebought ham. However, the end product will not be as good because 1) with 'travel time' and 'shelf time' at the store, it's not as fresh as newly butchered meat, and 2) comercially grown meat will not compare to your homegrown pork.

Anyway, for the purpose of just testing the recipe/method, sure, go for it. It doesn't have to be a full ham. You can do a half ham.

 

[fresheggs4u]

thanks! Have you cured hams before. Any suggestoins for a first timer. My dad did it years ago when I was around 10 or so. I have his recipe. But not totally sure of the process. I remember him wrapping them in cheese cloth and linen strips I thinks.

 

[Kim_NC]

We've wet cured hams twice, refridgerated in a brine. If you want to have that 'pinkish look' that commercial hams have you will need to use a product containing nitrite like InstaCure or QuickCure. We submerge them completely in the brine, no wrapping. Is your dad's method a dry curing process? Or did he just wrap them after wet curing?

The larger the piece of meat, the longer you'll need to brine. We like about 2-3 days for a 4-5 lb ham. We like to inject brine into the meat each day with a syringe. A very large ham cures more evenly if you inject it.

This is a really good article for refridgerator curing ham. It also has links covering smoked hams, bacon, and Canadian bacon.
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Cure-Ham-at-Home

We have the bacon section from our last 2 pigs in the freezer. We're going to try making our own bacon from those. LOL....when we can get a minute.

 

[fresheggs4u]

i think he wrapped during the curing time. He used a dry cure. I rubbed a small ham down last night and didn't wrap it. Do you think i should?

 

[ranchhand]

That sounds yummy, I love ham.

Have you looked on the BYC sister site, www.backyardherds.com ? I'd be willing to bet there's some help there and on www.sufficientself.com too, another sister site.

 

[Kim_NC]

Hmmmm....since he did, then I guess the wrapping must be important.

Good idea to check baryardherds.com and sufficientself.com

 

[fresheggs4u]

I looked at the other two sites and didn't really find much. I'll keep you posted.

 

[fresheggs4u]

ok its been a week and I unwrapped the ham and applied the second round of the rub. The ham appears to be getting leathery. I assume that is what should be happening. No foul odor or anything

anyone know how to tell if the cure is working?

Thanks!