Boild Ham questions
Ham curing question
If you can dry cure a ham at high temp why cant you brine cure one as long as you keep it sealed?
The reason i am asking is because I have 4 large hams to cure and not enough room to cure them in the fridhge for 30 days.
thanks
Nick
The reason i am asking is because I have 4 large hams to cure and not enough room to cure them in the fridhge for 30 days.
thanks
Nick
You may need to read this link about hams by Stanley Marianski: http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/hams-other-meats/hams
If you have a space that you can close off and put in a room size air conditioner you could easily make a cool storage room.
If you have a space that you can close off and put in a room size air conditioner you could easily make a cool storage room.
Ross- tightwad home cook
- Chuckwagon
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Hi Nakom,
When I've been out in the wilds for extended periods of time, I've just used a Coleman cooler. Just be sure to cover the meat with plenty of icewater (curing brine) and then fill the leftover space with cubed ice placed in ziplock bags. Keep the cooler in a cool place with a blanket for a little insulation, and the ice should last quite a long time actually. Remove the bags of (melted) ice as necessary and replace them with fresh ice in ziplocks. This will keep the solution from becoming diluted.
In the old days before ziplock bags, we had a problem with keeping the brine strength adequate. We had to compensate with a bit more added cure as the diluted brine was drained away. We didn't get carried away and only added back about 1/4 the amount of nitrite we placed in it originally... along with another half cup of salt. In a pinch, on the trail, this has worked just fine for me many, many, times.
I've re-written the recipe for this type of ham so it would be a little more clear and understandable. It is at this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=4830
How about taking a peek at it? Good luck with your project.
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
When I've been out in the wilds for extended periods of time, I've just used a Coleman cooler. Just be sure to cover the meat with plenty of icewater (curing brine) and then fill the leftover space with cubed ice placed in ziplock bags. Keep the cooler in a cool place with a blanket for a little insulation, and the ice should last quite a long time actually. Remove the bags of (melted) ice as necessary and replace them with fresh ice in ziplocks. This will keep the solution from becoming diluted.
In the old days before ziplock bags, we had a problem with keeping the brine strength adequate. We had to compensate with a bit more added cure as the diluted brine was drained away. We didn't get carried away and only added back about 1/4 the amount of nitrite we placed in it originally... along with another half cup of salt. In a pinch, on the trail, this has worked just fine for me many, many, times.
I've re-written the recipe for this type of ham so it would be a little more clear and understandable. It is at this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=4830
How about taking a peek at it? Good luck with your project.
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill!
- Butterbean
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Boild Ham questions
I have 2 hams in cure right now following these http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=4830 directions. They are 26.6lbs and 26.7 lbs. I started them curing l14th of April but i have a couple questions. I have them in a tub curing but they are touching each other and in fact they are rather tightly packed. I injected them as the directions said. My questions are; should i refresh the cure and leave them in the cure an extra week because they are packed tight or should i just leave them in the cure longer? As it stands I was planning on cooking 1 saturday and 1 sunday. They will have been in the cure 7 days by then. Will it hurt them to cure longer? I also removed the hock and it is curing seperately as I just did not have the room to cure a whole leg at a time.
Any comments or thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Nick
Any comments or thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Nick
- Chuckwagon
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If a brine is made a bit strong and the meat spends too much time in it, the texture could come out mushy. But in a ham that large, I wouldn't worry. Are you keeping them covered? Are they at 38°F.? Yes, the hams should have a little room and not touch each other. On hams that large, it is best to use separate containers - even if it is just a plastic "twenty dollar special" at WalMart. Turn them over once a day, keep the brine strength and temperature uniform, and you'll be just fine. It is important that the brine remains at full strength. That's why we use ice in plastic bags or a "blue ice pac" to keep it cold. If the temperature gets much over 40 degrees, spoilage may actually begin. On the other hand, if the temperature goes much below 36 degrees, the nitrite conversion to nitric oxide is hindered and slowed up quite a bit.
It is very important to inject ten to twelve percent of the ham's weight in brine - throughout the meat. Use short injections as you withdraw the needle. Keep it uniform and use a perforated needle. It won't hurt to get a little too much brine inside the meat... just as long as you get enough inside.
If the actual "strength" of the cure is diluted due to melting ice water, the brine must be replenished with a bit more nitrite and salt.
On hams that large, you'll no doubt have to make extra brine to keep them fully covered. The important thing is not to let the air get to the meat while curing or you will have dark, hard, spots in the meat. Seven to ten days should do the trick. Personally, with hams that large, I'd let them stay in the brine ten days.
We'd sure like to know how they turn out. Keep the brine strength uniform and I think they'll be just fine. Get ready for some Grrrrrreat ham! I just updated that recipe a couple of weeks ago and it is my favorite. I make the stuff all the time. The only problem you'll have is that people wolf it down so quickly you'll have to make more soon! After you've "prep cooked" it and it has spent a night in the refrigerator, bake it for company and make some great mustard sauce to go with it. People will think you are some kind of wizard like the Nor Cal Kid !
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
It is very important to inject ten to twelve percent of the ham's weight in brine - throughout the meat. Use short injections as you withdraw the needle. Keep it uniform and use a perforated needle. It won't hurt to get a little too much brine inside the meat... just as long as you get enough inside.
If the actual "strength" of the cure is diluted due to melting ice water, the brine must be replenished with a bit more nitrite and salt.
On hams that large, you'll no doubt have to make extra brine to keep them fully covered. The important thing is not to let the air get to the meat while curing or you will have dark, hard, spots in the meat. Seven to ten days should do the trick. Personally, with hams that large, I'd let them stay in the brine ten days.
We'd sure like to know how they turn out. Keep the brine strength uniform and I think they'll be just fine. Get ready for some Grrrrrreat ham! I just updated that recipe a couple of weeks ago and it is my favorite. I make the stuff all the time. The only problem you'll have is that people wolf it down so quickly you'll have to make more soon! After you've "prep cooked" it and it has spent a night in the refrigerator, bake it for company and make some great mustard sauce to go with it. People will think you are some kind of wizard like the Nor Cal Kid !
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill!