Home Cured Ham

Yes, I know.  Lately it’s been all things pork.  Well we have a lot of pig!  Thanks Jessie!  Not that I’m complaining.  And I certainly never get tired of pork.  So, if you’re sick of pork then just go away.  Because you’re raining on my pork parade over here.  Otherwise, get a glass of wine and continue.

I seem to be behind the timing curve of this blog posting recipes thing.  I’m always late to the party.  This is no different.  I’m just getting a ham into brine and it probably won’t be done by Easter.  Which is fine.  Because I have lamb somewhere in the chest freezer abyss.  I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

My butcher offers smoking services, but I Iike to cure my own meat.  That way, I can control flavors and sodium.  So, I always get my hams fresh to play with.  I’m just getting into this curing journey, so it will be fun to travel this road together.  So far, all I’ve done is two hams (this particular one is my third) and about twenty briskets.  We like corned beef.  Ha!

I’m doing this ham differently than I did the last two and I’m excited to see how it turns out.  I’m going for what I learned is a “city ham” like the kind you get in the store that’s all spiral sliced and whatnot.  Except not spiral sliced.  How do they even do that?

Focus!  This ham is nearly ten pounds.  There’s lots of information on The Googles about how long per pound to wet cure, etc.  I’m doing ten pounds for about eight or nine days.  There’s also lots of information about fat.  Leave it or cut it?  The concern is that the brine won’t penetrate through fat.  Ok fine.  I like to keep a little fat, as you can see, and it’s been ok so far to leave a little.  You do what you want with yours.

The spices are all over the place, too.  I’m shooting for a sweet salty juicy pink ham.  I kept the brine simple with just some brown sugar, molasses, salt, prague powder, and a single teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.  The worst part is all the waiting….waiting for the ham to thaw, waiting for the brine to cool, then waiting for the curing to be done.  I mean, it’s like being at the DMV.  So much waiting.  If your fresh ham decides to float, just lay a plate on the top of it to keep it submerged while it cures.

I love the versatility of ham.  It’s so much more than a sandwich meat.  I love it shaved into crepes and cubed up and sprinkled over some mac and cheese.  The bone is it’s own wonderful entity that we covet for hambone soup.  And I never have to wonder where my ham came from like the commercial pork in stores.  Swine flu, anyone?  My pig lived outside, unpenned, and I know what it ate and how it was harvested.  Best ham ever!