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Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, but have been making bacon, pastrami, corned beef, droewors, and LOTS of biltong for several years.

My 7yo daughter and I just came back from a hunting trip with two hogs (her first kill :>). We harvested a sow and a boar, respectively.

I'd like to make hams for the holidays. The joints are in deep freeze at the moment to kill off any trichinae.

I'm planning to use a recipe I found on the bbq-brethren.com forum.


****
1 cup Kosher salt
1 cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Tender Quick
bay leaves
pickling spice
cloves
1 ½ gallons water
fresh ham (bone-in)

Dissolve salt, sugar, and Tender Quick in ½ gallon warm water. Add remaining water and ice if you want to use the brine right away. Add the seasonings.

Use a sharpening steel to create some holes around the bone and through the center of the meat. Place the ham in brine solution for 4 ½ days (Monday night to Saturday morning). Soak ham in fresh water for 2 hours before cooking.
****

I'm using that recipe as I have some Tender Quick to use up and I'd like to start weaning off of nitrites. Since the hams will be served to extended family who may be squeamish about game meat, I want it to look like they're accustomed to, but hopefully taste a million times better.

Anyone have a recipe for pickling spice they like?

I think I'll do two hams for the first batch, a baked sow for Muertos and cherry smoke a boar for Thanksgiving. Any tips on smoke as far as the brown sugar goes? E.g. what to expect for flavor with or without it?

The joints are about 8lbs each. How much brine should I plan on using? I usually brine in XL Ziploc bags in a bar fridge with a probe thermometer running into it to monitor temperature.

I've seen references here to cure as long as 30 days, but I'm thinking with the smallish hams, 5 days or so should be sufficient. Opinions?

They'll only be in deep freeze for about 2.5 weeks by the time I need to pull them out in time to brine and be ready for the first holiday. Do you think that plus the brine will be sufficient to kill trichinae or brucellosis?

Lastly, what are recommendations on cooking temperature? I've seen as high as 170°, which I think would turn into leather by the time it's done. I've seen as low as 145 for domestic which I think is too low. 150-155 seems popular for home cured ham from domestic animals. I think I'd prefer 160, but will that wreck the meat?

You are recommended to freeze at -10 F for 10 days or 5 for 20, so if your freezer is at about -2 or less you should be OK.

the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends to cook fresh pork to an internal temperature of 160º F to kill any remaining trichinae just to be sure (Trichinae in pork is killed by raising its internal temperature to 137º F).

The joints are about 8lbs each. How much brine should I plan on using? I usually brine in XL Ziploc bags in a bar fridge with a probe thermometer running into it to monitor temperature.

I've seen references here to cure as long as 30 days, but I'm thinking with the smallish hams, 5 days or so should be sufficient. Opinions?

Use enough brine to cover the joint completely. I would cure 4 days per pound (8 lbs x 4 days = 32 days) if not pumping the ham. 11 days per inch is another way of calculating your brine time. Good luck.

saucisson wrote:You are recommended to freeze at -10 F for 10 days or 5 for 20, so if your freezer is at about -2 or less you should be OK.

the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends to cook fresh pork to an internal temperature of 160º F to kill any remaining trichinae just to be sure (Trichinae in pork is killed by raising its internal temperature to 137º F).

Thanks. Can you post any links for me to cross reference?

dave zac wrote:Use enough brine to cover the joint completely. I would cure 4 days per pound (8 lbs x 4 days = 32 days) if not pumping the ham. 11 days per inch is another way of calculating your brine time. Good luck.

Thanks to you as well. Do you think these recipes for 5 days are for pumps or just amateur?

On the subject of pumps, I don't have one. I do have a stainless marinade injector. Would that work?

Will the brining also kill bacteria/parasites?

mahkgari wrote:Thanks. Can you post any links for me to cross reference?

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/trichinae/docs/fact_sheet.htm

That pages gives the recommended cooking or freezing times. It also mentions the ineffectiveness of any curing methods.

In regards to the ham pumping, has anyone ever used Artery pumping? I myself never have, but I remember reading about it in Rytek Kutas book Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing. It sounds feasible, inject your cure into the main artery, it then spreads throughout the ham via the veins and capillaries.

I hunt wild boar and have dressed out a lot of them but I have never been successful in saving the artery, I always seem to cut it off all the time and can't find it. It seems like a great way to inject cure into a ham. I use a brine injection needle in my hams.

Tim

JLPicard wrote:In regards to the ham pumping, has anyone ever used Artery pumping? I myself never have, but I remember reading about it in Rytek Kutas book Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing. It sounds feasible, inject your cure into the main artery, it then spreads throughout the ham via the veins and capillaries.

This method was used by butchers here in Australia many years ago, but has long since be abandoned. I belive this was due to the fact that it is not as effective or as reliable as injecting directly into the meat.
In my opinion using either a pickle pump for larger batches or if done at home on a smaller scale a marinating needle will do the trick. I have used both these methods with great success.
This is just my opinion I am quite happy for someone to disagree with me.
Damo

Damo the butcherman wrote:

JLPicard wrote:In regards to the ham pumping, has anyone ever used Artery pumping? I myself never have, but I remember reading about it in Rytek Kutas book Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing. It sounds feasible, inject your cure into the main artery, it then spreads throughout the ham via the veins and capillaries.

This method was used by butchers here in Australia many years ago, but has long since be abandoned. I belive this was due to the fact that it is not as effective or as reliable as injecting directly into the meat.
In my opinion using either a pickle pump for larger batches or if done at home on a smaller scale a marinating needle will do the trick. I have used both these methods with great success.
This is just my opinion I am quite happy for someone to disagree with me.
Damo

Arterial pumping is by far the best method --- problem being is that in the slaughter house they are in such a rush that there is no artery left hanging so one is sh*t out of luck

Duz that help