Wiltshire Cure

[Fallow Buck]

Hi All,

My local butchher has asked if I will cure and smoke some Hocks for him and a couple of hams in exchange for a couple of legs of Pork. All in I think we are looking at about 20kg's of hams in 4-5 peices.

I wanted to do an immersion cure using Francos Wiltshire Cure. I have 1kg, available. When the hams are put into the container about 4-5 litres of water/brine will be enough bring to cover them, but would you think that that would be sufficient? Each leg will be tunnel boned then immersed then tied and hung for a couple of days before being boiled.

My question is that with such a large ammount of meat will there be enough curing agent in it tpo fully cure all the meat or should I make more brine than is needed just to cover the meat?

The hocks I did last time were really good and I had injected them with cure first. They were done in about a week, The hamsI did in the past were also injected but I would like to just do an immersion cure this time. I know it will take longer but I have more faith in the result, as some of the meat last time didn't get fully cured due to my rush upto Xmas.

Rgds,
FB

[saucisson]

That's the grey area we're all a bit hazy about FB. The cure you have is enough to make 8 litres ( I believe ) so I would be inclined to make the whole lot up and dunk your meat in that to be on the safe side. I suspect that making up 4-5 litres would be fine, but without knowing exactly what is in the cure it's hard to say. Not a huge help I realise...

Dave

[Fallow Buck]

Dave thanks for that,

I'll do as you suggest to be on the safe side. I think I have a 1kg bag of cure so I'll make up the full 9litres.

I'm thinking that I may wait until the end of the month once the fallow deer season is finished so that I will have the chiller empty for the full curing time. The last thing I need is a chiller full of pork when I need to hang deer.

Rgds,
FB

[saucisson]

Don't forget you have a wedding to fit in somewhere

Dave

[Fallow Buck]

Oh yes.... So I do!!


Perhaps I will need to pump these too to be sure they are ready in time!!!

Thans for the reminder,

FB