Wiltshire cure wet method

[Oddley]

I wanted to do a Wiltshire cure recipe so I converted an old recipe. I made it and I like it, but then again I like the taste of beer.

[aris]

Seeing as how you have both cure#1 and saltpeter, could you use cure#2 as a substitute here?

[Oddley]

Yes but it would all have to be recalculated, as it is a brine. I made this recipe for myself, and I don't have cure #2 so used the stuff I did have to hand.

If you want to make it let me know and I will calculate it to use cure #2 for you.

This is basically a ham recipe if you want to use it for frying bacon then it must have some sodium ascorbate added to the brine so tell me what you want to use it for.

[aris]

I have #2 at hand, but not #1 or saltpetre, so if you could re-calculate it I'd appreciate it

I was going to use it for a Ham too.

[Oddley]

Hi aris I have recalculated the recipe for you. There was not that much difference between the combined cure weights and cure #2 weight but until I had calculated it I did not know that.

[aris]

Great - thanks - i'll give this a try soon!

You say it is good for 6.5kg of meat - does this imply 6.5kg done at once, or can you do 3.25 kg, then another 3.25 kg later in the same brine?

[Oddley]

As this is just a wet method you can use as little as 120 gm brine to 1 kg meat. So yes within limitations. You really don't want to leave the brine hanging about too long. To be honest I would not use it to exhaustion.

[deb]

O.K. Oddley as usual I am going to ask a question, sorry to be a pain.

If I only wanted to cure a small piece of meat, take aris's 1kg for instance, I obviously wouldn't want to make this much brine - probably only about a quarter of the final ammount, so, would I just use a quarter of all the ingredients and make it upto a quarter of the final weight? I hope this makes sense, I'm not sure it will, today has been a long day LOL!!

Of course I blame you for making me ask questions again, the recipe looks good (I really like beer) and I would love to give it a go asap.

Thanks.

[Oddley]

Deb I posted the recipe so that anybody can use it the way it is. Make it up as is. It will do any size meat up to 6.5 kg. If it covers your meat call it an immersion cure if not call it the wet method.

It is a reasonably cheap cure, I made it that way so I didn't have to pay a fortune to cure a small amount of meat.

To allay any fears this brine will cure meat from 1 gm to 6.5 kg. The reason is meat will only absorb 8 - 10% it's own weight. deb don't muck about with it. Just make sure the minimum curing time is 14 days or over.

Sit down girl put your feet up, have a cuppa and don't worry about curing meat .There is always tomorrow

[deb]

Cheers Oddley.
I'm going to have to get some cure#1&2 and when I do this is going to be well up the list.

[KevinR]

Hi, I am new to this site, though I have 'lurked' for a little while.

I have a query for Oddley, about his 'Wiltshire cure ham wet method'. I was thinking of having a go at curing a ham and will probably use his recipe. The instructions say:

"Leave meat in brine, in the bottom of the fridge, for 5 days per 500 gm or no less than 14 days Turning every day."

Does that mean that a, say, 2Kg piece of meat only needs 14 days or should that be 20 days. I read it as suggesting that 14 days should be enough. However, I want to be sure of what is being said as I don't want to under cure and equally I would not wish to be left with an over salty ham.

I apologise if I am being a little dense but as they say, better safe than sorry!!

[Oddley]

Hi KevinR welcome to the forum.

I would recommend you leave the meat in cure for at least 10 days per kg and not less than 14 days in total. I have found this to be about right. But if you see red patches at the end of the meat leave it in cure a few days longer to Finish off.

As I have said above, I would not recommend using this amount of cure to exhaustion. I would personally only cure up to about 3 kg with this amount.

This cure will not give you a too salty result, no matter how long you leave it in the brine. But you can check, after the curing time is finished and you are cooking the meat, after simmering for about 30 min's taste the water if it is too salty change the water and carry on simmering until done.

[hunterman]

Oddley just a few questions
You say if you want to use this recipe for frying bacon then it must have some sodium ascorbate.
At what rate do you add this?
Also why? I know from another post that it inhibits the formation of Nitrosamines.
But what is the difference between frying and boiling the ham?
Has it something to do with the heat and speed at which the meat is cooked?
Also I know I have asked in another post but how long do you recommend boiling for?
Have you tried smoking it?
Cheers Steve

[Oddley]

Hi hunterman
Sorry must have missed the other post.

Sodium ascorbate should be used at 550 milligrams per kilogram. For an explanation, as too why to use it to inhibit the formation of nitrosamines, please click the link below.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distributi ... J0974.html

I normally wing it when I simmer my ham, but believe the simmering time is something like 25 min's per 1 lb + 25 min's.

I haven't tried smoking it. I have not got the room for a smoker. As I'm living in a flat in central London.

[hunterman]

I have read your link but what I cannot get my head round is
Why do you need Sodium ascorbate if you intend to fry.
But if you intend to boil you don�t.
In other words what does boiling do to the meat that frying does not.
Or have I missed the point somewhere.
Would you still recommend boiling if you intend to smoke?

cheers steve