My cure mix gives me a good ratio of 1 1/2 cups cure to 10 cups of water for 5 pounds of meat. What it never mentions is how long to leave the meat in the brine and what to do when I take it out. Have about 12 pounds of fresh wild Texas ham and am going to seperate it into two containers at the instructed ratio. How long does it have to stay in there? When it comes out, anything special I need to do to it? I will be doing a Maple cure, and smoking over maple to finish it. Thanks in advance.
Welcome Aboard Dave. I would suggest pumping/injecting your ham with the brine. I would pump to 10% of the weight of your Ham, making sure to get in close to the bone. then submerge the ham in the brine and keep in the fridge at 38-40* for 5-7 days. I make my own brine so I can only make suggestions on the store bought stuff.
It depends on whether you're injecting it or just having it sit in the brine. I'm at work now so can't give the particulars exactly, but believe it's 1 day for injected and a week for just sitting in the brine. I'm sure someone while chime in with better figures.
10.5 beat me to the punch there. Looks like he's got ya going.
Forgot to mention the hams are boneless. I trimmed themright to the bone, but the backs are open. I was thinking that with no bone I don't have to inject it, just soak it, am I right? Any other prep before I smoke it after five or six days?
Dave, I would still inject it, by injecting even without the bone you ensure that the brine is in the center of the meat. By doing this you don't have to have the meat sitting in the brine as long 5-7 days instead of 2 weeks.
Hi txdave,
Welcome to the forum.
While curing, remember to overhaul either every day or every other day. In this case, overhaul means to turn and reposition the meat and stir the brine mixture. After it is fully cured, you may want to slice a small piece off the ham and pan fry it, to test for saltiness. If too salty, soak for an hour in cold water. If I soak, I generally change the water half way through the soak. I also allow the meat to "rest" after curing for 24 hours. After being taken out of the cure the curing continues, because there is still a higher concentration on salt at the surface then the center, and the additional time give the salt time to equalize.