I got Prague Pwder#1 and I got Mortons Tenderquick. And I have an 8.4 lbs leg of pork(butt portion)and I am ready to make a ham. I want to do a maple flavour cured ham. Now I just need to know what the hell I am doing. Anyone want to weigh in on this? Oh yeah and I got some Ham stockinettes (cheeseclothe bags for hanging hams).
I'm going to yield to the ham guys but don't use both Prague powder and Morton's TenderQuick.
Yeah I know, it's one or the other. But I was out there so I got both. I want to make CBB also and I am going to start making sausages too. My brother sprung for a grinder and a stuffer so he and I are going to get in to it. I picked them up today.
Oh yeah I am hoping to do this ham in a wet brine.
Wet brine for a ham.....ring 10.5's doorbell. He's got that down pat.
The closest I've done to a ham was my javelina.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=14892.0
Using the butt and/or shoulder is technically not considered making ham. The ham is from the (rear) leg of the pig; but this recipe will work for the shoulder. Keep in mind that the shoulder area is much tougher then the leg (rear section of the pig).
Here is how I cure and smoke my hams:
Smoked Cured Ham (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?465-Smoked-Cured-Ham)
If you can get hold of some Maple Ham Cure by Sausage Makers you can't beat it for flavor. It the only commercial premix cure that I still use, but the recipe is just as good using the ingredients listed. Hanging is optional. I find that it works just as well laying directly on the rack.
I'd make pulled pork from that shoulder and get a fresh ham to cure.
Around here a lot of the stores make picnic hams and they're made from the front shoulder. They're not to bad.
Ok I will make pulled pork with it. Just that when I bought this piece of meat 3 or 4 months ago and ask how I would pull it, someone told me I got the wrong thing for pulled pork and that I should make ham out of it. Somebody please make up my mind. :D :D :D This will make the kids happy. They loved the one pulled pork I did. Thanks guys.
You can't go wrong with pulled pork. Everyone likes it here.
I'd like to do a ham someday but haven't got up enough nerve yet.
Quote from: Quarlow on May 11, 2010, 07:21:17 AM
Ok I will make pulled pork with it. Just that when I bought this piece of meat 3 or 4 months ago and ask how I would pull it, someone told me I got the wrong thing for pulled pork and that I should make ham out of it. Somebody please make up my mind. :D :D :D This will make the kids happy. They loved the one pulled pork I did. Thanks guys.
When you said "butt portion" I think pulled pork. Or ham with a lot of connective tissue.
The "picnic portion" shoulder and / or the Ham (rear leg) has larger muscle groups and less connective tissue, IMHO better for curing into ham.
I really wish that they would standardize the names of meat cuts. Cause I really have no bleeping idea what is what anymore. Someone says get this and another guys says get that and then I go to the store and the flippin' canuck cutters call it something else. Not to mention you go to 2 different stores and the same cut is called different names. You got pork BUTT and boston BUTT and leg of pork(BUTT portion) and shoulder which apperently comes from the BUTT. I know this has been done to death BUTT when someone says this and someone says that then noo one knows which ass gets cook. :D :D :D
We can't even agree on standards of measurements.
I feel for you with the meat thing, Quarlow.
Do they have a "meat map" on the wall at the store?
I think sometimes the supermarkets change the names for some kind of a subtle "bait and switch" instilling FUD in the consumers.
FUD= Fear, Uncertaintly, Doubt
We've gotten a taste of that locally with the elusive sirloin 'trip-tip'..
Butchers take a sirloin tip roast, cut it in a triangle shape, and sell it for upwards of 7 bucks a pound. >:(
Quarlow,
Perhaps this will elp you out! I know I am thankful for the info I have learned from this site. for the pork one you can scroll down and click the pork cut chart to enlarge it .
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/my_ingredients/zen_of_beef_cuts.html
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/rib_cuts.html
Thanks again Drew and everyone.
Check out that entire site! That dude really has some great info.
Cool I will do that.
You can still cure it using the ham curing method and make Buckboard (aka Hillbilly) bacon out of it. Or use the Hillbilly Bacon recipe on the recipe site. I just wanted to forewarn you that you will find the texture is tougher than ham.
It's all good Habs, I would much rather use this for pulled pork and go get the best thing for making a ham. It was just like I said, when I bought this I posted on how to turn it into pulled pork and was told this would be better for ham. But even that is cool too, it's not like it was wasted or ruined. It is hard to find pork butt's around here at least from our grocery chains. I would have to find a butcher that doesn't cater to the East Indian market and the is rare in my area. Plus then I will have to pay a premium price for it. The search continues. I just want the true pulled pork experience or at least as close as I can get to the real stuff.