First Smoke a Great Success - Now some questions

[unsmokedham]

I finally got everything together and working as needed. I have the OBS setup with the Auber Dual Sensor PID (non-relay model). As a trial first run, smoked some simple stuff; a couple of nice sirloin steaks, some choice london broil steaks, and some pork loin. Did a preheat to 225 for half hour and then loaded the trays, turned on the SG with hickory bisquettes and smoked for 2 hours with cooking at 170 degF for 2.5 hours and finished with 190 degF until IT was 170 on the thick london broils. Only add-in to the meat before smoking was a light salt and black pepper with some onion and garlic powder sprinkled on and pierced into the meat with a fork. When the Auber had finished its cycles, took it all out and FTW for a couple of hours on the counter.

Outside air temps were around 40-50 degF and the heavy wind came up for a while. During the cook cycle, the rain also poured down. Wouldn't you know that the weather here in the upper Mojave desert would turn crappy after having been great the day before when I had to drive 4 hours round trip just to get some bisquettes to smoke this weekend. But the results were great. The sirloin steaks literally melt in your mouth and have a real robust hickory smoke flavor. The pork loin was great too although it probably could have been taken out a little sooner since it was just starting to dry a bit on the thinner areas.

Now I'm officially hooked. I am reading about the different ways to do all kinds of meats and have a question that concerns prepping the meat.

Questions: When is curing the meat required before smoking and cooking? I have a large ham from a recent butchered hog that needs to be smoked. Should it be cured first then smoked then cooked or just smoked and cooked in one process?

This forum appears to be a great source of information for us newbies. Thanks to all who help out,

Gene
Ridgecrest, CA in the Upper Mojave Desert

[FLBentRider]

Questions: When is curing the meat required before smoking and cooking? I have a large ham from a recent butchered hog that needs to be smoked. Should it be cured first then smoked then cooked or just smoked and cooked in one process?

Congrats on your first smoke. Smoking is addictive!


The answer comes down to what kind of smoking you are going to do.

If you are going to "hot smoke" the meat - temps 200F and above - and cook to a internal temp over 142-145F - you do not need cure.

If you are going to make sausage and/or cook at temps under 200F (sausage is usually cooked in a ramp temp with a finish box temp of 170F and an Internal temp of 152F - you need cure.

The cure is to protect the meat when it spends an extended time in the 40-140F range.

[Caneyscud]

Questions: When is curing the meat required before smoking and cooking? I have a large ham from a recent butchered hog that needs to be smoked. Should it be cured first then smoked then cooked or just smoked and cooked in one process?

This forum appears to be a great source of information for us newbies. Thanks to all who help out,

Gene
Ridgecrest, CA in the Upper Mojave Desert

Unsmokedham!  Congrats on the first smoke.  Smoke improves just about everything - no doubt about it!  

Curing is done before cooking and smoking.  Curing is not required on anything unless that is what you are striving for.  Things such as Canadian Bacon, Cured Ham, Cured Picnic, Bacon, lox, etc..... are cured.  Those same things can be smoked without curing, but you get a totally different product.  Curing adds and element of flavor, changes texture, adds moisture, and perhaps most important is an avenue of preservation - prevents the nasties.  It is not something I have done often, so I know very few details, however, there are some experts on this site that would love to help you with any specifics.