Salt Curing Ham?!?!?

[wkahler]

I am sure this is on the forum somewhere but i did a search and included the word Ham and got a zillion results!!  I ran across some bags of the Morton Sugar Cure Smoked, not the plain stuff.  Looking to see if it is out of my league to salt cure a ham with this stuff.  From what i understand that is basically what this is used for not used in my bacon cure, even though when i bought it thats what i thought it was for or would have made a good flavor.  I have 2 bags that i got when i was in amish country this weekend and so if i can find a use for it i would like to try it.  I have about 6 small hams left from last years pig so i figured least i can do is sacrifice them to the trial and error process!!

Thanks in advance and sorry for the re-post if this is one!!

[beefmann]

from morton's salt

http://www.mortonsalt.com/for-your-home/culinary-salts/meat-curing-and-pickling-salts/179/morton-sugar-cure-plain/

It contains salt, sugar, propylene glycol, sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite, a blend of natural spices and dextrose (corn sugar). Morton® Sugar Cure® (Plain) mix can be used interchangeably with Morton® Tender Quick® mix.

if you want to make a ham, I use 1 tbsp per lb of tender quick per lb so 1 tbsp of sugar cure would be good with other seasonings

[Habanero Smoker]

When I saw you subject title, I though you wanted to make a Country Ham, that is cured with salt only. Six pound hams are pretty small. How thick are they? Are they hams of from another part of the hog?

You have Morton Sugar Cure Smoked, which is a slow cure that contains sodium nitrate (no nitrites). Morton Sugar Cure Smoked is not interchangeable with Morton's Tender Quick or Sugar Cure Plain. To use that properly, you should order Morton Home Meat Curing Guide. You have to use it as a dry cure, and there are multiple steps you need to take during the curing period.

It would be easier to get cure #1 and make your own formula and wet brine, or if the hams are less then 4" thick you can use either Morton's Tender Quick or Sugar Cure Plain.

[wkahler]

Well starting out i did want to do a Country Ham, but after google and few other sources i found i think i am not up for it.  The time involved and also there is a little bit of a risk with it.  The hams i have are from a whole ham that we had cut down to make it easier to cook at home.  I think i am just going to brine them and smoke them then if nothing else grind them in the ham for ham salad for the pops, he is all about it for winter lunches at work. 

[Caribou]

Hi,
I know this isn't using the Morton cure but check out this recipe:
http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/american-style-brown-sugar-glazed-holiday-ham
I have used this recipe with great success and if you have a few hams to experiment with you may want to give it a try.
We buy an entire hog too and I have the meat guys cut each ham into three pieces, too: shank portion, butt portion and hock.
I don't have a meat saw and this makes them very user-friendly :)
Carolyn

[Tenpoint5]

Here is the link to the meat curing guide from Morton Salt

http://morton.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=21181&cid=178

[Habanero Smoker]

If making a country ham would be too involved, using Morton Sugar Cure Smoked to cure a ham is also very involve. Looking at Morton's book, it will take applying the cure three times during a 10 - 14 day period, and then curing for a few more days. But those instructions are for larger hams.

There are also a couple of ham curing recipes on the recipe site, but you can't use Morton Sugar Cure Smoked for either of those recipe or for the recipe that Carolyn posted. The one's on the recipe site use more cure than Michael Ruhlman, so you will get much more "ham" flavor from the recipes posted on the recipe site.

Ham Curing Recipes

I have twice tried making country hams, which ended in failure due to bone sour. I'm going to give it another but I will use a combine curing method. First I will try by injecting a 10% salt brine around the bone area, then salt cure the meat. If that fails, I will inject with a cure solution. Either way it will not be "authentic" country ham, but it will be very close.

[3rensho]

Thanks for the link Caribou.  Will give that a try.  Sounds good.

[Silvergrizz]

I'll second that for the link, looks very interesting. Thanks

[Habanero Smoker]

One step that Ruhlman skips, is injecting 10% of the brine. I would recommend you inject. Also you don't have to bring you ham to 155°F. The latest USDA recommendation is 145°F.

[Caribou]

Thanks Habs,
Yes, I should have mentioned that about injecting, I did 10%.
I have to give Deb the credit for finding this recipe because she shared it with me. :)
Carolyn