Starting my Ham

viper125 · March 01, 2012, 04:08:37 PM

Well starting my Ham today. Decided I'd use Hab's Recipe to try this time. I had bought two about 16 lbs + after deboning and removing the fat and skin. Careful not to remove too much fat as thats where all the great pork flavor come from. This one comes out to 6lbs.

Still alls good there is just me and the wife any way. So I started the brine simmering with the spices in a cheese cloth net bag for 20 min.. I did change maple syrup to 1/4 Brown Sugar and 1/4 cup Honey. (My brother in law is a bee Keeper.)

Put it in fridge to cool to around 38-40 Then I'll add the cure and mix with rest of water. I put ham in container and filled with water to Gage the amount of brine needed. While that's cooling I decided to put a sock in it. Or on it or whatever, here it is.

Snug as a bug in the rug and waiting for the spa treatment.

drunknimortal · March 02, 2012, 04:12:41 AM

I used that recipe for my first ham and it came out pretty good. Just wondering why you took the bone out?

viper125 · March 02, 2012, 08:33:08 AM

Well I plan to run most of it through the slicer. I leave in bone and fat in a lot of my meat for flavor. But don't think with the Brine and spices and smoke the bone will have that much influence on the flavor.

viper125 · March 02, 2012, 08:42:59 AM

Well time to put in the brine. Injected 10 percent into the ham first. Brine temp is 37.9 So into the pool you go!

Don't forget to use a clean plate to weigh it down. Wouldn't want it to poke it's head above the brine.

This is my new brining container. Big enough but height is just right for the refrigerator and takes up little less space. In case your wondering it's steralite and available at Walmart. I use there smaller meat lugs and other containers for 5 -10 lb batches. This was about 4-5 bucks and the rest are cheaper. Also all their products are food safe plastic. Works for me and my budget.

well guess that's it for 5-7 days. i'll check back when it comes out. Don't for get to pull daily and stir brine.

Smoke some · March 02, 2012, 10:55:54 AM

looking good viper..... what are you smoking next, now that the wait is on for the ham to cure

viper125 · March 02, 2012, 01:22:35 PM

Well may make some fresh sausage this week. Thing maybe Brats or Italian mild. But I do have to make some Bacon,wife says she's running low. She don't care for belly bacon much these days. Got her spoiled on B.B. bacon or hillbilly Bacon, and Canadian bacon. And it has to be home made.

DADAKOTA · March 02, 2012, 07:13:37 PM

IS that a gland in the lower right portion of your first picture? I have seen a similar looking thing buried in the hindquarter of a deer.

viper125 · March 02, 2012, 07:15:44 PM

No it dont look like it in the pic but its that ink they mark them with I believe. I will remove it/ After seeing the pic I dont like it either.

Tenpoint5 · March 03, 2012, 09:11:45 AM

Quote from: DADAKOTA on March 02, 2012, 07:13:37 PM
IS that a gland in the lower right portion of your first picture? I have seen a similar looking thing buried in the hindquarter of a deer.

Yep that is one of the glands right above the blood spot in the pic. Depending on if I can find it or not I remove that one.

viper125 · March 03, 2012, 09:20:55 AM

Hmm didn't look close enough I guess. Will that hurt any thing. take it off now or after smoking? I though it was ink and let it slide i'll check better next time. Do these affect any thing or just don't want to eat them? I have found them in butts before and removed and in deer.
Sorry Dadakota! Really didn't think it was.

Tenpoint5 · March 03, 2012, 09:36:47 AM

Since that one is easy to see I would remove it before smoking. They don't taste very good.

viper125 · March 03, 2012, 12:46:47 PM

Well just thinking about it and reviewing pics it really bothered me. So thanks for the people who look close enough to see and let me know. I do appreciate it. I do make mistakes. So i pulled it out of the brine and removed it. Required moving a lot of fat also. But after pulling I couldn't see it again. So I recalled the pic turned the ham the right way and was able to spot it then. Remarkable how the photo made it stand out. From now on I will photograph all my meats and look. For those of you who got here late or don't know what we are talking about. This is the Ham and if you notice the dark spot it's right in the center bottom next to the red. Here is the pic.

Here is what I removed! The gland the dark spot and a lot of fat that wasn't appealing

This is the Ham with it removed. If you notice I left a pretty good hole in it. LOL Well live and learn.

It's a little embarrassing to post pics when you do wrong or make mistakes. But I ask people to do it. It helps others to prevent repeating it.

SiFumar · March 03, 2012, 02:51:01 PM

It might be a bit embarrassing at times but we all make mistakes or do things wrong at times, but what is great is the people on the forum making polite suggestions pointing it out only to be helpful. They only want you to have a great product. So thank you too for removing it and showing others whom also don't know.

See my mistake in buying an "enhanced" pork loin...lol.

slowpoke · March 04, 2012, 05:11:54 AM

Thank Goodness,for good friends.Ham still looking good.Waiting to see next steps.

Tenpoint5 · March 04, 2012, 07:19:37 AM

Heck NO don't be embarrassed about posting any pics. That's how we all learn. I even went back and looked and not one person said you did anything wrong Viper. Your still good.