Thread: Making my own Ham

So started my first hams about six weeks ago from the two hogs I shot.

Fresh and ready for the salt!


Salted up!



In the fridge to sit


Six weeks later!


Smothered them in maple syrup and put them on the smoker.

please do include more details on how and what you did. I would love to know how to do this. my grandfather used to salt cure hams all the time. sadly this was not something that was passed along.....

he used to trap wild pigs, grain feed them for 6 weeks or so to clean em out then he would shoot them. that was the best ham I ever remember having.

Tastes pretty good. A bit salty, but that was to be expected. This a was just straight salt for my first effort.

Originally Posted by GaJeep94YJ

please do include more details on how and what you did. I would love to know how to do this. my grandfather used to salt cure hams all the time. sadly this was not something that was passed along.....

he used to trap wild pigs, grain feed them for 6 weeks or so to clean em out then he would shoot them. that was the best ham I ever remember having.

I'll post something on how I did this tomorrow.

neat I am interested also

There are two types of curing, wet cure (like my corned beef) or dry cure, like these hams. Dry cure can be simple (these hams) to complex (prosciutto ham) in how it is done. Since this was first, and complex enough in that I did my own butchering (badly I might add), I stuck with a simple process. It is as easy as applying a salt/nitrate/nitrite mixture to the ham and letting it sit, six weeks in this case. After the first 3-5 days, you reapply the salt again. After that, the steps can vary as well. I smoked the first two. Don't know what I want to do with the second two just yet. I'm thinking I'll smoke them, less risk given they are wild game and I'm a novice.

A word on the salt. There are several kinds, all of them pretty much do the same job. I got mine from a butcher, but ended up ordering some Morton's Tender Quick (already mixed) and some pink curing salt (needs mixed with other salt) since I used the butcher's batch up.
Morton®Salt - Meat Curing
Prague Powder No.1 Pink Curing Salt | For curing meats and making brines

Curing meat isn't as hard as you think. You should give it a try!

Anyway, here are some references I used.









Websites
Dry Cured Ham Recipe - Historical Foods
How to Cure Ham | eHow.com
Dry Curing Virginia-Style Ham - Home - Virginia Cooperative Extension
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/cure_smoke/virginia_ham.pdf

Morton also has a book you can pick up when you get the salt from them:
Morton Salt Online Store

Getting this book for Christmas (I hope!)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

So...GET BUSY!

Didn't care for the maple smoked as much as the plain smoked. Plain smoked, I was able to use a lot more meat. It is a learning process. This one turned out really well, and when rinsed off, isn't that salty and is very tender. Next hams will be sugar cured.

Now I have to go make a sammich!


Looks tasty Dan!