posted by Polar Bear 11-17-101 11:29 PM
Ham-Brine Cured
4 qt cool (tap) water
1-1/2 c kosher salt (or 3/4 c pickling salt)
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c curing salts (6.25% sodium nitrite)
1/4 c liquid smoke (optional)
12 to 16 lb fresh ham (uncured pork hind thigh) (skinned)
1 batch glaze (below) (optional)
Combine water and remaining ingredients (except meat and glaze) in a large nonreactive container, preferably food grade plastic. Rinse meat and lower into brine. With a kitchen syringe, inject brine at 3 inch intervals, about 12 injections total (2 t each). Let stand 10 days covered and chilled, stirring up the brine every couple days.
Drain meat and rinse. Cover with fresh water and bring just to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 3 hours; drain. Cook 3 hours in a smoker-steamer (also known as a water smoker), replenishing wood chunks halfway through and, if desired, glazing as directed below 30 minutes to an hour before finished cooking.
Turn off smoker and let meat stand 30 minutes covered. Discard outer layer of fat if not done in Step 2 and carve meat thinly or thickly as preferred.
Notes & Variations:
Injector & Curing Salts: A brine injector is a sort of very large syringe. Usually available from sausage supply vendors. This recipe requires a large commercial one; the small ones available from kitchen supply stores aren't up to the job. Curing salts, by the way, are also available from sausage supply vendors.
Glazes: If glazing, trim surface fat, preferably while wearing neoprene gloves (available from home supply stores), and brush meat with 1/2 c honey (heated), 1/3 c brown sugar dissolved in 1/4 c madeira or 1/4 c maple syrup stirred into 2 T brown sugar.
Shapes & Sizes: In many locales, medium-sized fresh hams may be unavailable, even by special order. If so, substitute a large one (20 to 22 lb) cut into shank and butt halves. Double or triple brine as needed. Cook as above, adding another 30 minutes to 1 hour to the total cooking time (it’s thickness, not weight, that primarily determines cooking time).
Wood Pit: If available, the smoker-steamer in Step 2 may be replaced with a wood pit. Increase cooking time for second half of Step 2 to four hours.
Cold-Smoking: For a heartier, deeper smoke flavor, omit liquid smoke from brine and cold smoke ham at end of Step 1, 5 to 7 days, 8 to 12 hours each (chill overnight between sessions). The hot-smoking step then should be omitted, i.e., simply poach 5 to 6 hours in Step 2.
Boiled Ham: Neither hot nor cold smoking is strictly necessary, though it then becomes highly advisable to include liquid smoke in the brine in Step 1. Again, simply poach the ham 5 to 6 hours in Step 2.
Other Cuts: Fresh ham can be hard to find, even by special order, but may be replaced with a picnic (fore thigh), shoulder or Boston butt. These will taste great, but are fattier than a true ham and, so, will require substantial trimming in the carving.