I like to pickle mine in a brining solution containing a curing (nitrite) agent; I used DQ Curing Salt No. 1 by Butcher Packer Co. out of Chicago...
http://www.butcher-packer.com/index....a38bb3e04254b3
this is what gives meat that 'hammy' flavor. I've pickled chickens, turkeys, pork loin for Canadian Bacon, bellies, and eye rounds for dried beef (double the salt). I keep it simple with a recipe imitating what my dad used in his store for 40 years:
½ gal. water
½ cup salt
½ cup Splenda[emoji]174[/emoji] sugar
½ cup Splenda[emoji]174[/emoji] brown sugar
1 tsp. DQ Cure
Being diabetic I have to use the Splenda[emoji]174[/emoji] sugar but regular sugar and brown sugar at the same amounts are equally as good.
For small items (chicken, pork loin, eye round, partial slab of belly) I use a gallon drink jug (I weight down the meat with a ziploc bag of ice cubes):
Pickling a chicken:
Pickling eye of the round for dried beef (injecting first):
For larger items like a turkey, I'll use the crisper instead (no picture).
Pickling in any brine, with or without cure, adds great flavor to your meat!