Smoking fresh cured ham.

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eruceht

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 20, 2008
9
10
Richmond, KY
I'm curing a fresh ham for xmas and plan on doing a 10 day wet brine. If I get the ham in the brine today the 10 days will be up on the 21st but I don't want to smoke it until that Friday or Sat. which would mean keeping the cured but still uncooked ham in the fridge for two to three days after the curing process. I feel this will be ok but I'll like to some reassuring from those of you that have more knowledge of curing meats as I have never done it before. Thanks in advanced for your help.
 
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I'm not that knowledgeable on cured hams BUT I would wait till AL (ALbancher) or Pops chime in on this one. They are very knowledgeable on this subject. There is something that doesn't sound right to me and I would wait for theses guys they are the expects here.
 
Leave it in the Brine...This will give a margin of error on your timing and will not hurt...JJ
 
Thanks for the replies, any input on internal temp. before pulling? Most sites say between 145-160 and I'm leaning towards 160 and then foiling and leaving it in a cooler for a few hours to ensure being tender.
 
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I pull them at 145-150, they seem juicier and with the new USDA guidelines 145 is considered done & safe.
 
It is a good thing for the ham to be out of the brine for a few days before smoking. Make sure the ham is dried with paper towels and elevate it over a cookie sheet.  Set it in the fridge and then smoke it...   The ham will take the smoke really well.
 
Pm pops he's very helpful anything you want to do with meat he has been their and done that.IMHO pops has probably forgot more about meat than most of us can remember.
 
Quote:
It is a good thing for the ham to be out of the brine for a few days before smoking. Make sure the ham is dried with paper towels and elevate it over a cookie sheet.  Set it in the fridge and then smoke it...   The ham will take the smoke really well.
Yes, this is the process for bacon. To take the smoke well, you want the meat to be all shiny (from the salt), term for that is the "pellicle".  For smoking bacons and chickens, I have mine in the fridge on a rack over some absorbent paper for a day or so, so the meat surface gets that slight sheen. Most of the recipes for smoking I have warn against smoking meats that are still wet.
 
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