My first cure

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squirrel

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
May 7, 2010
1,598
88
augusta ga
I'm an all or nothing kinda gal. I have no fear of failure, because I'm so accustomed to it. LOL! I guess I figure if I don't try then I'll never know. Well, lady luck was with me as I took on my very first cure. I got me a 7.25 lb. pork shoulder picnic. I brined in water, kosher salt, pink salt (prague no. 1) brown sugar for four days in the fridge. I took it out, rinsed THOROUGHLY and let air dry in the fridge overnight. I put in on the smoker this a.m. and smoked at 225F until the IT reached 157F. Wrapped and let it rest. I just sliced some up and holy cow. I will never buy ham again. It just doesn't make sense. It is juicy, smokey and very tender. Oh yea, I removed all that yummy skin and plan to make homemade pork rinds with it. Go Squirrel!!

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I'm with ya girl!!! I've been working on hams too I'll never buy one either good job
 
That looks great Squirrel,nice job. I was going to say 4 days in the brine seemed a little short but by the color of the meat in the last pic I think you got it!
 
I just order two pork bellies and am going to use the same guys recipe for curing and smoking my own bacon! Yummmmm. BACONBACONBACON!!!!!!!!!
 
It looks awesome
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I just order two pork bellies and am going to use the same guys recipe for curing and smoking my own bacon! Yummmmm. BACONBACONBACON!!!!!!!!!
where did you order it? Im wanting to do my own but am having a hard time finding belly. Did you find a store or was it some type of local place?

Also where do yall find pink salt for curing. does this have to be bought online or a specialty place or is there a normal everyday store you can get it from
 
This small little town I live in just got a new butcher shop! An old fashioned one at that! I'm in hog heaven. He can order pretty much anything I want. I've also had good luck asking the butcher in chain stores to order special stuff for me too. You might wanna give that a try. Here is where I get my pink salt:

http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/curing-salt

I love their stuff, order all my spices from them.
 
I just order two pork bellies and am going to use the same guys recipe for curing and smoking my own bacon! Yummmmm. BACONBACONBACON!!!!!!!!!
Oh Gawd... NEVER post "B..B..B.."  You will have a Bearcarver stalker...
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Great looking ham, Squirrel!
 
 
hey warren,

 bayou chillihead said he has found bellies at hi nabor -jones creek.
 
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Great job on the ham you have done there Cheryl. Now my kids looked at me funny the first time I served smoked ham. They all looked at the ham and then looked a me then each other and in six part harmony rang out with "That's not ham it's GRAY and ham in pink" But they all tasted it and then liked the gray ham. Now if I can get my hands on some green eggs we would be in a fantasy land then looking for that dang old Plane. Now I will cure me one of them and let's just see what they say now.Buy the way the more stuff you make from scratch the less you will buy from the store. Just wait till you try that bacon you would be buying bacon again. I just ran out of the 20 some pounds I made with Jerry, Brian, and Justin. But no fear I have a full 12lb belly that I just picked up. One thing thou you can't't over cure your ham or bacon so I usually cure it over the time that they say Bacon I cure it for 14 days and my corned beefs I take for at least 14 days too.I know it's hard to cure things for that long but it's really worth it. I really don't do waiting very well either.
 
Great looking ham!  I'm going to do one too.  I made my first batch of bacon -- and what mballi said is so -- once you start making these things from scratch, you'll hate to buy it from a store.  Just doesn't taste the same -- and you can't beat the satisfaction of eating something you prepared.

I have a second batch of bacon curring, along with a slab of panchetta nearly ready to hang to dry.

Now I gotta cure and smoke a ham!
 
Very cool, I love me some ham and you just made it look really easy. Gonna have to try this out. Thanks for sharing
 
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