Fridge Died, will freeze hurt my ham?

[DailyLunatic]

My second attempt at a ham. Using the Equilibrium Dry Curing method (in a vacuum bag) and the fridge died. Wife won't let me use the main fridge for a three week cure so I set up an old small one like used in a collage dorm. It was old and gave up the ghost. I caught it before it lost its chill. (Noticed it wasn't making noise anymore.)

Problem is it died less than a week into a three week cure. I've moved the two loin hams to the freezer until I get a 'real' fridge.

My question is, how will this freeze interruption in the cure affect my hams? Obviously the clock has stopped, but are there any other considerations?

-sterling

 

[Steve H]

Not sure what your wife's beef is about you putting it in the fridge. If it is vac sealed it isn't going to smell or anything. I'm guessing there's no room? Can things from the fridge get moved to the freezer?
I don't know whether freezing it will alter the process. I wouldn't have done it.

 

[chopsaw]

Freezing won't hurt it at all . Might even benefit from it .
If you're worried about it when you take it out , just cook it at a higher temp to get it done . You have no issues though .

Obviously the clock has stopped,

I'm not sure about that . I know we're gonna get the comments about the science part of it , but I've seen and have had examples myself were it comes out cured .

 

[DailyLunatic]

Not sure what your wife's beef is about you putting it in the fridge. If it is vac sealed it isn't going to smell or anything. I'm guessing there's no room? Can things from the fridge get moved to the freezer?
I don't know whether freezing it will alter the process. I wouldn't have done it.

Yeah, it's a size issue. Fridges here (Thailand) lean to the small side.
A chest style for the storage room is in the works (Mine! All mine! Now I can chill more than one bottle of beer at a time. Moohahaha!), but will be a couple of weeks.

-sterling

 

[Steve H]

Yeah, it's a size issue. Fridges here (Thailand) lean to the small side.
A chest style for the storage room is in the works (Mine! All mine! Now I can chill more than one bottle of beer at a time. Moohahaha!), but will be a couple of weeks.

-sterling

I can't live without my beer fridge. Or. As Ann says. The science lab! Things have been known to grow in there.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Being a week into cure on a loin and vacuumed I think your ok. You are very close if not at a complete cure, the extra time is really about equalization (another week or more) so I would think you can complete the equalization later. I probably would have looked into a block of dry ice for the little fridge or even just put them on ice in a cooler for another week then smoke or cook but that’s just me.

 

[noboundaries]

We have very little refrigerator free space. When I need extra cooling, I freeze plastic water bottles (96 oz) and put one in a cooler with the vac-sealed meat. Every 24 hours I swap the first bottle with a new frozen bottle, placing the first one back in the freezer. It's a cheap alternative to another fridge. I've brined turkeys and whole chickens in bags like this too.

I've never interrupted a ham cure like mentioned, but I've cured pork butts for buckboard bacon in the cooler.

I do season, vac-seal, and freeze thick chop-cut pork loins quite often. They behave as they should once thawed, remaining moist and tender when cooked.

 

[missmargaret]

I think freezing can actually help to pause the curing process, allowing you to resume it at a later time without overcuring the hams.

Once you have a new fridge, you can simply thaw the hams in the refrigerator and continue the curing process as usual. There is no need to start over from scratch.

And a tip from me - once thawed, the hams can be cured for an additional 1-2 weeks*

 

[bill1]

We have very little refrigerator free space. When I need extra cooling, I freeze plastic water bottles (96 oz) and put one in a cooler with the vac-sealed meat. Every 24 hours I swap the first bottle with a new frozen bottle, placing the first one back in the freezer. It's a cheap alternative to another fridge...

Good suggestion. And if you don't have a cooler, cut 6 pieces of styrofoam to make one. Duct Tape up 4 sides and a bottom and the top cover you can just weight down with a book.

 

[indaswamp]

We have very little refrigerator free space. When I need extra cooling, I freeze plastic water bottles (96 oz) and put one in a cooler with the vac-sealed meat. Every 24 hours I swap the first bottle with a new frozen bottle, placing the first one back in the freezer. It's a cheap alternative to another fridge. I've brined turkeys and whole chickens in bags like this too.

I've never interrupted a ham cure like mentioned, but I've cured pork butts for buckboard bacon in the cooler.

I do season, vac-seal, and freeze thick chop-cut pork loins quite often. They behave as they should once thawed, remaining moist and tender when cooked.

Solid plan. When I make large batches of sausage, I clear out a shelf in one of the freezers and pack it all in a thick yeti knock off ice chest. I leave it in there until the sausages are finished stuffing....sometimes 7-8 hours....and nothing ever thaws. I just pack it all back on the shelf. Works great.