# Curing Fresh Home for Smoking



## james211 (Nov 6, 2018)

I've been dying to try a fresh ham using the rotisserie on my BGE so I picked up a ham yesterday, and the Prague#1 is arriving today.  I've been reading about the brining process and I'm seeing two different types - dry brine and wet brine (submerged) and I'm confused which is the proper way to do it? 

Is one option better than the other or is there really only one correct option?


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## daveomak (Nov 6, 2018)

I have had a similar problem....  which to use....   Sooooo, I looked at the alternatives and decided to develop a method close to commercial processing...  Injection....   Check out the thread following....
If you have any questions, I'm here....
Skip using the cryo bag and put the ham in a 2 gallon zip bag....
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/ham-easy-peasy-no-mess-disclaimer-money.276489/


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## tropics (Nov 6, 2018)

james211 said:


> I picked up a ham yesterday



Hams are already cured!! Other wise they are sold as Fresh Pork Shoulders or Butts


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## Bearcarver (Nov 6, 2018)

If you want to do a Ham from scratch, I'd follow *"

 daveomak
".*

Bear


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## zwiller (Nov 6, 2018)

tropics said:


> Hams are already cured!! Other wise they are sold as Fresh Pork Shoulders or Butts



Same thought here.  If it is already ham, check out Bear's double smoke step by steps.


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## james211 (Nov 6, 2018)

zwiller said:


> Same thought here.  If it is already ham, check out Bear's double smoke step by steps.



Interesting, I was under the impression a fresh ham was not cured.  Upon doing a quick google search I found this "Most *ham* that's purchased is either *cured* or smoked. A *fresh ham* is one that hasn't been *cured* or smoked. It is essentially raw pork that must be completely cooked."

I'll check out the previous recommendations.  Thank you.


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## tropics (Nov 6, 2018)

james211 said:


> Interesting, I was under the impression a fresh ham was not cured.  Upon doing a quick google search I found this "Most *ham* that's purchased is either *cured* or smoked. A *fresh ham* is one that hasn't been *cured* or smoked. It is essentially raw pork that must be completely cooked."
> 
> I'll check out the previous recommendations.  Thank you.


If you can Please post a pic of what you bought,in the wrapper.That would help clear this up I am only going by what you said,"I picked up a ham yesterday"
Richie


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## james211 (Nov 6, 2018)

no problem, here you go...still bloody too!  I specifically asked for an uncured, raw ham, so this is what they sold me.


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## HalfSmoked (Nov 6, 2018)

Looks to me like its a uncured fresh ham. Just my $.02

Warren


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## tropics (Nov 6, 2018)

You are good with that to cure,sorry I was only interested in your safety.
I recommend Pops brine for curing,I used the low salt on mine.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...time-started-2-28-18-finished-3-31-18.273255/
Richie
Remember to post it when it is done.


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## zwiller (Nov 6, 2018)

+1;  Looks like you got what you need.  Pops brine would be great (inject some if you do) but the Omak thread covers all the important steps, pellicle, cold smoke, etc for a first timer.  Tons of ways to cure, no real wrong way.  Try them all and decide for yourself is my mentality.


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## browneyesvictim (Nov 6, 2018)

For some immediate gratification, just get an already smoked ham and heat it up on your rotisserie on your BGE like you want to do, and it will be fantastic.

Now if you want to start from scratch and cure your own ham first, this is a league all in itself. A Picnic is your classic cut of pork that looks like a ham. Now I see you just posted a picture and that is indeed what you have there.

You will need to wet cure using Pops recipe and you will need to inject that into the ham as well
or straight injection with daveomaks method with a 10% solution.

Daveo's method is faster and better outcome in my opinion, but either will work.


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## james211 (Nov 6, 2018)

appreciate that advice 

 browneyesvictim
 but at this moment its about the challenge :)

Also, any suggestions on curing by weight?  

And is this the correct recipe for Pops Brine?  Loads of things show up when I search that..https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ams/pops-wet-curing-brine.9561/


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## tropics (Nov 6, 2018)

james211 said:


> appreciate that advice
> 
> browneyesvictim
> but at this moment its about the challenge :)
> ...



That is the one in my link
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...time-started-2-28-18-finished-3-31-18.273255/
Richie


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## browneyesvictim (Nov 6, 2018)

james211 said:


> Also, any suggestions on curing by weight?



Curing by weight will be done with DaveO's easy-peasy injection method. (Daves link in post #2)

If you make up a gallon or two of pops brine in a 5 gallon bucket, you can simply inject it in your ham as thoroughly as possible, and then immerse the ham in the brine for the proscribed period. Weight of the ham is not factored in with this method, but still falls within guidelines through equilibrium.


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## tropics (Nov 6, 2018)

james The dry cure that a lot of us use,is by the weight of the meat.That is a big piece of meat to try dry curing,you would be chancing bone sour.
http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html


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## indaswamp (Nov 15, 2018)

tropics said:


> Hams are already cured!! Other wise they are sold as Fresh Pork Shoulders or Butts



Actually, the butt portion is from the front shoulder of the pig. it's high on the hog above the shoulder. the bone you cut out is the shoulder bone. The back legs are called fresh hams when they are raw. If it's cured/cooked, they just call it ham.


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## bill ace 350 (Nov 16, 2018)

I recommend Pop's brine. He has instructions on making it and using it for Hams. Great stuff.


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## james211 (Nov 16, 2018)

Hello, so I went ahead and did the 

 daveomak
 method - https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/ham-easy-peasy-no-mess-disclaimer-money.276489/

So far the ham has been curing now for 7 days.  I checked on it today, no mold, and it smells pretty darn good actually.  Is it safe to say I'm on the right track?

Forgive me for being paranoid, but I am paranoid about spoilage given this is my first time doing this.  Any advice, guidance or words of wisdom would be great!

Thank you!


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## daveomak (Nov 16, 2018)

If you injected ~ 1.5" intervals, the ingredients "should" have the inside of the ham totally mingled (figuring 7 days travel per inch)..   Everything the ham needs is inside...  No worries about ingredient penetration as their is with a brine cure..   They are the same only faster and you have the assurance the ham, on the inside, is covered...


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## indaswamp (Nov 16, 2018)

Question for ya Dave-

Do you sterilize the needle prior to injection to prevent the introduction of bad bugs?


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## james211 (Nov 16, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> Question for ya Dave-
> 
> Do you sterilize the needle prior to injection to prevent the introduction of bad bugs?



I'm not sure if he does, but I ran vinegar through the needle and inside the injector several times, also rinsed the inside of the bag with vinegar


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## daveomak (Nov 16, 2018)

Sterilize the needle prior to the first "suck" of the brine / cure mix...   along with the syringe...  Then it don't matter...  If your injection stuff is contaminated, .....  oh well.....     Cooking should kill any pathogens in the brine....


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## james211 (Nov 19, 2018)

So I'm trying to figure out which day to cook this ham for thanksgiving to make sure I get the best flavor.  I know most of the time when I cook things on my egg they usually taste the best a day after, is it safe to assume for the ham?  Or do you think it needs more than a day to rest?  I'm going to do it on a rotisserie with a maple / sugar glaze.


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## james211 (Nov 20, 2018)

daveomak


 chef jimmyj
 are dark spots at injection points common?  The ham smells amazing!!

Also, I left the skin on with hopes of getting some good crispy skin while cooking it on rotisserie, but after reading that no smoke will penetrate I’m going to remove it today before cooking.  

I presume that since the meat was injected, leaving the skin on will have no ill effects on the curing?


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## daveomak (Nov 20, 2018)

You got it...   All the necessary stuff to cure the meat, has been weighed and is inside...


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 20, 2018)

^^^^^ X2 ^^^^^ Good luck and enjoy...JJ


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## james211 (Nov 20, 2018)

Well I failed, there was a big brown ring on the putter edge

Off to buy a ham. Still going to do it on rotisserie even though it’s smoked already.  Can I still do the injection recipe without the Prague#1?


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## baboy (Nov 20, 2018)

I used pops brine the first time with a deboned ham that i had netted. Did not inject and cured for about 25 days. Did the smoke and looked good until i cut it in two and there was a grey uncured center. Threw that one out and the next time I deboned the ham and did not net it until after the brine was completed. I also injected it twice during the brine which was about 1 month. 
Turned out fabulous


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## chopsaw (Nov 20, 2018)

james211 said:


> Well I failed, there was a big brown ring on the putter edge
> 
> Off to buy a ham. Still going to do it on rotisserie even though it’s smoked already.  Can I still do the injection recipe without the Prague#1?


I'd like to see a picture if you still have it .


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## indaswamp (Nov 20, 2018)

X2 chopsaw...


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## daveomak (Nov 20, 2018)

At a 25 day cure, and penetration of 1" per 7 days, that's about a 3 1/2" outer ring that would have been cured...  All things being perfect...   Anything over 2" thickness should be injected with the brine cure solution.. especially around the bone and joints...   Inject as much as you can unless you can calculate the amount of cure you are injecting...


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## james211 (Nov 20, 2018)

I already threw it out, it was grey on one end, and about a 1/2" around the entire base was grey.  I wasn't going to risk it.  Picked up a smoked ham today, going to do @Bearcarver 's method with this one.  I'll try another raw fresh ham after Thanksgiving.  I picked up a better injection kit with long needles and such.  And I'll be better prepared next time.  Learn from mistakes...thats all there is to it!


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## chopsaw (Nov 20, 2018)

Well , bears dbl smoked ham is a good one . Not sure if I missed it above or not , but make sure of your fridge temp before you do the next one . I have mine at 36 degrees .


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## daveomak (Nov 20, 2018)

Try my method....  You weigh out the correct amount of stuff...  Dissolve in a 5 or 10% amount on liquid based on the weight of the meat, and inject ALL of it...  You know it's all in there..
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/ham-from-fresh-picnics-update-10-21-money.236375/


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## james211 (Dec 1, 2018)

daveomak


Picked up a much better injector, long needles as well. Going to try this again, hoping not to miss any spots this time. 

 What are your thoughts on injecting your cure and submerging in a solution (yet to be determined) at the same time?


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## daveomak (Dec 1, 2018)

When injecting by my numbers, everything the meat needs is inside...  Submerging will only screw up the cure...  either taking away or adding to the calculated necessities...   Once injected, place in a zip bag to catch any leakage...  then the drippings can be reabsorbed...  If you don't, no biggie as a loss of up to ~20% is still acceptable and withing guidelines from the USDA....   0.80 x 156 Ppm = 125 Ppm...


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## james211 (Dec 1, 2018)

Got it!  Guess I’ll try it again!  I’m determined to succeed on round two. Appreciate your patience with my stupid questions.


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## daveomak (Dec 1, 2018)

No questions are stupid...  We are all here to learn...  If you need anything else answered, we are all here....


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