# Curing in the Deep South ??



## choupic (May 12, 2013)

I watched a video on YouTube the other day and an old timer from Kentucky was curing some hams . Well , he put up those hams and he ate some pork off of a ham he had cured from 7 years before ! 

It looked as though he was up in the mountains , pretty high elevation anyway . But is this possible ? And would this be possible to do in say , south Louisiana , with our high heat and humidity during the summer months ?


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## daveomak (May 14, 2013)

I don't know if the temp and humidity would be good for curing hams....  someone with more knowledge will have to answer your question...  

Dave


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## roller (May 14, 2013)

I`ve seen that video..I want to do one for a year..there are more videos on the subject on youtube did you watch them ?


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## chef jimmyj (May 14, 2013)

Eating a 7 year old properly cured country ham is no problem though the flavor, before soaking, would be pretty hardcore intense and salty...JJ


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## Bearcarver (May 14, 2013)

7 years???

A little warm & wet down there for that. Could give you the 7 year itch, or worse!!!

Bear


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## roller (May 14, 2013)

Bearcarver said:


> 7 years???
> 
> A little warm & wet down there for that. Could give you the 7 year itch, or worse!!!
> 
> Bear


I`ve had that !
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  

Where you live it would probably have to be kept in your house w/air-conditioning 4 or 5 months out of every year and lots of salt and lard on it to keep the buggers out...


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## mr t 59874 (May 14, 2013)

Choupic said:


> I watched a video on YouTube the other day and an old timer from Kentucky was curing some hams . Well , he put up those hams and he ate some pork off of a ham he had cured from 7 years before !
> 
> But is this possible ? And would this be possible to do in say , south Louisiana , with our high heat and humidity during the summer months ?


It would be best to do your curing in the cooler months in your location.  The only problem you will encounter will be keeping the aging temperature below 90°.  The reason for this is, if the temperature goes above 90° it retards or destroys the enzymes that are beneficial in the aging process.  If the temperature begins to get close to 90° the hams can be placed in a refrigerator and kept until cooler weather.

Tom


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## choupic (May 14, 2013)

Roller said:


> I`ve seen that video..I want to do one for a year..there are more videos on the subject on youtube did you watch them ?



Yes , I've watched quite a few but that one was pretty interesting . This guy put red and white pepper with the salt , he said the pepper keeps the bugs out of it .


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## choupic (May 14, 2013)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Eating a 7 year old properly cured country ham is no problem though the flavor, before soaking, would be pretty hardcore intense and salty...JJ



Yeah you would think , but the older gentleman said that it tasted just as good as the day he put it up .


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## choupic (May 14, 2013)

Mr T 59874 said:


> It would be best to do your curing in the cooler months in your location.  The only problem you will encounter will be keeping the aging temperature below 90°.  The reason for this is, if the temperature goes above 90° it retards or destroys the enzymes that are beneficial in the aging process.  If the temperature begins to get close to 90° the hams can be placed in a refrigerator and kept until cooler weather.
> 
> Tom



I see ... I've heard of old people in my area keeping their pork in wooden barrels in some type of solution . 

Very interesting stuff either way .. Thanks for y'all comments !


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## chef jimmyj (May 14, 2013)

Choupic said:


> I see ... I've heard of old people in my area keeping their pork in wooden barrels in some type of solution .
> 
> Very interesting stuff either way .. Thanks for y'all comments !


That Pork may very well be for the Pickled Pork that is classic in Red Beans and Rice...JJ


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## foamheart (May 16, 2013)

Lake Maurpaus? Heck you didn't even get cold enough this last winter to butcher a hog, did ya? The cures available these days may help, curing a ham or bacon is on my to-do list but in S Louisiana we seem to be losing all our cool winter days. The begining, for the first 30 to 45 days I understand you need it around 35 to 40 degrees. Thats with the instant cure injected all along the bones along with the cure/salt.

I think we have seen such a change in the weather that currently in this part of the world I don't think I am going to try it. Maybe a bacon, but an old style salt or sugar rubbed ham I would be scared of because of the temps.

'Course thats just my opinion and we all know what opinions are like............ I mean what do I know, I can ruin a brisket in brine!


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## choupic (May 16, 2013)

Yeah our winter was pretty mild to say the least . The good part about it was that we take long boat rides to deer hunt , so it wasn't that bad this year as far as being cold in the boat .

Dang fruit trees are all screwed up from the crazy spring we had too . They didn't know whether to make flowers or drop leaves ... 

I'm guessing Ill just keep freezing our meats , our Mosquitos down here can suck the bone marrow out of a ham ! Lol 

What area are you from foam heart ?


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## foamheart (May 16, 2013)

Between Baton Rouge and New Orleans on the east bank of the river. AND south of I-10! LOL


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## kathrynn (May 16, 2013)

You guys are talking about God's country!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Kat


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## foamheart (May 16, 2013)

I don't know, I am still pretty partial to that lake at Guntersville, best country breakfast in the whole USA!  The Best Western on the lake that used to be a holiday inn. Good stuff, fun lake and nice people. Add some cold beer and what more could ya want?


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## kathrynn (May 16, 2013)

Foam....it is pretty up here in the Foot Hills!  But....love me some New Orleans too!

Kat


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## choupic (May 16, 2013)

With the work I do , I've traveled a good bit all over the country , and have seen some beautiful places . 

Something about this mud , blood , and briars I just can't stay gone for long . 

If we just had some descent politicians running this place , it would truely be gods country ! Lol













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This is my son on one of those short sleeve January deer hunts .


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## mr t 59874 (May 17, 2013)

Love the crawfish and gator meat, but with no mountains, how in the world do you know were your at? 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Tom


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## choupic (May 17, 2013)

Sometimes getting lost is a good thing Mr T ... 

Gator meat is terrible . Lol it taste just like it smells when you skin them . I love me some crawfish though , and have to hide the smoked garfish because my kids eat that like candy .


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## foamheart (May 17, 2013)

Mmmmm......... Garfish balls. I never thought of smoking it!

Gator is really not that bad, you have to really clean it well. Plus its kind of like blackened fish, neither was ever heard of let alone nationally known when most non-tourists here were kids. Alligator sauce piquante, now there is the best way to cook it. Low and slow in hot tomato juices! Aiiiiieeeeee!! That be some good stuff maynard! Loads of long necks!!

Getting lost is just not an option, you may do it once but after an evening in the swamp, ( in the evening it does cool off enough so the mosquitos come out, its too hot during the day), you will learn to either mark you trail or carry a compass.

Chopic, name that fish!

http://bayouwoman.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/rickey-big-gar-5-2013-9.jpg


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## choupic (May 17, 2013)

Oh ... Lol I saw him on tv this morning , the Cajun Favio . We catch a few too yeah













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Frogs too













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We usually make gar patties but just started smoking it so we cut it in strips and make like a jerky . It's sooo good it almost taste like bacon with a faint hint of fish  ... Really good stuff !


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## foamheart (May 17, 2013)

Now that is one impressive frog! Almost have to smoke those legs low and slow....... you figure 7 or 8 hours, whats your IT?  Too big to fry!

How can ya clean that gar? I don't see a cane knife anywhere?

I always smile when someone asked about the huge nail driven up thru our homemade picnic table with a sharpened point. We keep a board on top of it so no one should get accidently hurt. The table top and seats are made with oak 2 x 12's. You gotta love the oil field!


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## Bearcarver (May 18, 2013)

I saw that Frog on TV----"The Creature From The Black Lagoon".
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Bear


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## choupic (May 18, 2013)

Actually we didn't catch that frog but we were in the blind river frog rodeo where it won big frog . I think it was 2 1-2 lbs . It came from the rice fields of southwest La . 













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We normally clean and put the gar meat on ice straight out of the water . That's our cleaning board and theres the cane knife in the front of the boat ... We don't leave home without it . It's almost as important as the boat motor .. Lol 

I've never had it but they say the old people put the smoked gar in gumbo. If I can save some next go round I will definitely try it in some gumbo !

Here are some of our puny frogs ..












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## eman (May 18, 2013)

Don't use cane knife anymore. 18v sawzall works Great.


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