# slime.........



## chefrob (Feb 9, 2012)

i wanted to try a ham so i found a bone in "leg" as they marked it but it didn't look like a full ham so to speak on sale and figured i'd give it a try. i so i've had this deboned and tied leg in a brine for 3 weeks and every week i turn the hunk around. so this is my last week and i pull the bag of water of the top and some slime drips off the bag. it don't smell horible but it don't smell great. i pulled the hunk out to inspect it and it looks and smells o.k. but but there is a little area where the bag was that isn't bright pink like cure meat. i have seen this when making bucky but i never got any slime. the solution it self is not slimey but it does not have a thin viscosity like in the beginning. anyone out there ever run into this? i did weigh it and injected it with the brine/cure. i don't have my notes right now but i will post them in the morning since i am off for the next 2 days.


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## chefrob (Feb 9, 2012)

some more info....

i made 2.5 gal brine based on "pop's" recipe of:
1 gal distilled water
1 c. raw sugar
1/4 c. b. sugar
3/4 c. salt
1 T. cure #1
1/2 T. granulated onion
1/2 T granulated garlic

i injected about 16 oz by weight into the 11# of meat.

after inspecting visually (pink), by touch(firm like cured BBB) and by smell (no off smells) i decided to do a fry test and there were no off flavors and i could taste the salt, sugar and spices....i did decide to soak it over night before i smoke it tomorrow....this only ran me $14 so i ain't bothered if i gotta toss it, i don't mind running it's course for the purpose of learning and all to see.


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## alblancher (Feb 9, 2012)

When I read your first reference ot the slime problem i figured you'd jump on it and figure it out for us!   Let us know what you find,  thanks.


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## chefrob (Feb 9, 2012)

i was given a link by a member to another site where someone had a similar thing and a possible explaination was given....


> The *slimy* brine sounds like it might be a Lacto infection, as you sometimes get in home brew. In liquid culture the lacto baccilus grow in long invisible strands, turning the liquid gloopy.


http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=3396&highlight=slimy+ham

thx dan........


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## miamirick (Feb 9, 2012)

sometimes a little slime aint all that bad!


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## chefrob (Feb 9, 2012)

i got shot pops a PM and this was his response:


> Surface scum can accumulate on the brine; after all it is a sugar based liquid and eventually will ferment;


 thx pops...........


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## chefrob (Feb 10, 2012)

here is a follow up response to my question about the viscosity change of the brine....


> The brining process is through osmosis as well as immersion and you are infusing salted and sugared water into it, and removing blood and bodily fluids and fats from the meat back into the brine, hence a thickening of the brine does occur.


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## chefrob (Feb 10, 2012)

after about 9 hrs i pulled this off the smoker @ 155 and let it rest for about 20 min before giving it a test.....
 

























my g/f and i tried a little bit and this thing tasted awesome and i am not a huge fan of ham like she is..........

lets see how we fair through the night! that being said i would not have even tested it if i did not think this was a safe or wholesome piece of meat. i will report if i have any unusual reports.........


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## venture (Feb 10, 2012)

Rob?

I would take all that slimey stuff I could get?

Good luck and good smoking.


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## sprky (Feb 11, 2012)

Man that looks good


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## DanMcG (Feb 11, 2012)

Looks great Rob!


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## pops6927 (Feb 11, 2012)

Looks delicious!  Great color and cured all the way through!


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## boykjo (Feb 11, 2012)

Very nice work Rob...... It looks delicious

Joe


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