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Brine question

XLentEGG
XLentEGG Posts: 436
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Can honey be used instead of sugar in a brine? Does anyone know how long by weight to brine pork for making ham?
More meat please !! :-)

Comments

  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Feeling better Molly? :huh:
  • Okay....In my mind there is a big difference between brining (flavor and moisture) and making a ham which is a curing process. A "brining" will not make a ham!
    OTOH, yes honey will work in a brine, giving a flavor. As for how much?
    I would venture a guess of about 2 T. (equal to sugar) in conjunction with 1/4 C. of course salt and 1 qt. water for a 6% brine.
  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    Yes.
    Thanks.
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • XLentEGG,

    What Mr. Potatohead said. You can use honey in a cure but be careful that you have some type of curing salts in there. A brine doesn't neccessarily include them

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    You're right. The wet cure solution used for making ham is a brine of sorts, but the stronger solutions needed in this application are called a "pickle". When you add sugar to that solution you get a "sweet pickle". Seriously. Heheee.

    Often, the ham is both submerged in the pickle, and also has some of the pickle injected. Especially in the thicker areas and near the bone. Most of these type of hams are called "city hams". And depending on the procedure(s) used following curing, they can be ready-to-eat, or ready-to-cook.

    If a ham is dry cured (which takes a looooong time) the end product is commonly called a "country ham".
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • XLentEGG
    XLentEGG Posts: 436
    The recipe I was going to use does include the use of either pink salt or tenderquick. I basically have a whole "ham"(back leg) cut into three ham roasts(?). The recipe(playing w/fire/smoke) says to brine/cure for three days.I have no problem finding a nice cold home for the ol' pork for a few days.I just don't know if I am supposed to adjust the curing time due to the fact that the "ham" is not whole. Thats why I was looking for a cure time to weight ratio.
    More meat please !! :-)
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    Figure on one pound per day. :) Flip every or every other day.

    This advice is for a cure...not a brine. BIG difference! ;)

    Brine is a way to add flavor and moisture....cure is a cure.

    You want ham, it must be cured...Not brined.
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    that's a 'pickle' then, not a brine. not that the distinction is a big deal. just saying....

    you need to inject the pickle along the bone in many places as well as submerge it in the pickle. not knowing how thick the pieces are that you have, i'd be estimating a week for the pickling time. a loin will take three days in the pickle. if your pieces are injected and submerged, the biggest i should think would take 6 days to a week. smaller portions maybe 3 to 4 days.

    your only issue in curing too long would be saltiness. the nitrite doesn't really "overcure".
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante