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Fresh 9.5 lb pork ass cheek - how to cook?

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Sea2Ski
Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
in EggHead Forum
So last weekend we butchered 2 pigs, and one was a pure bred mangalitsa. Luckily, I was given one of the ass cheeks.  Not really sure if it is considered a ham if it has not been salted or cured in any way- but I digress. 


I was thinking an overnight brine, season with salt, pepper, some rosemary and a bit of garlic cook at about 300F til low 130s interior, pull it and let it rest for a bit.  The tenderloin we cooked was out of this world. Like a different animal I ever had, so I want to make this as good as possible as well

Anyone done one like this? What was your method? Lessons learned?

I am not going to do it until after Christmas, so I have some time to do some research.  
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Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
....just look for the smoke!
Large and MiniMax
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Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • JethroVA
    JethroVA Posts: 1,251
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    @SGH for any cooking unusual body parts. 
    Richmond and Mathews County, VA. Large BGE, Weber gas, little Weber charcoal. Vintage ManGrates. Little reddish portable kamado that shall remain nameless here.  Very Extremely Stable Genius. 
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  • JustineCaseyFeldown
    JustineCaseyFeldown Posts: 867
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    Ham is the cut, sure. Leg of pork. But most people mean cured when they say ham. So. Depends who yer talkin to i guess

    you can roast it. Or Cure it, whole or cut it into two smaller hams (shank and butt).

    or make a country ham or prosciutto. A bit more work




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  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,729
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    I find that pulled pork from an uncured ham is very different from the shoulder. I still like it, but it's not the same experience.
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
    edited December 2016
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    Thanks guys.  I think I am going to do it as a roast when the time is right, and I am hoping for that to be in < 6 weeks 

    My buddy has 16 more pigs to go and 3 of those sows are pregnant and due to birth in January. Told me I have access to all the pork I want. (Next one I am definitely going to get and cook the head!!) Because of this very fortunate and abundant access, I am eventually going to dry one leg as prosciutto or at least try and make some.   I just have to do more research on the process.  I really wish I had someone around to mentor me to watch for the things that you can not learn by just reading.  Like is the outside drying too fast?  Is it going to slow? Is the good or bad mold? Looks white, but....  wrap in cheesecloth or no? And if so, when?   Not to mention all the other questions I should be asking that I do not even know I should be yet.  That is why I am not trying it with this one. 

    Anyway, when this one gets cooked, I will certainly post it up! 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    I have a mangalitsa ham going in the cure for Christmas dinner today. I have always cured this cut but I'm sure you could do it like any other roast. 

    We cooked a manga head when we butchers this one. It was...interesting to say the least. Mangas are so loaded with fat that it was just a puddle of goo when it was done. Rich, weird, and gooey describes it best
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    edited December 2016
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    Center said.."We cooked a manga head when we butchers this one. It was...interesting to say the least. Mangas are so loaded with fat that it was just a puddle of goo when it was done. Rich, weird, and gooey describes it best"..
    The Heritage Red Waddles that niece and NIL raise are just the opposite...very lean, tasty but lean.  Wonder what a cross would produce?

    Where did y'all have your pig butchered?
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
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    Sea2Ski, NIL, brines then boils and then puts it in smoker.  
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    Austin Egghead said:
    Center said.."We cooked a manga head when we butchers this one. It was...interesting to say the least. Mangas are so loaded with fat that it was just a puddle of goo when it was done. Rich, weird, and gooey describes it best"..
    The Heritage Red Waddles that niece and NIL raise are just the opposite...very lean, tasty but lean.  Wonder what a cross would produce?

    Where did y'all have your pig butchered?
    We butchered it. We had it slaughtered and halved and we did the rest. Doing another one the week after Christmas. 

    We have 2 mangas and 2 manga/swabian hall crosses in the field now. @20stone is looking at other crosses and breeds to play around with. I'm not thrilled with the quantity of meat you get from a 100% manga. No belly to speak of and the loins and chops are small. The meat itself it other worldly though- just not enough of it compared ot how much fat there is. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Killit_and_Grillit
    Killit_and_Grillit Posts: 4,326
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    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

    We cooked a manga head when we butchers this one. It was...interesting to say the least. Mangas are so loaded with fat that it was just a puddle of goo when it was done. Rich, weird, and gooey describes it best
    Well that brings down my excitement level.  No doubt that it is a lard pig. The amount of fat is kinda crazy. These pictures kinda show the difference and should be safe for the forum. I think...

    The first one shows how's the amount of fat under the skin. The second shows the size difference. The two pigs were born 1 month apart to the day. The one in the middle was the manga, and is the one that was a month older.  They are a slower growing animal for sure.



    I am still going to try and cook the head on the next one. I have to, just have to try it. 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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