American Style Brown Sugar Glazed Holiday Ham From Charcuterie

NPHuskerFL

I'm not sure how I missed this thread. Do you prefer removing the bone prior to the cure? Why one way vs the other?  I'm thinking of doing a whole green ham cure & smoke for Christmas or New Year's.  I'll likely go bone in again. Lili Ann would be pissed I she doesn't get her treat. ^~^ Not to mention it adds a little zip to green beans etc. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

NPHuskerFL said:

I'm not sure how I missed this thread. Do you prefer removing the bone prior to the cure? Why one way vs the other?  I'm thinking of doing a whole green ham cure & smoke for Christmas or New Year's.  I'll likely go bone in again. Lili Ann would be pissed I she doesn't get her treat. ^~^ Not to mention it adds a little zip to green beans etc. 

we removed it and meat glued it all back together this year. It does make it easier to slice. I don't really have a preference but the recipe is really, really good. It was the hit of Thanksgiving this year. This ham was a little tougher than the one we did last year. Seemed the connective tissue didn't render out as well. Everyone loved it so I may be overthinking it but Janell noticed too. Next year I will sous vide the ham then finish and glaze over apple on the egg.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Here is this year's effort:

Legume

Nice.  Where did you find the fresh ham this year?  I may do this to have on hand for Christmas.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Legume said:

Nice.  Where did you find the fresh ham this year?  I may do this to have on hand for Christmas.

central market. Whole foods has them around the holidays too

NPHuskerFL

Did you retain the bone for later usage?

NPHuskerFL

I don't have nor have I ever used meat glue. Where do you obtain it?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

NPHuskerFL said:

Did you retain the bone for later usage?

yes. We smoked it and janell will use for stock or beans or something.

Meat glue is available at: http://www.modernistpantry.com/moo-gloo-rm-transglutaminase.html

20stone

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

[a bunch of snipped crap about curing a ham]

That ham sounds great, and I am going to try it, but we need to talk about this cornbread situation.

I don't know where you're from, but around here, you use one of these:
https://www.lodgemfg.com/skillets-and-covers/12-inch-cast-iron-skillet.asp

Did you sous vide that cornbread?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

20stone said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

[a bunch of snipped crap about curing a ham]

That ham sounds great, and I am going to try it, but we need to talk about this cornbread situation.

I don't know where you're from, but around here, you use one of these:
https://www.lodgemfg.com/skillets-and-covers/12-inch-cast-iron-skillet.asp

Did you sous vide that cornbread?

Those are jalapeño cheese grits. And they would kick the **** out of cornbread in a street fight. 

20stone

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Those are jalapeño cheese grits. And they would kick the **** out of cornbread in a street fight. 

Now I'm just mad you didn't give me any

The Cen-Tex Smoker

20stone said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Those are jalapeño cheese grits. And they would kick the **** out of cornbread in a street fight. 

Now I'm just mad you didn't give me any

U mad bro? 

Homebrewguy

Was there an explanation why the ham needs to be chilled again after cooking?

DMW

Homebrewguy said:

Was there an explanation why the ham needs to be chilled again after cooking?

So it is ready to be reheated when you are ready to eat it. It is perfectly fine not to cool and reheat, you can eat it after it is cooked the first time. You might want to double smoke it, or just reheat at a more convenient time.

SGH

Brother Tex, I missed the original posting of this thread as it was a little before my time. However I have seen it now. All around great job buddy. 

SGH

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

This recipe is from: Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. You should all own this book if you are at all interested in brining, smoking, curing and using your egg to it's full potential. Great book.

I have a few real "old school" books on curing/preserving/aging that have always served me very well. However on your recommendation I purchased this from iBooks. If it sucks, I want a full refund or your brisket secret in retribution

theyolksonyou

@sgh it doesn't suck. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SGH said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

This recipe is from: Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. You should all own this book if you are at all interested in brining, smoking, curing and using your egg to it's full potential. Great book.

I have a few real "old school" books on curing/preserving/aging that have always served me very well. However on your recommendation I purchased this from iBooks. If it sucks, I want a full refund or your brisket secret in retribution

60/40 pepper/salt. 250 over oak until it's jiggly. 

Paid in in advance if you don't like it  

SGH

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

60/40 pepper/salt. 250 over oak until it's jiggly. 

Paid in in advance if you don't like it  

I'm sure it's a excellent book. Have heard great things about it from several people on this forum as well as a few other forums. For clarity, anyone reading the brisket secret above, he left out the most important ingriedant of all. Unicorn tears

blind99

@sgh Ruhlmans book is excellent. My butcher described it as the Old Testament of charcuterie. He said this one below is the New Testament of charcuterie. (Personally I found it too exotic/esoteric and didn't make anything from it.)

20stone

There are benefits to having a great relationship with your local dirty hippy butcher.  My guy just received a whole hog that is a Duroc Berkie cross, that was pasture raised and was living on acorns.

I am getting a ham and a butt, and am going to cure the ham using this recipe.  I am so, so stoked.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

20stone said:

There are benefits to having a great relationship with your local dirty hippy butcher.  My guy just received a whole hog that is a Duroc Berkie cross, that was pasture raised and was living on acorns.

I am getting a ham and a butt, and am going to cure the ham using this recipe.  I am so, so stoked.

That is awesome. I think you'll dig it.  I found a guy in Floresville/San Antonio area that I'm trying to go see in the next week or so. Texas Heritage Pork. They do some farmers markets and supply one restaurant in Austin (Barley Swine). I'm going to see if I can get some of his fancy pig parts if he delivers to Barley Swine. Otherwise I'll go down to SA and meet him at one of his farmer's markets.

20stone

If you would be into it, you could see if we could get in on the ground floor of a new pig as well.  We'd own it and we would pay him to raise it..... our own Truman.

I soooo need to get a house.  My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies

The Cen-Tex Smoker

20stone said:

If you would be into it, you could see if we could get in on the ground floor of a new pig as well.  We'd own it and we would pay him to raise it..... our own Truman.

I soooo need to get a house.  My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies

uh, yeah. I'm kinda in to it. I'll check it out.

and as for "My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies"

Neither is your garage or your pickup truck situation.

20stone

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

20stone said:

If you would be into it, you could see if we could get in on the ground floor of a new pig as well.  We'd own it and we would pay him to raise it..... our own Truman.

I soooo need to get a house.  My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies

uh, yeah. I'm kinda in to it. I'll check it out.

and as for "My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies"

Neither is your garage or your pickup truck situation.

So, so true.  I plan on solving at least two of my problems in the next couple of months, and maybe the third so that cali and I can bring an egg arsenal to Salado

The Cen-Tex Smoker

20stone said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

20stone said:

If you would be into it, you could see if we could get in on the ground floor of a new pig as well.  We'd own it and we would pay him to raise it..... our own Truman.

I soooo need to get a house.  My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies

uh, yeah. I'm kinda in to it. I'll check it out.

and as for "My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies"

Neither is your garage or your pickup truck situation.

So, so true.  I plan on solving at least two of my problems in the next couple of months, and maybe the third so that cali and I can bring an egg arsenal to Salado

I just sent him a message. He said on his facebook page that he is doing a drop in San Antonio next week for anyone who needs anything. I'll take him up on that if I have to. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

20stone said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

20stone said:

If you would be into it, you could see if we could get in on the ground floor of a new pig as well.  We'd own it and we would pay him to raise it..... our own Truman.

I soooo need to get a house.  My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies

uh, yeah. I'm kinda in to it. I'll check it out.

and as for "My refrigeration is not up to my hobbies"

Neither is your garage or your pickup truck situation.

So, so true.  I plan on solving at least two of my problems in the next couple of months, and maybe the third so that cali and I can bring an egg arsenal to Salado

I just sent him a message. He said on his facebook page that he is doing a drop in San Antonio next week for anyone who needs anything. I'll take him up on that if I have to. 

just talked to them. Might have a half hog on the way in January. They are way behind in keeping up with demand but he said he would definitely have a half hog "or at least some parts" for me soon.

They are adding breeders and doing all they can to keep up with demand. Business is good.

20stone

It pays to have a good butcher, and buddies like @The Cen-Tex Smoker to help you so you don't screw it up.  





1) Before trimming, 18 pounds with skin on and a ton of beautiful, soft fat 2) Brine mix 3) After trimming 4) In the bowl I kept the fat (obviously) and skin. Any good ideas for the skin, besides Texas Chainsaw Massacre reenactments?

SGH

Brother Tex, I'm working on something that you may like. Today I slaughtered 4 hogs. Going to cure one of them (the whole 228 pounds) in 55 gallon plastic drums. Then cold smoke for 15 days. Will send you pics my friend. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SGH said:

Brother Tex, I'm working on something that you may like. Today I slaughtered 4 hogs. Going to cure one of them (the whole 228 pounds) in 55 gallon plastic drums. Then cold smoke for 15 days. Will send you pics my friend. 

That is awesome!