Pork Shoulder Ham

Zmokin

I'm going to try my first cured ham, but I bought a 1/2 picnic cut to cure (~4 lbs), not the traditional rear leg.
And I want this to be tender like pulled pork.
So I have a question as to how hot to cook it to.  I know I normally cook pork shoulder to 195 or so.
My question is, because it has been cured, is there a reason not to take it to 195 like I do pulled pork?
Most raw hams say to cook to 165.
I was thinking of cooking it to 160-165, and then foiling it and continue cooking to 195.
I will eat a little of it hot, but then my plan is to chill it overnight and then slice it for sandwiches.

I look forward to the wisdom of this forum.

I'm doing this as a stepping stone to curing my own beef for pastrami (so far all of my pastrami cooks start with store bought corned beef).

Cookinbob

I would think at 195 it would shred rather than slice. Probably tasty though.

Zmokin

Cookinbob said:

I would think at 195 it would shred rather than slice. Probably tasty though.

Hmm, hadn't thought of that.  It's only 4 lbs at $2/#, so if it is a disaster, I'm not out much money.
I can always use it up in soups and casseroles if it doesn't make for nice sandwich slices.

I also got 4 lbs of tri-tip on sale at $4/#.  I'm planning on smoking and then reverse sear this bad boy for roast beef sandwiches.  I'll probably cook it up tonight after we get home from dinner.

Big_Green_Craig

I have cured hams before. After curing for 10 days (usually a 20+ lb ham) I smoke it until an internal temp of 165. If you run all the way to 195 like a traditional shoulder it will be over cooked and shred. 

Zmokin

Big_Green_Craig said:

I have cured hams before. After curing for 10 days (usually a 20+ lb ham) I smoke it until an internal temp of 165. If you run all the way to 195 like a traditional shoulder it will be over cooked and shred. 

I want to make sure the collagen breaks down. 
What do you think of smoking it to 165, and then foil and place in the oven at 165 for 2 hours?
Or does the curing help with the collagen break down and that is why it's done at 165?

Zmokin

I just had a brain fart of an idea.  Seeing as how I'm experimenting anyway.  I'm going to pull it at 165, cut it in 1/2, foil 1/2 and back in to 195.  The other 1/2, FTC it until the other one hits 195.
Snack on a little of both, chill and see how they slice up cold the next day.

Thatgrimguy

Perfect idea!  Let us know. I have a feeling the 195 one won't slice.

Mickey

NAKED HAM / SMOKE ONLY Let me start that for the past 6 years i have only cooked Egerts Ham (this is an outstanding ham Egged on the BGE). A short while ago went looking for (did not know this at the time) a naked ham / smoke only. Looking at other ways to do a ham w/o the burbon, maple syrup, brown sugar, NO ANYTHING. Guys this was outstanding ham. It tasted like ham. It was a 7 lb Cooks ham (shank) and NOTHING was put on it (Nothing). Just smoke: both lots of Sugar Maple and cherry chunks. Cooked at 300 till 135. I did score the ham deep. Cooked indirect. New item: just did spiral and worked out fine.

Thatgrimguy

You ever do this?

Cowdogs

I think curing extracts moisture and changes the meat's texture.  You might get something that falls aparts, but I think it will be dry and not very tasty.

From the pastrami page of a well respected BBQ website:  http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/05/beef-pastrami.html

TENDERNESS NOTE:  Corning is a form of curing and the process imparts some changes to the meat.... color, texture, flavor etc.  So when cooking or smoking,  it does not perform like raw non-cured meat.  Think of the differences between a ham and a fresh pork roast and you will understand what I mean.

Zmokin

Thatgrimguy said:

You ever do this?

Yep, did it last weekend, but then was so busy dong other stuff, I hadn't gotten around to uploading pics until today.

So, overall it came out pretty good.  Cure wasn't complete, even though I was over the 1 day/2 lbs of meat, the cure didn't penetrate all the way, so I have part ham and part pork.
Also, I didn't realize I had a big bone in the middle, so that kaibashed my plan to cut in half and cook some longer.  So I ended up foiling at 160, pulling at 175, and it climbed to 185 resting.
I snacked on some while hot, then chilled.  carved most of the meat off the bone, then sliced.
I ended up using about a 1/3 of it in a slow-cooker scalloped potato recipe for dinner and the rest is frozen in ziplocs at 2.5 oz increments for sandwiches.





Sorry, I'm not the best picture taker, in fact, I'm probably one of the worst when it comes to having a steady hand.

Cookinbob

So if you do it again, what would you do different?

Zmokin

Cookinbob said:

So if you do it again, what would you do different?

See about getting a boneless cut.

let it cure longer than 1 day per 2 lbs.  Maybe try injecting cure to improve penetration.

Also, my next cure will likely be corning some beef for pastrami.
I'm thinking of making pastrami from Tri Tip.

Zmokin

Zmokin said:

Cookinbob said:

So if you do it again, what would you do different?

See about getting a boneless cut.

let it cure longer than 1 day per 2 lbs.  Maybe try injecting cure to improve penetration.

Also, my next cure will likely be corning some beef for pastrami.
I'm thinking of making pastrami from Tri Tip.

OK, I tried curing both some beef and some pork (seperate cures).  The pork seemed over cured, the outside was changing color and turned to mush when I tried making ground ham.  I cooked a small piece from the middle and it was a little bitter.  I ended up throwing it away without making the ham balls I had planned on.  The beef came out better, but I'm still not pleased with the overall result of my home cured Pastrami.  I think going forward, I am going to stick with buying corned beef in a bag for my home smoked pastrami and stick with buying uncooked hams instead of trying to cure my own.