Making ham in smoker from pork roast

[Jstpssng]

There’s a myriad of recipes available on the internet yet many just say something like “rub in sea salt and cook for two hours until done. Add liquid smoke if you want to.” To me that’s just seasoned pork; ham is soaked for days in brine, then slow smoked until done. And it’s PINK!

I did an eight lb roast for Easter last year and it came out great. However, even after following the recipe, the center still was just pork.
I’ve got this year’s roast soaking for another holiday meal. I bought an injector, hopefully that will help.
Next is the two pork bellies in the freezer... where’s that :licking: icon when I need it?
My biggest decision was to use Prague’s #1... as much as I would like to avoid nitrates, I really don’t want food poisoning. I’ve already tried that and didn’t like it.


I’m sure that TnAndy has some good recipes, and other members as well. Care to share?

 

[jeff9366]

My father owned and operated a successful retail meat market when I was growing up.

We used to prepare numerous types of salted meat, especially pork and beef. In addition, lord knows how many slaughter houses, by- product processors, smoke houses, etc., I visited with my father.

We had large, pumps for injecting brine into cuts like "corned" beef and tongues, corned pork hocks, etc. The pumping definitely inflated the meat with brine, which is why the processed cuts sold for no more per pound than the fresh alternatives.

After being pumped, the corned cuts were further soaked in brine within stainless steel barrels, maintained at 25 degrees Fahrenheit in a dedicated locker, for four to six weeks. I suppose we sold 200 - 300 pounds of corned meat per week.

The retail ready products were stable.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

By coincidence..... About every other year it works out to be, we run into a good sale on whole shoulder hams... Big 10-12 kilo shrink wrapped things.. Last spring we had freezer room and stocked 8 of these..

Our favorite process is to thaw, cut into manageable pieces.. Run through the smoker until about 3/4 done, about 140F internal or so.. Cut into cubes and raw pack pressure can... This yields a fully cooked product that is very versatile for many uses...

We also grind and render the most beautiful pure lard.... Fresh, warm ground cracklins on toast is as good as bacon...

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Will be following this. Buddy just killed a huge wild boar and I would like to make a ham out of one of the roasts.

 

[etpm]

There’s a myriad of recipes available on the internet yet many just say something like “rub in sea salt and cook for two hours until done. Add liquid smoke if you want to.” To me that’s just seasoned pork; ham is soaked for days in brine, then slow smoked until done. And it’s PINK!

I did an eight lb roast for Easter last year and it came out great. However, even after following the recipe, the center still was just pork.
I’ve got this year’s roast soaking for another holiday meal. I bought an injector, hopefully that will help.
Next is the two pork bellies in the freezer... where’s that :licking: icon when I need it?
My biggest decision was to use Prague’s #1... as much as I would like to avoid nitrates, I really don’t want food poisoning. I’ve already tried that and didn’t like it.


I’m sure that TnAndy has some good recipes, and other members as well. Care to share?

To get pink pork you need to use nitrates. Pink salt is used here in the USA more than Prague. Just look for ham recipes that call for the use of pink salt and then follow directions exactly. In fact, look for several recipes and full the outliers. I have been home curing meats for years and have never had a problem. The first time I made corned beef my wife told me to never buy store bought again.
Eric

 

[jaydee325]

I thought ham was a cut of pork?

But, I agree, a pork roast can be cured or brined and then smoked to give a flavor of ham.

 

[etpm]

There’s a myriad of recipes available on the internet yet many just say something like “rub in sea salt and cook for two hours until done. Add liquid smoke if you want to.” To me that’s just seasoned pork; ham is soaked for days in brine, then slow smoked until done. And it’s PINK!

I did an eight lb roast for Easter last year and it came out great. However, even after following the recipe, the center still was just pork.
I’ve got this year’s roast soaking for another holiday meal. I bought an injector, hopefully that will help.
Next is the two pork bellies in the freezer... where’s that :licking: icon when I need it?
My biggest decision was to use Prague’s #1... as much as I would like to avoid nitrates, I really don’t want food poisoning. I’ve already tried that and didn’t like it.


I’m sure that TnAndy has some good recipes, and other members as well. Care to share?

I recommend that you buy this book: Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages: Marianski, Stanley, Marianski, Adam: 8601404899706: Amazon.com: Books It is an excellent book if you want to produce smoked meats of consistently high quality. I have and use this book for the information it contains. I bought this book for a couple family members who were very happy to receive it because they also smoke and cure meats. I have another book by the same authors called "MEAT SMOKING AND SMOKEHOUSE DESIGN". It is also a great book full of useful and accurate information. The first book I mentioned really does a good job of explaining the use and roles of nitrates and nitrites in meat curing. If you want to make excellent hams, and other cured meats, get this book. And forget what I posted earlier about getting good recipes from the internet. There is just way too much crap posted. So many recipes I looked at that are terrible and must have never been tested. And let me post a disclaimer. I don't know the authors or anyone associated with them and neither I or anyone I know will receive any benefit from me suggesting the book or books.
Eric