Anyone dry cure pork hams, etc?

[Woodsmoke]

As long as people are aware of the potential risk it's a personal choice as you say. I wouldn't dream of leaving it out now though.......

I also prefer to see the classic pink colour of the cured meats. It's got something to do with how the nitrites act on the haemoglobin in the meat, if I remember right. I also make a lot of chorizo, salamis, so using cure is second nature to me now. The Southern BBQ styles call for low & slow cooking too, and as I make a lot of pulled pork, Summer Sausage & other smoked meats I won't take the risk

 

[stratts]

Thanks guys I figured I'd try the hocks 1st as they are the cheap cuts I got with the half pig and am gonna do 1 in a brine and one in a dry cure.

Where do you get your salt from in large quantities?

Stratts

 

[Woodsmoke]

Supermarket stuff will do fine........you can get a couple of kilos for practically mere pence.

I reckon you're setting yourself up for a fall if you use the hocks though? For a gammon, use the 'hand' or 'picnic ham' from the lower part of the shoulder. If you're determined to try dry-curing, use a piece of quality meat from the leg. Crap in will result in crap out!

Cure the hocks by all means, but I recommend you brine them, then heavily cold-smoke them & use them for soup or similar

 

[stratts]

Ok mate thanks I have some other joints in the freezer that we got but I am not sure which bits they came off, lol!!

I think I'll buy some belly pork 1st to try and brine the hocks as you say.

Now trotters, what the heck do I do with those?!?

 

[Shootgun]

That's my best effort so far... dry cured - cold smoked whole pork shoulder...

 

[Woodsmoke]

That shoulder looks great!!!

Now trotters, what the heck do I do with those?!?

Give 'em to the dog!

I've tried to use them in a few different ways, but each time I've been left disappointed. They're little more than gristle & bone, so despite the hype any attempt to make the edible is wasted effort

 

[african jack]

trotters boil them and have them with salt pepper and vinegar

 

[Woodsmoke]

Bleeech. It's eating feet

 

[FGYT]

Dogs do like a raw Trotter

 

[stratts]

I've been trying to convince the Mrs about having a dog so I'll have to tell her we need one to get rid of the trotters!!

 

[stratts]

That's my best effort so far... dry cured - cold smoked whole pork shoulder...

Looks great mate was that cold smoked to preserve it so it didn't need cooking or just to impart some flavour?

 

[Shootgun]

Looks great mate was that cold smoked to preserve it so it didn't need cooking or just to impart some flavour?

Both mate. It was smoked during a 7 day period, with different wood flavours.

 

[stalker58]

dry cure

View attachment Lucas_Cures_s-by-s (1).pdf

I've been trying to convince the Mrs about having a dog so I'll have to tell her we need one to get rid of the trotters!!

This is what I use..simple and works great,been using It for years..you can get it from your butcher supplies store.

 

[Woodsmoke]

There are a load of good cures available, certainly. I've used a couple of different ones in the past with great results

One thing that's not been mentioned so far (and I forgot) is to ensure that if you're placing meat to cure in a fridge with other items, make certain it's totally sealed or you'll get transference to the other foods

 

[stratts]

Thanks chaps I have a vacuum packer so cross contamination isn't a problem!

 

[Woodsmoke]

Perfect! The vacuum will actually help the cure penetrate & shorten the curing times slightly

The transference I mentioned wasn't really related to the risk of cross-contamination as such, although it's perfectly sensible to make sure it doesn't happen, but more to the phenomenon of 'nitrite jump' to other products in the fridge. I'm not actually sure why it happens, but it can impart off flavours to fruits, vegetables & other foods. Best to prevent it if you can

 

[Highseat]

Glad to hear the cheap cuts were free Stratts, I thought from your first post you'd bought the front half.
I use trotters with veg and other meat trimmings to make jelly for my pies.

 

[stratts]

I only ended up with 2 hocks weighing a kilo total so put them in a brine of salt, sugar and prague #1 on Sunday. Would I be right in thinking they will be ready to cold smoke this Saturday after 5-6 days then cook?

Cheers

Stratts