VENI HAM

[AndrewT059]

well mine has been hanging in muslin for the past month, looking good so far, no mushrooms or any unwanted growth on it at the moment

Finger cross

 

[lambic]

I think the completely burying a haunch in salt is a huge overkill and can only end up with a very salty end product. I think it became a popular method when Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall took that approach with making a proscuitto with a pigs leg. When you bear in mind that some 75% of the pig leg is coveredd with skin as opposed to the completely uncovered venison haunch, it's not surprising that you'd end up with a very salty ham. You can dry cure a ham with far far less salt then you would expect, I have a 3 year old pig ham that I cured with approx 1 tablespoon of salt, a lot less than I usually use but I was copying an old method I'd read about, it aged beautifully over 3 years and tastes fantastic, I wouldn't suggest going down that route for a first attempt, but as an experiment, and for my own consumption only, I was happy to give it a go. Personally I think that using a cure which is a mix of a reasonable amount of salt, cure#2 and your own herbs and spices is the best way to go. I'm pretty new to curing venison haunches so I don't have any definate ratios or timings yet but It's certainly interesting working it out.

This is a very good, relevant thread and you clearly know your curing Legolas. So I am hoping you can give some tips and save me ploughing through the sausagemaking.org archives.

I was hoping to produce some cold smoked cured venision, not dissimlar to Bresoala. Whole muscles, working on 30% weight loss. Might cold smoke some using a load on the Pro-Q and leave some unsmoked.

Is there a tried and tested % recipe for equilibrium curing of venison haunches? I have Salt, Sodium Nitrite and Potassium Nitrate on the shelf at home.

Guessing 3% Salt, 0.02% Nitrite, 0.02% Nitrate ......?

Any tips on flavourings for the cure mix?

Also any tips on a traditonal brine for cold smoking a venison loin would be appreciated, again using a Pro-Q in a BGE.

Cheers

 

[Legolas]

Hi Lambic, if I can help, I'm glad to. I did a whole muscle (don't ask me which one) from a red using 3.5% salt and cure 2 at 2.5g per kg (0.0025%) with pepper, & garlic powder at 0.1% and juniper berries and rosemary at 0.05% which worked very well but if truth be told, for my taste it maybe would have been better with a bit more salt but I think that was to do with the flavour of the meat. But it cured really well and dried to 25% without any hiccups. It was a bit of a variation on a goat recipe I saw somewhere and after tweaking it a bit to my tastes over a few tries it works really well.

I don't use separate nitrites/nitrates as I am a simpleton!! but the cure 2 I use is 6.25% sodium nitrite, 4% sodium nitrate 89.75% salt if that helps with the calculations. I think there is a difference in quantity between the nitrite and the nitrate in the cure because the nitrite is quick to break down and therefore 'fast acting' whilst the smaller amount of nitrate takes longer to break down and therfore is protecting the meat during the latter end of the cure.

Somebody bought me a load of sachets of cure 2 so if you'd like one I'd be happy to stick one in the post - its no bother as the post office sets up camp in the lounge of the local pub .... its never a chore for me to call in.

I'm afraid I havent any experience of brining venison for cold smoking, I've only ever brined and hot smoked venison so any suggestions would be purely anecdotal rather than based on actual experience I'm afraid.

I hope the above helps on the breasola front, and I'm sorry i can't help on the other.

Regards

Jonty

 

[lambic]

Thanks Legolas. I will use your Bresoala cure as a starting point. Just need to shoot a few more deer first....

The nitrate and nitrite calcs are simple enough, just basic percentages and ratios, so your kind offer of cure #2 is not required.

Many years ago I had some tasty cold Smoked venison from near Rannoch Moor, cannot recall the exact smokehouse. Was very good with a single malt. I would be eternally grateful for anybody who knows a good recipe for cold Smoked venison loin ? (Not impressed by the one in my copy of Erlandsons)

Cheers gents