HomeCured Ham Skin Debate.... What to do? What to do?


 

Josh Z.

TVWBB Pro
Hello and thanks in advance for sound advice. I've read over pretty much all the information on hams and skin.

I have a recipe from a book called "Charcuterie" that so far has been dead on as far as good eatin. The recipe calls to cure the ham with the skin on and then smoke it at 200 and then glaze it after a certain point. It never says to cross-score the skin.

I'm thinking that I will cross-score the skin prior to cooking, but after curing. Heres the big question..... at 200 degrees what will the skin be like and will anybody want to eat it even if it's been cured/glazed?

I hate to doubt this book because as I've stated it has been really good to me so far, but I'm not so sure on this skin business and needless to say I'd hate to bomb a big huge ham.

I've also read about Kevin doing his fresh hams at higher heat, but seeing as this is a cured ham and I wasn't sure how this would play out.

Thanks for the info and help,
Josh
 
I am guessing that the author is calling for a curing brine and a longer time than I, for instance, would soak a fresh ham in a 'regular' brine (i.e., brine with no curing salt). While it is not essential, scoring the skin down through the fat seems to allow a regular brine to soak in faster (I brine 3 days or so) and the crosshatch looks cool when grill-roasted, imo.

With a curing brine you'd likely go longer (you really need to because of the thickness of the meat, skin scored or not) since the leg is large and it's important that the cure be complete. Scoring is optional; if you'd like to do it pre-cooking that's fine but your question remains: Will anyone want to eat it? That depends on who is available to answer. People and pork skin--well, some people like it no matter what its texture, others prefer crunchy exterior, soft fat, some like crispy and skin only (no attached fat), and some you can't pay to eat it. If the fat renders enough during a slow cook that the skin gets some nice texture I like it, otherwise I'm in the crunchy/soft camp which you get with high heat. I'm thinking that the time to hit your target internal (150+?) should be enough time to give the skin some decent texture but I am unsure, frankly. I do lots of high-heat fresh hams. The cured ones (not cured by me) are skin off. Not my preference but that's how they come. I would think crosshatching before cooking would help with finish texture and I would do that were I cooking your ham. Perhaps someone else can give you a more definite idea.

If not, then since you have been pleased with your results doing other things from the book I'd recommend that you follow the recipe and see what you think. Though it is quite common that at least a few recipes in any book miss the mark there's no point second guessing a priori. If you find the skin unappealing you can always remove it, cut it up and roast it in the oven till crispy/crunchy if you prefer it that way but it would be worth seeing how it comes out as written. You can make adjustments to the recipe, if needed, before you do it a second time.
 
Josh, I did my first ham at New Years, I followed the DizzyPig recipe
DizzyPig Cured Ham Recipe

and these were my results
My Ham- slideshow
There are lots of ways to do ham but this was my first try...and it was fantastic !

The only thing that I would change is that I was a little heavy on the smoke and the outside was darker than normal.


Good Luck
 
That does look really good. I'll be curing my ham for 1/2 day per pound so it will be a long time inthe brine. I guess I'll just have to experiment and see how I like it. I noticed that the local Polish Deli Bobacks makes its hams with the skin on.

Thanks for the advice gents. OH BTW... SUPERFAN!
 
I was thinking: You know you could cure skin-on; next, score one-third of the skin then cook; next, remove one of the thirds of skin that is unscored leaving you with 1/3 skinned, 1/3 skin-on smooth, 1/3 skin-on scored--then glaze and finish. That would give you three results to compare.
 
Kevin,

You're a crazier cat than me, becuase I thought of doing it half scored half skin off, but I think i like the 1/3 idea even better! I also figure that since I'm planning on smoking it ahead of time and then reheating it in the oven till warm that I could sample it prior and salvage the areas that didn't have good skin.

I will be doing a 1/3 Skin Contest at my house for sure.
 
Save the skin you remove post-cook pre-glaze! Good for a bean- or soup-pot addition.

I got into cooking/recipe triage when I used to write new menus every day. I'd have the menu typed with all the possibilities. Fish was the usual problem. I'd send a commis or my grill man to the airport to meet the plane and pick up the fish but there would often be delays. There would be little time then for much testing so I'd cook whatever with two or three differences (sauces, coatings, presentation possibilites--whatever), make a quick decision, edit the line item in the Mac's word processor reflecting the decision, hit print and have the menus ready for the maitre d' to stuff the holders with a few minutes to spare before the door opened. (It was lots of fun. I loved that pressure.)

Hey, Happy Super Fan! Your posts are great and your enthusiasm palpable. I enjoy reading about your new endeavors.
 

 

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