Easter Ham


 

Maxwell G.

New member
I'm attempting a whole ham and could use any advice or recommendations. I read the Hamonster post from a year ago but still have some questions. I would like to brine the whole leg using Ruhlman's recipe but without injecting (I'm not opposed to injecting but I don't have the equipment and wanted to try it old school). I'll be brining for 11 days according to Ruhlman's formula. My concern is not getting the brine all the way to the bone. Has anyone had experience using brine only on a whole ham? Does the 1/2 day per lb of meat brining formula still hold for such a big cut? Will I need to soak out the leg after brining? As far as temperature, I've read several posts on other blogs that recommend brining at no less than 40 degree F. Any advice, experience or recommendations as far as brining temperature? My inclination is to keep the temp. closer to 35 but from what I read the curing process is inhibited at temperatures lower than 40. Any advice appreciated. Thanks in advance. Max
 
In reverse:

The curing process is hindered at temps lower than 37. It will stop shortly below 36. Keep your temps between 38 and 40.

I do not know his recipe and thus his salt and cure concentration (have the book, though not with me at present; I use what I assume is a different approach) so do not know if you will need to soak. Often this is warranted but not always. Plan on it. After removing from the brine, time permitting, allow several hours in the fridge for some stabilization, then trim a little piece of meat off and cook it in a little neutral oil and taste for salt. Time not permitting, soak in cold water for a few hours, changing the water once.

Imo, the formula you mention usually does not hold. I would also be concerned about getting the cure to the bone - bone sour is nasty - and would highly recommend injecting. Then, temps being okay, the 11 days should be fine. "Old school" has been injecting a very long time. Before that, for pickle cures, lengthy times were used, often 45-60 days depending on size. I highly suggest you get an injector. Sur la Table (downtown Seattle) probably has one, but many supermarkets sell jarred Cajun marinade with an injector included.

Hope this helps.
 
Kevin, Thanks for the advice and tips. Based on your recommendation I will go ahead and get an injector to use on the Ham. Thanks again. Max
 
Just a thought for next time, there's probably no harm done in leaving the ham in the brine at about 38-40 degrees for a longer period of time, maybe even up to 21 days or longer. You could do this instead of injecting. Once it's cured it's not really going to change too much in that brine and I think you can just let it soak.

Given the high salt and nitrite concentration in the water/meats I can't really see why that wouldn't be safe.
 
It should be safe, as you note. It require more advance planning though because the time needs to be extended.
 
Basic brine from Chacuterie

1 gallon water
12 ounces/350 grams kosher salt (1-1/2 cups Morton's kosher)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1-1/2 ounces/42 grams pink salt 4-1/2 teaspoons)
 
Weight is irrelavent when brining. What is, is the thickness of your roast. And a ham is pretty darn thick.

I'm guessing but I'll be wlling to bet brine penetration is exponential. You can do a 1/2" in a day but the next 1/2" will be longer and so on.

The time required to get around injecting is just not worth it IMO.

Thanks for reading my post, hope it works for you.
 
I injected using about 3 quarts of brine of which I estimate 1 quart leaked out right away. After two days I've noticed that the ham seems to have shrunk a bit. I'm guessing that is due to more of the injected brine leaving the inside of the ham as it reaches equilibrium. I left the skin on, which I hope won't delay the process too much. Due to my family's schedule we won't be eating this ham until May 1. I wish there were a reliable way to test for curedness. My plan is to take the meat out of the brine on the 28th and soak it in fresh water for a day before I put it in the smoker. That will be 12 days soaking in brine. It weighed in at about 21.5 lbs. What do you think? I confess I'm nervous about how this will turn out.
 
That's a lot to inject. For that size ham I would normally inject about a quart or a bit more, concentrating on injecting at and along the bone. No matter. What it won't hold will leak out.

After injecting you did put the ham into brine - covered with brine - right?

Leaving the skin on can delay the process if you don't inject. You did.

As long as your fridge temps don't get too cold it should be fine. 12 days should do it no problem.
 
Kevin. Thanks for the response. Good to hear. I did try to inject all along the bone as well as the intra-muscle spaces in the thickest part of the ham. Yes, the whole ham is covered in brine and holding around 35 to 40 degrees out on the back porch. I'm trying to keep the temp closer to 38 - 40 but we cooled off a bit last night. Thanks again. Max
 
So, we ate the ham last night and I’m happy to report that it came out beautifully. Here are the details:

21.5 lb leg with skin on, etch bone removed,
Injected then brined for 11 days at 39 degrees,
Following brining, soaked for 12 hours in fresh water changed once,
Rested uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours.
Smoked for 11 hours at around 250 degrees using briquettes and four fist size pieces of apple wood,
Pulled at 160 degrees and rested the ham an hour before carving.
Did not use a rub or glaze.

I cooked on a 22 1/2 WSM with water that had to be replenished once.

The brine consisted of Morton Tender Quick prepared per the package direction,
• 1 Tbl ground cloves
• 1 Tbl whole clove
• 1 Tbl cracked black pepper corns
• 1 bunch (.5 oz) fresh bay
• 4 dried bay leaves crumbled
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup brown sugar

I’ll definitely try this again. Would try cutting back by half on the ground cloves, adding some crushed juniper and would double the sugar.

Many thanks to all for the help here and especially J. Biesinger's notes from a year ago. The assistance was invaluable.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Many thanks to all for the help here and especially J. Biesinger's notes from a year ago. The assistance was invaluable. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sounds like you made an awesome ham! glad I could be helpful. Basically, I document and post my cooks here for me. I have a terrible memory and I'm a notoriously bad at recording notes. If I didn't have tvwbb to be my cloud brain, I'd never progress. Any value my post have for others is all gravy.

I've found clove to be one spice that carries (too) well in a brine. I stopped using pickling spice in my brines because all that comes through is clove.
 

 

Back
Top