j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
I'm considering drilling through the end bone (tibia?) and fixing a screw or hook or something and hanging it under the top rack.
Maybe a side hole through and some rope through the hole?
Hamonster
- Thread starter j biesinger
- Start date
I'm considering drilling through the end bone (tibia?) and fixing a screw or hook or something and hanging it under the top rack.
Maybe a side hole through and some rope through the hole?
Dale Perry
TVWBB Guru
Might work well but maybe cut a piece of the hock off and make that a snack later on during the cook?
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
If you look at the pic of the ham in the brine you'll notice that it isn't submerged. I figured we probably won't eat that far into it anyways. Maybe it'll be sacrificed as a test to "see how things are going."
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
I decided hamonster looked lonely in her swimming pool, so she got some company tonight.
I thawed a couple of bellies that I was planning on curing and smoking but never got to them. I figured there was plenty of room. They actually helped to bring the volume up enough to get the brine to the top of the hock.
I thawed a couple of bellies that I was planning on curing and smoking but never got to them. I figured there was plenty of room. They actually helped to bring the volume up enough to get the brine to the top of the hock.
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
The bellies spent 3 days in the brine and I smoked them on thursday. They came out great except the thickest part of the two wasn't salty enough for me. My biggest concern is that the ham will be too salty, so I thought I was in good shape. The Ruhlman recipe would require 11 days and I was looking at only 7-8.
Last night (friday) I decided to see where I was at. I took a nice hunk of the end where the aitch bone was, as well as a deep slice off closer to the hock. After frying, the end piece was way, way, too salty and the deep slice was good, closer to the bone. So I made the call to dump the brine and soak it over night it fresh water. I'm hoping that salt will continue to migrate in towards the bone as well as out.
this morning I pulled it from the brine, fried up a new slice (which seemed better) and hung it in the fridge it was curing in.
I made a hole through the bone with my drill and its hanging nicely. This is probably how I'll smoke it.
I mixed up a cool rub that I'll post about next chance I get.
Last night (friday) I decided to see where I was at. I took a nice hunk of the end where the aitch bone was, as well as a deep slice off closer to the hock. After frying, the end piece was way, way, too salty and the deep slice was good, closer to the bone. So I made the call to dump the brine and soak it over night it fresh water. I'm hoping that salt will continue to migrate in towards the bone as well as out.
this morning I pulled it from the brine, fried up a new slice (which seemed better) and hung it in the fridge it was curing in.
I made a hole through the bone with my drill and its hanging nicely. This is probably how I'll smoke it.
I mixed up a cool rub that I'll post about next chance I get.
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
thanks.
got a question you may be able to answer. I was hoping to get this thing cooked today but had to defer it to tomorrow due to the required extra soak. So what should be my plan for tomorrow's cook? we'd like to eat around 5:30 pm.
I was thinking of getting it going as soon as possible (6-7 am), and if needed, hold in a cooler. But I really have no idea how long it'll take to get to temp.
Gary H. NJ
TVWBB Platinum Member
Just a note to say thanks for the updates J. This is my favorite bedtime story; can't wait for the happy ending. Cheers!
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
GREAT! much appreciated.
welcome. the threads been silent, I seem to be talking to myself, I assumed the hamonster scared everybody away
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
BILLLLLLLLLLLLL! its about time you added you hamspertise.
yeah, 9 days of reading, me...9 days of hauling this thing in and out of fridges and buckets. I think I slipped a disc in my back.
Good night sweet hamonster...in the morning you will fulfill you destiny!
I got my charcoal/hickory/cherry all layered and loaded in the ring. The chimney is half filled and sitting on the kettle. And the baconator...er hamonator is stacked and ready. it won't be long now...
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
Despite yesterdays preparations, things did not go as smoothly as planned.
1)daughter woke up about 1.5 hours early and was hunting eggs while I was trying to get the fire stared
2)I was out of briquettes, so I made the minion with lump. I wasn't use to it and it caught much faster than the briquettes would have and I ended up at 350* in about 20 min (about the time I'd check on the briquettes and shut a vent or two). I dumped it all and started over. It still going fast though and I'm approaching 250* at the 40min mark.
3)I assumed the grate could hold 20 lbs, the problem was, when hanging, all 20 lb is bared by the center. The grate had a bit of sag. Luckily, I added a second grate and things looked sturdier.
This is the maiden voyage for my et-73 and I'm loving it.
I applied the rub last night. Not traditional for ham, but I figured another flavor layer was warranted since the brine was only salt and sugar.
Last fall, I was playing around with rub profiles and making blends and blending the blends. This recipe looks like a train wreck, but it actually is pretty cool. I like to think of it like poultry seasoning for pork, as it tastes really porcine. I never new what to do with it and figure a big ham need a big rub, so it was time to empty the spice cabinet:
26 g Black Pepper
24 g Ancho
9 g Coriander
8 g Garlic
8 g Cumin
4 g Fennel
4 g Celery Seed
4 g Ceylon Cinnamon
2 g White Pepper
2 g Turkish Oregano
2 g Marjoram
2 g French Thyme
2 g California Bay
1 g Ginger
.5 g Nutmeg
.5 g Clove
1)daughter woke up about 1.5 hours early and was hunting eggs while I was trying to get the fire stared
2)I was out of briquettes, so I made the minion with lump. I wasn't use to it and it caught much faster than the briquettes would have and I ended up at 350* in about 20 min (about the time I'd check on the briquettes and shut a vent or two). I dumped it all and started over. It still going fast though and I'm approaching 250* at the 40min mark.
3)I assumed the grate could hold 20 lbs, the problem was, when hanging, all 20 lb is bared by the center. The grate had a bit of sag. Luckily, I added a second grate and things looked sturdier.
This is the maiden voyage for my et-73 and I'm loving it.
I applied the rub last night. Not traditional for ham, but I figured another flavor layer was warranted since the brine was only salt and sugar.
Last fall, I was playing around with rub profiles and making blends and blending the blends. This recipe looks like a train wreck, but it actually is pretty cool. I like to think of it like poultry seasoning for pork, as it tastes really porcine. I never new what to do with it and figure a big ham need a big rub, so it was time to empty the spice cabinet:
26 g Black Pepper
24 g Ancho
9 g Coriander
8 g Garlic
8 g Cumin
4 g Fennel
4 g Celery Seed
4 g Ceylon Cinnamon
2 g White Pepper
2 g Turkish Oregano
2 g Marjoram
2 g French Thyme
2 g California Bay
1 g Ginger
.5 g Nutmeg
.5 g Clove
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
As per usual... I'm in awe!!
Either you must have the most understanding wife, be independantly wealthy or retired (or a combination) to come up with such amazing cooks.
Did you guys get that terrible wind last night?? Up here (2 hrs north of you in Ontario) we had 80 kmph gusts and go figure I was trying to cook Roadside Chicken!! haha
All the best on this cook... looks like you're well in hand
Either you must have the most understanding wife, be independantly wealthy or retired (or a combination) to come up with such amazing cooks.
Did you guys get that terrible wind last night?? Up here (2 hrs north of you in Ontario) we had 80 kmph gusts and go figure I was trying to cook Roadside Chicken!! haha
All the best on this cook... looks like you're well in hand
Gary H. NJ
TVWBB Platinum Member
Great. I love the pic of the Frankenweber WSM. Brilliant idea. Hope everything turned out great (no doubt).
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
I'd say my wife is mostly understanding.
Yeah, temps dropped 30* in 30 min!
I found a serious draw back. My fire died out around the 7.5 hour mark because I built it with lump instead of briquettes. Normally, I'd lift off the middle section, but that was next to impossible with the two and 20 lbs of meat in the top one.
The set-up made glazing fun. I poured it on through the top, spun the ham, and painted it through the access door.
ooooooooh shiney!
glaze was a mixture of: brown sugar, dijon mustard, pineapple juice, and garlic
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
Well, luckily I was only looking for done and not tender. The last few degrees were hard to come by as my temps started to drop below 150*. I finally decided to risk playing with the coals (I was trying to avoid getting ash on the glaze), and good thing I did because there wasn't much left in the way of coals. A few pieces of lump got the temps back up, and we inched to 150*.
Normally, I use humphrey's briquettes for minions, and hump lump for grilling and there's a huge difference. I know Bryan S uses the lump for minions but I just can't control them, or get it to last.
I mentioned earlier that I had to build this fire with lump, since I was out of briquettes, and I totally botched the first minion and had to start over.
Normally, I use humphrey's briquettes for minions, and hump lump for grilling and there's a huge difference. I know Bryan S uses the lump for minions but I just can't control them, or get it to last.
I mentioned earlier that I had to build this fire with lump, since I was out of briquettes, and I totally botched the first minion and had to start over.
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
success! we had cured it to the bone and if anything, I'd described it as mildly under salted (which was the better way to err). It was the best ham I've eaten and we got plenty of compliments. Overall, it wasn't too hard, and something I'd consider doing again if requested.
I appreciate all the well wishes, and I hope everybody enjoyed following this little challenge as much as I did posting about it.