The Texas BBQ Forum

Here we go with another project from the pig I took last weekend. Ham. Who doesn't like a good ol' slice of ham with some eggs, hash browns, biscuits and gravy? Or a ham sandwich with some swiss cheese on toast? Or just a slice on a plate? NOBODY in my family will turn down this country staple, so I am making a couple from the hinds from my recent kill, which I will now refer to as,"wild thing". Pictured below is one of 2 hinds defrosting enough to start breaking down for salting.



I am sparing some space and just showing the first pic in the beginning cure, but the aich bone was removed along with the hind shank (I have other plans for that little rascal!) I lined my piggy tub with some newspaper, generously salted all sides, paying particular attention to getting inside all the bone areas.



I will cure first with just salt over the next 10 days, repacking more salt every 48-72 hours and draining all the juices from the tub. After the 10 day salt pack, I will then mix a sweet brine with a few select herbs and spices and soak it for another 10 days, changing the brine mix one time in mid-process. Then the leg will dry in the fridge for about 72 hours and then get some smoke. More pics along the way, of course. Stay tuned all!!

48 hours into the initial salt pack, it's time to coat it again!

Awesome! Can't wait to see the results!

I gave it a paper change and another packing of salt today. Saturday will begin the wet cure process!

Gave the ol' ham a rinse and it's looking really good!


Then it went into the sweet bath! It will wet cure for a week. The cure is simple: Water, brown sugar, white sugar, cure#1. I will change out on day 3, and by day 6 should be ready to dry for a couple days!

The ham comes out of the bath today for a couple days dry time in the fridge!!!

TAA DAAA!!! Here it is all done and resting. I made a glaze for it. Good stuff, a tad bit of italian dressing and about 1/2 a cup of brown sugar.

The glaze was AWESOME!!! Sweet and tangy. Perfect combo for a homemade ham!!

Looks AWESOME! I would have loved to taste a slice or 3!

I did that once and by the time i got through i realized they sold'em at the store cheaper than what it had cost me minus all of the trouble.

Kinda like growing Pinto beans and Onions

Rambo wrote:I did that once and by the time i got through i realized they sold'em at the store cheaper than what it had cost me minus all of the trouble.

Kinda like growing Pinto beans and Onions

This cost me all of about 3 dollars to make, considering the leg was from a wild hog. The price of a fresh pork steamship (hind leg) can easily set you back about 60 bucks, whole fresh leg will be a bit cheaper. That's about evenly priced for a 15-20 lb country ham already made. It's not entirely about the price though, it's about the love of the project! You won't have to take all the time, and you may or may not spend less on premade ham; it's about loving the craft!

Txdragon wrote:

Rambo wrote:I did that once and by the time i got through i realized they sold'em at the store cheaper than what it had cost me minus all of the trouble.

Kinda like growing Pinto beans and Onions

This cost me all of about 3 dollars to make, considering the leg was from a wild hog. The price of a fresh pork steamship (hind leg) can easily set you back about 60 bucks, whole fresh leg will be a bit cheaper. That's about evenly priced for a 15-20 lb country ham already made. It's not entirely about the price though, it's about the love of the project! You won't have to take all the time, and you may or may not spend less on premade ham; it's about loving the craft!

I understand what you are saying however I don't think:
your last photo has 15 Lbs of meat
That it will cost me $60 for a 15 Lb ham at the store

Good lookin ham. Reminds me I need to make another homemade bacon attempt.

Kinda like chartering a boat to go deep sea fishing. I have a few $100 fillets of Red Snapper in my freezer. Sure is fun to go-get'um though.

Rambo wrote:
I understand what you are saying however I don't think:
your last photo has 15 Lbs of meat
That it will cost me $60 for a 15 Lb ham at the store

http://www.countrycuredhams.com/uncooke ... sliced.php This is about average priced. 67 bucks for a 3 month aged country ham. HEB sells them, not this brand particularly, but country hams, around Christmas time. They all range from 45 - 70 dollars, at least all the ones I have seen were in this range. The leg I cured started out at 15 pounds. Pictured here, closer to 12.
You can buy regular hams for waaayyy less, but they aren't the same. Country hams are cured differently than the others and aged. I didn't age mine very long, couple days. I couldn't consider it a country ham. Maybe outskirts-of-town, but not country