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Ham
Jun 23, 2007 5:52:25 GMT 12.75
Post by geiyserq on Jun 23, 2007 5:52:25 GMT 12.75
I got a pork loin (not tenderloin) curing in the refrigerator. Its been in there since Monday night.
Come Sunday, I'm gonna smoke it and turn it into ham. I like doing the loins because they are just the right size for buns.
My cure consists of TenderQuick, brown sugar, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves. I not only soak the loin in it, but I inject it as well.
I've made these for Easter before and they turn out great. Its eally nice because there's no bone to cut around. On the otherhand there's no bone to put into a pot of beans either!
Anywho, once its cooked I'll post some pics. It may be something some of you want to try!
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Ham
Jun 23, 2007 6:45:51 GMT 12.75
Post by Paws on Jun 23, 2007 6:45:51 GMT 12.75
GQ you need to lay out the whole process for that pork loin ham. Folk here might like to have it. Isn't that where Canadian bacon is cut from? I'm not sure; always thought it was though. I buy two or three every fall when butchering time is here and cut them into chops and roasts to freeze up for the winter.
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Ham
Jun 23, 2007 8:04:47 GMT 12.75
Post by geiyserq on Jun 23, 2007 8:04:47 GMT 12.75
Paws,
You are right about the Canadian bacon. It can also come from the tenderloin.
Real Canadian bacon, according to a Canadian friend, is not smoked though. Its merely cured. Which means its still pink. Just doesnt have that smokey flavor.
You can make ham out of any part of the pig. Like cottage hams, which used to be big around the Cincy area, are made from the upper end of the shoulder (also called the butt.) Picnic hams come from the lower half of a pork shoulder.
I will outline this when I get it finished and have pictures. I'll put amounts of ingredients, times, temps, and such.
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Ham
Jun 23, 2007 10:57:31 GMT 12.75
Post by Paws on Jun 23, 2007 10:57:31 GMT 12.75
There you go! Think I'll nose around and see if I can get a recipe for Canadian bacon. Maybe we ought to spend a little time on curing, smoking, and such.
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Ham
Jun 23, 2007 11:15:34 GMT 12.75
Post by Toby Benoit on Jun 23, 2007 11:15:34 GMT 12.75
Sounds awesome G! I haven't done any smoking myself, but my dad's an efficianado at smoking. Especially mullet! Oh man, that is some good groceries there!
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Ham
Jun 24, 2007 2:07:26 GMT 12.75
Post by Paws on Jun 24, 2007 2:07:26 GMT 12.75
I always thought mullet had too much hair!
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Ham
Jun 24, 2007 4:32:46 GMT 12.75
Post by geiyserq on Jun 24, 2007 4:32:46 GMT 12.75
too much hair?? ;D ;D Smoked mullet........mullet of any type is pretty much a Florida, and South Ga. thing. Smoked is about the only way I'll eat it though. I do likes smoked fish! Whenever i'd go into a Winn Dixie and see a pile of mullet in the fish case it always made me think of shad. (and I dont eat them either!) Not a bad idea Paws. Starting a lil section on smokin, curin, and the like!
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Ham
Jun 24, 2007 12:40:53 GMT 12.75
Post by Toby Benoit on Jun 24, 2007 12:40:53 GMT 12.75
The only way you'll eat a mullet is smoked??? Them jokers is even better fried! Whatever smoked mullet he has left over he'll put into a cracker dip. I don't know the recipe for it but DAMN that's some good stuff on a Ritz! He bastes the mullet in the smoker with a mojo sauce made with sour oranges. He'll use lime sometimes if there ain't no sucker orange trees around, but sour oranges are the best. Smoked over pecan and oakwood and it's sure something to brag about!
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Ham
Jun 26, 2007 3:47:40 GMT 12.75
Post by Paws on Jun 26, 2007 3:47:40 GMT 12.75
My fishie weakness is smoked and dried.
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Ham
Jun 26, 2007 7:20:15 GMT 12.75
Post by trblmandy on Jun 26, 2007 7:20:15 GMT 12.75
Hmmm.... the ham idea sounds terrific but i have never had mullet before. Heck an the other half thinks me strange cause i have never had fig preserves or mahall jelly.
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Ham
Jun 26, 2007 8:07:38 GMT 12.75
Post by geiyserq on Jun 26, 2007 8:07:38 GMT 12.75
Dont feel bad mandy. I aint never had fig preserves or that maybehell jelly or whatever ya called it either.
The ham, on the other hand turned out great! Having trouble with my digi cam though, so it may be tomorow before I get the pics.
Technique:
Brined from Monday night until about 11:00 sunday morning.
Brine solution 1 cup TenderQuick 2 TBS koshar salt 1 cup brown sugar 3 cloves garlic cut in halves 3 bay leaves 2 TBS black pepper corns 8 cups of water
After the brining period rinsed loin thouroughly, and soaked it in fresh water for 2 hr min. Removed from the water and rinsed again. This process removes all the excess salt, and is a very important step to your heart and taste buds!
Get your smoker to 100*-130* degree and let the meat in for 1 hr without any smoke. This step will dry the wet piece of meat so it absorbs the smoke better.
I added a 3 oz junk of cherry, and a 1-2 oz chunk of apple and left the smoker at 130* until the internal temp of the meat was right around 120*
At this point turn the smoker upto 150*-155* and leave it alone until the internal hits 145*.
Now its time to crank the smoker upto 170*-175* and wait until the ham hits between 155*-160* internal temp.
Double wrap in foil and lay it in an empty cooler and let it rest 20-30 minutes.
It was 9:30 by the time I was finished last night so I put it directly in the frigerator stil wrapped in foil. (It will take on more smoked flavor sitting in the frig. overnight anyway.)
Today for lunch I had me 2 cold ham sammiches with mayo and Am. cheese.
Now its time to give the lil smoker that could a rest because come Thurs. and Fri. I have 70 lbs. of Carolina pulled pork to turn out for a friend and coworker's wedding this Sat.
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Ham
Jun 26, 2007 15:02:45 GMT 12.75
Post by Paws on Jun 26, 2007 15:02:45 GMT 12.75
Sounds terific! What time is the reception and where?
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Ham
Jun 27, 2007 7:12:02 GMT 12.75
Post by trblmandy on Jun 27, 2007 7:12:02 GMT 12.75
I'm not a huge fig fan lol. that tenderquick must be a northern thing i guess dont see it round here much
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Ham
Jun 27, 2007 7:37:59 GMT 12.75
Post by Paws on Jun 27, 2007 7:37:59 GMT 12.75
Tendedrquick is a brand name potassium based preservative mixture used for preserving uncooked or "cold processed" meats. There are several brand names out there with slight differences in the blends.
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Ham
Jun 27, 2007 9:30:42 GMT 12.75
Post by geiyserq on Jun 27, 2007 9:30:42 GMT 12.75
Yessir. TQ is just Morton Salts name for it. It has bothe nitrites and nitrates. Which are the curing agents and what makes the meat turn pink/ red.
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Ham
Jun 27, 2007 12:03:16 GMT 12.75
Post by Paws on Jun 27, 2007 12:03:16 GMT 12.75
Shame on you GQ! While I was out researching nitrites and nitrates, I remember there was some hubub about them causing cancer and their levels being reduced in commercial meat products a few years ago, I discovered this: forum.cookshack.com/eve/forums Now guess who I find posting there.
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Ham
Jun 28, 2007 1:44:02 GMT 12.75
Post by geiyserq on Jun 28, 2007 1:44:02 GMT 12.75
lol, I told you I was a member of a BBQ forum the first time I came on here Paws.
I also havent been there in quite some time. Prolly been over 4-5 months.
Its a repetitious site with newbies joining up and asking the same questions every other day, but one of the best for BBQ info. The members are very forthcoming with their knowledge, and the employees at CookShack offer some of the best customer service I've ever seen from a company.
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Ham
Jun 28, 2007 1:46:53 GMT 12.75
Post by geiyserq on Jun 28, 2007 1:46:53 GMT 12.75
BTW,
Paws dont you know almost everything causes cancer, and the things that dont cause heart disease.
My motto?
Dont ask. Just eat!
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Ham
Jun 28, 2007 3:04:54 GMT 12.75
Post by Paws on Jun 28, 2007 3:04:54 GMT 12.75
I like the site and if I can get permission will link them here.
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Ham
Jun 28, 2007 6:50:11 GMT 12.75
Post by Toby Benoit on Jun 28, 2007 6:50:11 GMT 12.75
Good one GQ! I've always played by those rules myself. I'd rather enjoy myself and after a long life die of "something", rather than have a long boring life and die from "nothing"!
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