smoking a salt cured country ham

Hams may be fresh, cured, or cured-and-smoked. The usual color for cured ham is deep rose or pink; fresh ham (which is not cured) has the pale pink or beige color of a fresh pork roast; country hams and prosciutto (which are dry cured) range from pink to mahogany color


Dry Curing
In dry curing, the process used to make country hams and prosciutto, fresh meat is rubbed with a dry-cure mixture of salt and other ingredients. Dry curing produces a salty product. In 1992, FSIS approved a trichina treatment method that permits substituting up to half of the sodium chloride with potassium chloride to result in lower sodium levels. Since dry curing draws out moisture, it reduces ham weight by at least 18% -- usually 20 to 25%; this results in a more concentrated ham flavor.

Dry-cured hams may be aged from a few weeks to more than a year. Six months is the traditional process but may be shortened according to aging temperature.

These uncooked hams are safe stored at room temperature because they contain so little water, bacteria can't multiply in them. Country hams may not be injected with curing solutions or placed in curing solutions but they may be smoked.

They may use a product that lends itself to this method.

Not all things can stand extra smoke.

I'd say cook it and see how you like it.

Let us know.

So what are the uncured hams I'm seeing at Costco? I thunkt all hams were cured???

Fresh ham is the rear leg of the hog and cooks like pork shoulder,or roast.

The Cuban and some other island populations in our area do these for the Christmas holidays.

Seems like they are running about $1.25/lb.

We think of a "ham" aa being the pink, cured version. But it is actually the term for that part of a pig's anatomy,right? Cured or uncured.

Yep,folks can make turkey hams from thigh meat,and can cure picnics,but a ham is anatomical.

while ya'll are hamming it up, which i do appreciate, how about the meat of 'thigh' problem; that is, cooking this leg. what about just using no smoke. come one, come all. some more ideas. thanks. jan

jan:

The last 2 I did this way:

http://forum.cookshackamerica.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cg...;f=4;t=000181#000000

Wrenchead

thanks wrenchhead. i think i'll try it sometime soon. i also think i'll try to soak some of the salt out first, however. and i think i'll cook it to 140/150. your pics are a welcome addition. jan

jan:

Your welcome but the pictuer credit goes to:
>SteveinKY<

Here are some more Country Ham links for ya:

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/458-223/458-223.html
http://www.barbecuen.com/hamming.htm
http://www.bbqpits.com/archive/messages/1398.html
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/hamselect.html

Wrenchead